The name of this beautiful French-built home on wheels was inspired by the daisy-like flower called Cosmos, but we could also describe this home as a perfect self-contained universe. Aside from its irresistible country charm, the Cosmos Tiny reveals one of the most impressive two-loft floor plans.
Sophisticated style and refined design blend seamlessly in the Cosmos Tiny, creating a home with plenty of personality despite its delicate frame. The Cosmos is only six metres long (19.6 feet) and 4.2 metres high (13.7 feet), but is still wonderfully spacious and full of unexpected benefits.
These are the standard dimensions of a typical small house designed and built by Plume, a craft workshop in beautiful Provence. It is no wonder that most Plume creations take names from the local flora or the rural lifestyle. These little wooden gems pay homage to traditional craftsmanship and nature at the same time, while offering their inhabitants perfect comfort by contemporary standards.
Photo: Feder
Tiny House Cosmos impresses with its extremely clever layout, designed to transform this relatively compact apartment into a perfect family home. Two-loft configurations are nothing new, but connected loft rooms are rare. In addition, this layout connects the rooms not via a classic corridor and two separate access staircases, but via a sturdy net, while a single built-in staircase connects this level to the ground floor.
The most obvious benefit is the space saving, which impacts the overall brightness and sense of space. A classic walkway would take up significantly more space and also block the view. The sophisticated mesh provides connectivity without reducing volume, while maintaining the look and feel of an open space. It also literally frees up space by creating this buffer zone that can be used as an informal lounge. In other words, it offers the functionality of a bohemian-style lounge without taking up extra space or blocking the view below or above.
Another key benefit of this clever design is the added privacy, which gives the Cosmos Tiny more of a traditional home feel. The stairs lead to the loft master bedroom, which features a partial wall and standard door. A two-person bed is flanked by large windows that provide more natural light and cross ventilation, while the accent wall adds dimension and visual depth to the space.
Photo: Feder
In contrast, the second bedroom is much more plain, with nothing more than a compact bed and a lamp. An additional window in the middle section between the rooms ensures that the mesh lounge is flooded with natural light. All of this helps to maintain an overall feeling of volume and brightness that makes Cosmos much more comfortable in the long run.
The ground floor is equally notable, offering an unexpectedly generous kitchen and lovely open plan living area in addition to the standard bathroom. A separate office/dining area is one of the best benefits of this space-efficient floor plan. Located near the main entrance, this versatile table/desk is strategically placed in front of a window, with room for one or two seats. It serves a similar purpose to the more modern breakfast bars often found in small Australian-style homes, while also serving as a handy office space.
Fascinatingly, despite this additional dining/working facility, the kitchen area is still remarkably spacious and open. The Cosmos was purpose-built for permanent use as a home, which explains the emphasis on the cooking/dining area. Although compact compared to other two-loft caravans on wheels, the Cosmos has a beautiful family-style kitchen. The large oven is perfect for baking treats on cold winter days and the wall cabinets maximize storage space.
Photo: Feder
The built-in staircase just above the kitchen looks a little unusual, but it’s a classic feature of many Plume tiny homes. Its distinctive design makes it a huge space saver. Yes, it doesn’t offer the added safety and comfort of a traditional handrail, but it does free up a significant amount of space for the living area.
This living area brings out the charming French country charm of the Cosmos Tiny. A cozy, large sofa is cleverly placed to take advantage of the wide, open views offered by the generous glazing. A rustic wood burning stove in the corner enhances the country-style ambience. The living room has a large window to the side and another directly in front, creating panoramic views. This open plan design makes the ground floor feel even more spacious and inviting. There is also enough space for a large, multifunctional coffee table and additional storage.
Not only does the Cosmos offer exceptional functionality for a home of this size, it is also aesthetically sophisticated and shows incredible attention to detail. Even the bathroom style reaches a new level thanks to small but notable details like the rounded shape of the eco-friendly dry toilet and the unusual design of the vanity that pulls out to form a tiny wooden shelf. The bright pops of color, like the golden yellow accent walls and pink kitchen cabinetry, are also part of this Tiny’s big personality.
Photo: Feder
The beautiful woodwork of Cosmos Tiny features plenty of spruce, poplar and oak, both inside and out. As expected, as many natural materials and sustainable solutions as possible were used, in keeping with the builder’s sustainable, eco-friendly philosophy. Cosmos offers the expansive views of a modern tiny home and the functionality of a much larger dwelling, while exuding the warmth of a traditional country home. A smart, contemporary layout is perfectly compatible with rustic charm, and this French tiny home proves it.
