Tag Archives: Tiny

Top 10 Tiny Product Ideas For Mother’s Day That Will Become Your Mom’s Everyday Essentials

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Mother’s Day is only a couple of days away, and this is the one day in the year when we get to shower some extra love on our moms and make them feel super special – although this should be every day. If you’re looking for a functional gift that’ll make her everyday life just a little bit easier then you’ve reached the right spot. We’ve curated a collection of tiny yet power-packed product designs that are thoughtful, functional and pretty effective at getting daily tasks done. They truly pack a punch with their unmatched utility, attention to detail, and not to mention their insanely good looks. In today’s world where space constraints are a major issue, we need belongings that occupy minimum space while doing their job perfectly

1. Pocket Everlasting Metal Pencil

Meet the Pocket Everlasting Metal Pencil – a unique pencil with a Wacom-like stylus with a tip you don’t need to sharpen or replace. The Pocket Everlasting Metal Pencil is a unique and innovative pencil that allows you to focus on the task at hand – whether it is drawing, sketching, or writing. It has a small compact form, which makes it easy to carry around with you and needs no sharpening. Best of all, it comes with a cover to keep from any accidental scratch marks ruining your bag.

Click Here to Buy Now: $18 $19.95 (10% off). Hurry, Mother’s Day sale ends in 48 hours!

Why is it noteworthy?

The octagonal shaft of the pencil is made from aluminum, and it features a special alloy core. This may give the impression that it could leave heavy grooves on the paper, but instead, it draws like an actual pencil, and the tip doesn’t even wear down even after making many marks.

What we like

  • Features a metal core (graphite and alloy), not a clay or charcoal one, so it wears away quite slowly while remaining sharp
  • Delivers upto 10 miles worth of scribbles

What we dislike

  • If you use smudging techniques, it is not the preferred pen for you, as it doesn’t smear or smudge like normal graphite

2. Nothing N(pod) 1

Dubbed the Nothing Npod (1), this resurrected iPod by Shreyansh Onial and Aditya Pandharpure is created to be a tribute to Apple’s beloved iconic iPod Shuffle with Nothing’s signature transparent aesthetic and glyph interaction. It perfectly merges the design elements of Apple and Nothing, making for a cool little design for your mom to listen to music to in her free time, and given the minimal interface, it’ll be a breeze to use. Be it while walking, listening to her favourite audiobook/podcast, cooking, working out or doing a random chores, this tiny gadget is sure to be her one thing she cannot do without!

Why is it noteworthy?

It features a signature control panel on the front, as well as a matching circular glyph interface on the back, truly functioning as a fan-made reinterpretation of the iPod Shuffle. It also has a wireless charging coil on the back, as well as a USB-C charger on the bottom.

What we like

  • Perfectly combines the design language of Apple and Nothing to create a unique audio device
  • Minimal size, maximum output

What we dislike

  • It doesn’t have a pocket clip so you cant attach it to your clothes

3. Miniature Bonfire Wood Diffuser Set

Named the Miniature Bonfire Wood Diffuser Set, this tiny design is the ultimate relaxation-inducing product for your mom. It recreates the smell and experience of an enchanting and relaxing outdoor fire. After a long day of battling with the world, this is the ideal design to help your mum relax, unwind and add some wonder to her space.

Click Here to Buy Now: $89 $99 (10% off). Hurry, Mother’s Day sale ends in 48 hours!

Why is it noteworthy?

The miniature hardwood is extracted from branches that are meant to be thrown away. They emit a smoky smell which burnt on the stainless steel oven. You can add a few drops of essential oils to create the aroma of the Mt.Hakusan trees, providing an excellent outdoor scent.

What we like

  • You can use them as a cooking or heating tool by adding wood
  • Can easily be kept as an aroma diffuser to match any space

What we dislike

  • Requires small pieces of wood of specific sizes

4. AirTag Carabiners

These AirTag Carabiners are unlike typical old carabiners. They are a new and upgraded version of metal carabiners, as they are precision-made with a non-bulky and lightweight form. These carabiners are portable and pretty easy to carry around, as well as easy to use and operate, ensuring your mom never really loses her keys!

