Her Simply Sweet Tiny House in Germany – it’s permitted!
Meet Claudia, who lives in a charming tiny house in Germany. She loves simple living in an affordable home of her own. The ability to be content with less came from her van life experience.
"When I was living in a van, I learned that I can live more minimalistic. Like, I don't need so much stuff. So the beauty of having less things is that you feel lighter. You just only concentrated on the things you really need and you love.
After living in a huge house for five years and then in a shared apartment, I had the dream of living in my own little tiny house.
I paid $58,400 for the tiny house. So for me, it's also that I don't have the commitment to pay a big house off like 20 years of my life. Like, I'm only working, working, working to pay a house off. And that was also something I never wanted to do.
A tiny house you can easily pay off in five years."
Inside Her Simply Sweet Tiny House in Germany
Claudia purchased a custom tiny home from Berghaus, a German eco-friendly tiny house builder. It's solar-powered and built on a 7.3-meter/24-foot-long trailer. The vibrant green exterior with white trim feels reminiscent of Oktoberfest. So she calls her tiny house Cordula Grün, after a famous German song that's a festival favorite.
Inside, Claudia's tiny house has an inviting and down-to-earth feeling. It's primarily white with wood accents and lots of windows. Abundant natural light gives her 200 sqft/18.5 sqm home a more spacious feeling. The natural stone infrared heating panels in the living room and bathroom provide a great example of her home's practical yet charming aesthetic.
Small Space Furniture in Her Living Room
In the living room, Claudia's furniture choices maximize the available space. Her roomy sofa makes daily lounging comfy and pulls out into a bed for guests. However, the size doesn't take up too much space. A double-decker row of hooks beside it provides storage for jackets, folding chairs, and a little vacuum. Above the sofa, Claudia installed floating storage cubes for books. Her mini projector fits perfectly on top of one. A large pull-down screen installed in the ceiling across from the sofa is ideal for easy viewing.
An Ikea fold-up table with storage sits next to the couch. With one leaf out, there's just enough open space on all sides to walk around it easily and comfortably situate two chairs. A small storage cabinet with drawers sits next to it. The use of a traditional ladder for sleeping loft access makes this open floor space possible.
Her Tiny House Kitchen & Bathroom
Her kitchen does feature extra long counter space. So, there's ample prep space and room to store a few essentials. One side has lower cabinets only; combined with a long opening window, the room feels open. In contrast, the other side has a large cabinet unit. It includes both pantry storage and a closet.
She replaced one of the base cabinets with a washing machine. Other kitchen appliances include an apartment-size dishwasher with a cabinet front, an under-counter fridge, a convection oven/microwave, and a 2-burner induction cooktop.
For a smaller tiny house, Claudia's bathroom packs a lot of function without feeling cramped. A space-efficient corner shower stall helps quite a bit. For storage, she has a compact vanity sink and a wall-mounted cabinet. Her builder installed a regular flush toilet to meet local regulations.
Overall, Claudia thinks her sweet tiny house works well for her as a single person.
Finding Legal Tiny House Parking in Germany
Claudia found a legal tiny house parking spot in Hopferbach, Germany. She rents a small residential lot. It's owned by an older couple who live in a farmhouse across the street. They granted her a renewable lease for up to 17 years. Then, their grandson may choose to build a home there.
Claudia approached the local authorities after finding her land hosts. Both the mayor and city council approved her tiny house placement with minimal requirements. This included a proper angled roof for snow shedding and red roofing tiles to match the neighborhood's aesthetic. Berghaus built the tiny home accordingly and to strigent German energy codes. Additionally, they help their customers find legal tiny house parking. The rules vary greatly across the country.
Another tiny house on wheels can also be placed next to Claudia's home. She's excited to welcome a neighbor soon!
Watch a Tour of Her Sweet Tiny House in Germany!
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