A Hamptons themed tiny home designed by lady tradies creates affordable luxury

In a world obsessed with bigger is better, tiny can be truly beautiful. Two women are on a mission to find a solution to the housing affordability issues and their answer lies in tiny homes. Through the power of Resene colours and quality products, Cris and Bryh are setting out to make tiny homes chic, luxurious and affordable.

Interior designers, besties and ‘lady tradies’ Cris Edwards and Bryh Joy have no building experience. Well, at least they didn’t when they started their journey earlier this year.

Terrified of having to move rentals again and unable to afford to buy, the two friends joined forces to find financial stability by aiming to reside in their very own tiny home, as well as hoping to make a profit from these sensational tiny dwellings.  

“We had no experience whatsoever, we learnt everything as we went,” says Cris. She admits that some of her biggest learnings during her tiny home endeavour were remembering to protect the floor from paint splatters, realising not to paint the exterior in searing heat, and to always invest in the best brushes and rollers you can buy!

Their new tiny home, which they have been calling ‘the summer house’ is based around the beach house style found in California in places like Coronado and Balboa Island, but with a bit of Queenslander vibe thrown in.

Resene Watercourse is one of Cris’ favourite colours. It is an intense emerald green; clear, rich and jewel toned which she found the perfect spot for on the bathroom vanity and accented front doors.

“Emerald green has been my favourite colour since I was six years old, I think trends don’t matter with this colour, it is a classic yet exciting choice,” says Cris. “People can always be brave with their front doors. You only experience them for a moment and the bolder they are the more they say ‘Come on in!’”

The pair chose a seamless fresh, warm white for the interior walls, Resene Alabaster. Not too stark, but not too creamy, this shade opened up the small dimensions and gave it the pop of brightness it needed before adding colour and character to each corner.

The comfy daybed with the bay window projecting all the way up to the loft is the pair’s favourite space in their home. The daybed and couch, which also doubles as a sleeping bed, is a gorgeous ice blue linen with a mountain of colourful accent cushions to invite you in for a hot cuppa and book. The hidden storage underneath is an added bonus.

When it came to the exterior, Cris and Bryh wanted a dark colour that still felt fresh and made all their gorgeous windows and doors pop. They decided on a smoky grey blue with a slight purple edge, Resene Rhino.

“We think the most sophisticated colours are the ones that are difficult to describe…dark bluesy charcoal… muted navy… the sea on a cloudy day,” Cris says.

They opted to use Resene Lumbersider in a Resene CoolColour formula for this exterior colour. This special heat reflective technology is ideal for darker shades like Resene Rhino on exteriors, reflecting more heat than the normal version of the colour, helping to reduce the risk of heat related damage.

“As interior designers we are always designing for someone else,” says Cris. “With this project we got to design for an imaginary client, who just happened to like all the things we do! We literally picked everything we loved and ignored all the trends we saw on social media.”

“Our style would be described as eclectic, bohemian, artsy, American, beachy… a fresh take on traditional elements reconfigured to make something new.”

Cris and Bryh say they are aiming to create “the most beautiful tiny home in Australia”. Although they have been picking up tools for the first time they hope to empower other women in the construction industry.

The tiny home duo employs an awesome group of seasoned builders and “badass lady tradies” who care about the products they produce, as well as each other. So far, they have hired a female plumber and female electrician.

“Our lady tradies are the best. They return messages and show up on time too... legends!!” says Cris.

Their uniquely female perspective and keen attitude has given this tiny home a fresh, vibrant look and the home was a huge hit at the Tiny Home Expo in Tuggerah NSW. The pair also like to call it their “tiny mansion” as they believe tiny homes and small spaces do not have to be cheap.

“Luxury affordable housing is not an oxymoron. We wanted to create a quality space that will last a lifetime. Because of the small areas we could put more budget in to getting the best finishes, most stylish fittings and expert craftsmanship to make our tiny houses a little less ‘mining camp’ and a little more ‘ooh la’.”

See more of Cris and Bryh’s work at Big Life Tiny Home: www.biglifetinyhome.com.au

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/biglife.tinyhome/

Top tip:

Resene SpaceCote Flat is designed to bring enamel style toughness to broadwall areas, allowing you to get a desirable flat finish without sacrificing durability. It can be used both inside and out on joinery and trim, architraves, interior wet areas like bathrooms, ceilings and kitchens.

Prep: When using Resene SpaceCote Flat ensure you clean surfaces thoroughly to remove all dirt, dust, loose material, oil, grease and mould.

Prime: Prime your surface with the appropriate Resene sealer if needed. For fibrous plaster or plasterboard in dry areas use Resene Broadwall Waterborne Wallboard Sealer, for laminated surfaces use Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer, for timber use Resene Quick Dry, and for soft or absorbent surfaces use a saturation coat of a fully penetrating sealer such as Resene Sureseal.

Apply: Apply two coats of Resene SpaceCote Flat in your chosen colour allowing at least two hours between coats.

 

The light colour throughout this home alludes space and openness. Walls painted in Resene Alabaster with the trims coated in Resene Lustacryl tinted to Resene White. The ceiling is painted in Resene SpaceCote Flat in Resene White looking fresh and bright while being easy to clean.

The contrasting colours in the kitchen make it its own space. Resene Alabaster is painted on the walls, a crisp, classic white for the trims in Resene Lustacryl tinted to Resene White, and the ceiling coated in Resene SpaceCote Flat in Resene White. Darken timber with black wood stain using Resene Colorwood in Resene Pitch Black and keep timber flooring looking natural with Resene Colorwood in Resene Natural.

Adding a fine emerald pop to the bathroom vanity using Resene Enamacryl tinted to Resene Watercourse brings this bathroom to life. The panelling is painted in Resene Alabaster sitting below a darker shade of Resene Rhino. The trims are coated in Resene Lustacryl tinted to Resene White.

 

This little corner on the daybed is made extra cosy with a warm-lit lamp, bringing out the walls in Resene Alabaster and trims in Resene Lustacryl tinted to Resene White.

 

What a great use of space, adding another level to increase dimensions.  The walls and ladder to the loft are painted in Resene Alabaster with the trims painted in Resene Lustacryl tinted to Resene White.

The soft blue daybed with accented pillows gives beachy vibes and creates a calm corner for reading or admiring the view. The walls and ladder are painted in Resene Alabaster while the trims are coated in Resene Lustacryl tinted to Resene White.

These accented French doors were very popular among crowds at the tiny home expo, painted in emerald toned Resene Watercourse. The trims both inside and outside are painted in Resene Lustacryl tinted to Resene White, while the exterior is painted in powerful slate blue Resene Rhino.

This outdoor bath is placed in the perfect spot just out the back door with a pop of green flora and luxurious brass joinery. The home’s exterior is painted in Resene Rhino with trims in Resene Lustacryl tinted to Resene White.

This stunning exterior is a smoky grey blue with a slight purple edge painted in Resene Rhino. The trims are coated in Resene Lustacryl tinted to Resene White providing a perfect contrast.

Published: 08 Dec 2022

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Resene Pitch Black

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