Click Here to Buy Now: $107 $119 (10% off). Hurry, Mother’s Day sale ends in 48 hours!

Why is it noteworthy?

Meticulously handcrafted, the carabiners provide durability and sturdiness. Each carabiner is quite unique, as manufacturing conditions can alter the final product, forming a new design every single time.

What we like

  • Produced from premium-quality metal by hand
  • The Duralumin composite alloy used is suitable for use in water, making it an essential on rainly days

What we dislike

  • Attaching and detaching the carabiner isn’t the most easy and user-friendly task

5. Nike LED Mask

This conceptual Nike LED mask is perfect for some Mother’s Day grooming! This Nike LED mask is a unique conceptual design that allows users to take care of their skin, without visiting a facility to pamper their skin. It is a refreshing change from the typical face masks from Sephora. It has an intuitive and unique interface.

Why is it noteworthy?

The Nike LED mask features a user-friendly CMF which lets users get comfortable with it quickly, allowing them to handle it with ease. It has a pretty sporty and fun image, which makes it quite relatable and attracts people to use it.

What we like

  • Eliminates the need to touch your face with your hands
  • It has an accessible and user-friendly design

What we dislike

  • It is currently a conceptual design, so we are unsure how well it would work as a tangible product

6. 8-in-1 EDC Scissors

Coined the 8-in-1 EDC Scissor is an excellent tool for culinary adventures – whether indoors or outdoors. These tiny scissors can be pulled apart to form a set of knives. The scissors also have a nutcracker, can opener, fire starter, and built-in bottle opener – creating a tool that is compact, handy, and nifty. Actually, we’re surprised there are not many EDC’s catered to women – after all, who needs to be prepared for any situation better than a mom!

Click Here to Buy Now: $53 $59 (10% off). Hurry, Mother’s Day sale ends in 48 hours!

Why is it noteworthy?

The 8-in-1 EDC scissor has an innovative design with two knives, as well as a bunch of multitools for whenever the need arises. When put back together, the scissors can cut through cured meats and the serrated mid-section can be used to crack walnuts too.

What we like

  • Great for indoor and outdoor cooking sessions
  • Practical well-designed tool with a 8 distinct functionalities
  • Comes with a leather pouch to carry it around with ease

What we dislike

  • Comes in only one colour – a black oxidised film.

7. Key Holder Wakka

Does your mum have a tough time holding onto her keys and often has to follow up with you to keep track of your keys? Well, you need to gift her the Key Holder Wakka this Mother’s Day! This tiny yet functional product features a stylish key ring and a wooden base, which pair up to form a utilitarian yet good-looking product to safely store away keys.

Click Here to Buy Now: $40.5 $45 (10% off). Hurry, Mother’s Day sale ends in 48 hours!

Why is it noteworthy?

The Key Holder Wakka utilizes a strong neodymium magnet which ensures the keyring is always in the correct place, creating a brisk tapping sound when pulled away. You can pick between brass, iron, or stainless steel options in Silver/Maple and Silver/Walnut.

What we like

  • Converts storing away your keys into an engaging and fun activity
  • Ensures you don’t lose your keys ever again

What we dislike

  • The neodymium magnet cannot accommodate heavy sets of keys very well

8. POD

Dubbed POD, this tiny minimalist timer lets you enjoy the benefits of a Pomodoro timer without having to use a clunky analog timer, especially a design that will look quite awkward on your desk. POD has a compact and simple form that won’t occupy much space on your precious desk.

Why is it noteworthy?

It combines the feeling of an analog timer with the functionality and convenience of an electronic device. It adopts a compact, minimal, and appealing form, letting you start the countdown by pushing the puck down like a button.

