What child can say they have their own home? Blandine’s daughter Anaïs can. Blandine and Anaïs had been living in their tiny house ‘Sïana’ in the southeast-central France region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes when they decided it was time to upgrade.
They were more than satisfied with their first tiny home built by the French tiny house company Baluchon, but they wanted to extend their living space. Blandine also wanted to ensure her daughter had a play area for her and her friends to share.
So, she came up with a grand plan. She would enlist the services of Baluchon once more and have them create a second tiny home. It would be used as a fun play house, complete with a climbing wall, slide, and secret nook, but would also be a fully-functional home so that Anaïs would have a home of her own when she was older.
And that’s how Bonheur was born. The six-meter tiny house on wheels is a true delight with its two-tone red cedar cladding and black and turquoise aluminum window frames.
No build-and-buy costs for this house are listed on the Baluchon website, but the company’s homes typically sell for between USD 91,000 to 108,000 or €80,000 to 95,000.
This beautiful six-meter tiny house on wheels with striking two-tone red cedar cladding and black and turquoise aluminum windows is Blandine’s second tiny home constructed by Baluchon.
Both her homes are now positioned on Blandine’s land in the southeast-central France region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. Here, she’ll soon be sharing her plot with other households.
As soon as you enter Bonheur through the L-shaped kitchen, it’s clear that children are the primary focus. While modern and natural materials were used to future-proof the home, bursts of color have been achieved with vibrant turquoise stools and bright magenta soft pads.
Any entertainer’s dream dining table is the gorgeous warm wood table in the kitchen contrasting nicely against the white-washed wall. While it can easily be a table for three people to dine comfortably, it’s also an excellent play table for children’s activities, such as arts and crafts and coloring.
The kitchen is simple yet functional and contemporary. It boasts an oak worktop, a two-burner gas hob, and a Klarstein fridge tucked away under the counter. A cutting board perfectly sized to the sink also provides the home’s cook with extra kitchen space. Although, it might be a few more years yet before Anaïs will be cooking up a storm. In the meantime, the kitchen bench surfaces can be used for extra activities for Anaïs and her friends.
Winter temperatures in France can plummet, and how better to warm a tiny home than with a wood stove? The wood stove and all maintenance accessories are located adjacent to the kitchen.
The play area in the Bonheur tiny house is undoubtedly the focal point when you enter the tiny home through the kitchen area. It stands out with its fun climbing wall and vibrant magenta custom foam squabs with animal pawprint patterns. While Anaïs can enjoy this entertaining space while she’s young, it can be transformed into a comfortable and contemporary living area at a later date.
Why take the stairs when you can take the slide? Having a slide in a house is any child’s dream, and Anaïs is living it. While she can take the stairs from one side, she can slide down the stainless-steel-coated slide on the other side for fast entry to the ground floor.
Every child needs somewhere to hide during a game of hide and seek, and Bonheur has just the place. The ply-framed slide boasts a hideaway nook underneath. Anaïs can hide in here and store her toys and play accessories on the three shelves tucked away into the stairs.
Baluchon thought of everything when it came to creating a tiny home for a child. Not only did they install a large wardrobe with plenty of space for toys, clothes, and board games, but they also ensured it had safety catches for her safety.
In the heart of the kitchen, you’ll notice well-positioned oak steps adjacent to the slide. These lead up to the bedroom on the mezzanine floor. The stairs are multi-purpose, guiding you to the second floor and leading you to the slide and storage space.
Everything a child needs for comfort is located in the bedroom loft. There’s a corner storage unit for books, toys, and accessories and a generous 140 x 190cm bed. The bed is positioned by the rear window, with plenty of natural light streaming through on a summer’s day. The light wood walls, ceiling, and flooring also offer the illusion of space and light.
When Anaïs is in her bedroom, she can look down on the home’s main living space and see what her friends are up to. The entire climbing wall is visible from the bedroom. In the future, the bedroom will look over the living space. Anaïs also has a full view of the gorgeous carnival-like light fixture that functions as a focal point in the heart of the home.
The bathroom in this tiny home is everything a family living the tiny home lifestyle needs. It boasts natural wood throughout, a window for ventilation, and a compost toilet with a chip compartment.
The bathroom also has a striking shower cabin with a built-in shelf. This shower is positioned on one end of the bathroom while the toilet is at the other. The dark materials in the shower contrast beautifully against the light wood, breaking up the monotony of the materials.
