Two Boxes | Simple Sophistication in This Nature-Filled Two-Storey Tiny Home

A jewel of New Zealand architecture, this two-storey tiny home cleverly features a minimal floorplan — but you would hardly notice because the clever design makes it feel extremely spacious.

Situated in Raglan, the narrow site actually features two dwellings — or ‘two boxes’ due to the shapely form of both. But today, we’re going to take you through one impressive house.

Before entering the home, you are greeted with an extremely contemporary exterior. The Macrocarpa rain-screen cladding gives a rugged and earthy appearance, reflecting the hardiness of the New Zealand landscape. 

Also to note is the shape. It gives a point of difference to traditional boxy tiny home figures by cutting in diagonally across the top.

As you step into the kitchen and dining from the lower floor, strandboard provides a welcoming warmth to your visual field and is a bright contrast to the hardy exterior. 

The interiors are light and bright, with an encompassing neutral palette broken up by European plyboard detailing above the cabinetry. The white Elysian Kitchen Mixer is the only fixture of that colour in the whole home, making it a unique focal point.

To create an atmosphere of spaciousness, the whole home features generous windows to the outdoors, colouring the interiors with vibrant foliage. Another design hack is the soaring void between the lower and upper levels — and while it may seem like a minor detail, this openness connects the two spaces by opening up the hallway.

In the main bathroom, a custom rattan whitewash vanity gives Two Boxes an essence of a traditional coastal home, nodding to its actual close proximity to the ocean. This is also seen with the introduction of brushed brass — an enthusiastic tapware finish often found in beachy abodes.

That is what is so interesting about this project — it has recognised the diversity in the surrounding natural landscape and combined the different personalities to create a home that honours the earthy ruggedness and relaxed coastline. 

It comes off as a continuity piece in the immediate environment while creating a warm and cocooning ambience indoors.

Want to see a home that also expertly blends indoors and outdoors? Explore Sundream — a quintessential coastal home in Burleigh Heads.