The popular French tiny house builder, Baluchon, recently completed a bespoke project for Francois, a resident of Morbihan in Brittany, northwest France. Francois, an avid cook, sought a home that was not only portable but also comfortable for year-round living. Baluchon rose to the challenge, creating ‘Yggdrasil’, a tiny home that blends practicality with the grandeur of a royal dwelling.
Named after the legendary World Tree in Nordic mythology, Yggdrasil is a testament to unique and thoughtful design. This 20-foot-long wooden home is built on a sturdy double-axle trailer, elegantly finished with cedar cladding and aluminum detailing. The interior is a masterpiece of efficient design, boasting a glass-partitioned kitchen, a versatile living space, and an expansive mezzanine bedroom.
While Baluchon hasn’t listed a price for Yggdrasil online, you can purchase similar tiny homes on their website for between €85,000-100,000, or around $94,600-111,300.
Yggdrasil is a tiny home by the highly regarded French tiny home company Baluchon. They created the 20-foot-long cedar-clad tiny home on a double-axle trailer. It boasts cotton, linen, and hemp insulation, a mezzanine bedroom, and any chef’s dream kitchen.
Open-plan living is popular in many tiny homes, but Baluchon wanted to try something different with Yggdrasil. As the owner, Francois, loves cooking, they wanted to ensure this part of the tiny home stood out.
Upon entering the house through the living area, you’ll spot the kitchen at one end of the house. It’s separated from the living room with a glass partition. While it adds much-needed definition, it still lets in plenty of natural light.
A great deal of thought and planning went into the kitchen since cooking is a huge part of the new owner’s life. Baluchon installed beautiful blue cabinetry with natural wood countertops a few centimeters higher than average to suit the owner’s 1.93-meter height. The kitchen also boasts an over-the-sink chopping board to maximize the counter space, a built-in fridge, and a four-burner gas hob.
Storage, Storage, and More Storage
People who are passionate about cooking typically have many appliances and accessories to cook up a storm! That’s why Baluchon packed as much storage space into the kitchen as possible. There is a variety of storage options to suit the owner’s needs, like thin cabinets for spices and oversized drawers for pots and appliances.
Storage is crucial in any tiny home, so no wall has been left unused in Yggdrasil. Adjacent to the kitchen is a large wardrobe. This is positioned under the stairs leading up to the loft bedroom. The new owner can use it for clothing, accessories, kitchen goods, or anything he pleases. Its white finish helps it blend in with the light wood walls and floors, yet it contrasts beautifully against the dark, exposed ceiling beams.
Small Wood Stove
Cold French winters need never be a problem in Yggdrasil. This tiny home has been kitted out with a small wood stove. Its central location in the living room means it won’t take long to heat the entire house. This area can also be a sun trap in summer, courtesy of the large windows on all sides.
There can be more to a table in a tiny home than meets the eye. While it can be tucked away in the corner for use as a workstation, it can also be moved into the middle of the lounge to function as a dining table. With an L-shaped sofa and two wooden stools, it can comfortably dine up to six people.
The L-shaped convertible bench seat can be the perfect lounging location on a lazy Sunday. However, you can also transform it into an extra bed for two people when overnight guests come to stay. Suddenly, a home for 1-2 people comfortably caters to four!
The sofa is a sofa, a bed, and a dining room booth, but it’s so much more! Baluchon installed an abundance of easy-to-access storage space underneath. The hinged lids fold down for easy access to the owner’s possessions.
Partial Wall
With a partial wall between the living and kitchen spaces, Baluchon likely knew that a solid staircase with storage would create too many obstacles. They wanted to maximise the illusion of space and opted for a miller’s ladder. This is fixed in place and provides easy access to the upstairs bedroom.
The bedroom loft isn’t exactly large, but it’s large enough for a restful night’s sleep. It fits a comfortable 160x200cm bed and boasts plenty of natural light from the opening windows. The light wood and in-ceiling lighting in this area also enhance the bedroom’s brightness.
Bedrooms need storage – regardless of their size. Baluchon managed to fit a large storage unit in this bedroom loft with plenty of free space around it. They also installed zig-zag ropes as a safety banister. The openness of the ropes enhances all the natural light beaming in from the downstairs living room windows.
While simple, the bathroom in Yggdrasil has everything a tiny home dweller could need for comfort and functionality. The light wood walls work beautifully with the dark wood floors. Baluchon even managed to tie in the kitchen’s blue cabinetry by making the dry toilet bench blue. This toilet has a stainless steel bucket and chip compartment.
Adjacent to the toilet is a comfortable 80x80cm shower. It boasts easy-clean materials and enjoys plenty of light from the bathroom.