What we like

  • The timer isn’t very distracting and only utilizes flashing lights instead of vibrations and sounds to get your attention

What we dislike

  • The battery needs to be replaced which can be quite annoying

9. Playful Palm Grater

Another thoughtful little design for your mother this Mother’s Day is the Playful Palm Grater. This wonderful product will add some functional amusement to your kitchen space, while also fitting perfectly in your mom’s palm, letting her grate some fresh garnishing onto the family meals or assign it to you on a busy day.

Click Here to Buy Now: $22.5 $25 (10% off). Hurry, Mother’s Day sale ends in 48 hours!

Why is it noteworthy?

The grater looks like a curled piece of paper and has a bunch of cool colors to pick from. You can pick the perfect color for your mom, one that matches her kitchen as well as her personality.

What we like

  • Offers a sturdy grip
  • Converts the mundane task of grating into something whimsical and fun

What we dislike

  • Although we love its small size, it is a drawback when it comes to grating large amounts of food

10. Bath Bot

This unique Bath Bot by Lush is designed to be your very own “digital bath bomb”. It offers a “custom light, sound, and color experience” whenever you take a bath. The Bath Bot uplifts your everyday bathing experience to create something that is extraordinary and comfortable. It makes for an excellent Mother’s Day gift – effectively creating a bath mood to reflect her day!

Why is it noteworthy?

The Bath Bot is the same size and shape as Lush’s typical bath bots. It also features a waterproof speaker that you can put in the bathtub or on the sink near your shower if you don’t have a bathtub in your bathroom.

What we like

  • It offers a 180-degree sound show so you can play your favorite music audiobook or podcast while enjoying a bath

What we dislike

  • It’s still available for preorder, so we hope the product will live up to its description

The post Top 10 Tiny Product Ideas For Mother’s Day That Will Become Your Mom’s Everyday Essentials first appeared on Yanko Design.

The Zen House Is A Cozy Tiny Home On Concrete Stilts Designed To Support Slow + Serene Living

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Everyone loves a well-designed and cozy tiny home, but what about a tiny home on stilts? It just builds up and magnifies the beauty and magic of a tiny home by 10x. Designed by Prague-based architecture firm Jan Tyrpekl, the Zen House is their latest tiny home design, a quaint little retreat supported by concrete pillars. The home occupies 30 square meters, and it is placed against the serene landscape of Hainburg an der Donau, Austria. The Zen House is designed to be a peaceful haven for the residents, a space they can unwind in, and get away from the hustle and bustle of hectic city life.

Designer: Jan Tyrpekl

It was built to help residents reconnect with nature, allowing them to immerse in the green surroundings and become one with nature itself. The home is raised four meters above the ground using a series of concrete pillars, this makes space for the lush green landscape to flow below, building a harmonious connection with the natural land. Sustainable materials were used to construct the home, imparting it with a beautiful natural aesthetic, and durability.

The home features a timber frame constructed from glued laminated spruce timbers. The roof was built using solid wooden CLT panels, while the lower structure and terrace were crafted using glued laminated larch timbers. The main living area of the home brings to mind the image of a bird’s nest, it functions as a secure, safe, and intimate space where residents can relax and recuperate. The home is encased by glass walls, offering stunning views of the trees and orchards. The interior space is large and open-plan and accentuated with polished timber floors, an open fireplace, and a comfy master bed with a concealed compact bar/kitchenette. The terrace can be accessed via a timber staircase, which also functions as the main access point of the dwelling.

What is inconvenient is that the home does not feature cooking or bathroom facilities, but there are design plans that include amenities for a sauna, toilet, and shower, which can be constructed below the central hub of the home, nestled amidst the pillars.

The post The Zen House Is A Cozy Tiny Home On Concrete Stilts Designed To Support Slow + Serene Living first appeared on Yanko Design.

The Konga Off-Grid Tiny Home Features A Well-Designed Kitchen Made With Offcuts

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Lithuanian kitchen maker Konga used the hefty supply of offcuts they had to create their own line of prefabricated tiny houses. They used the surplus material to build a good-looking and minimal non-towable home that can run both on or off-grid. The dwelling has a pretty low starting price point of US$59,000. The home isn’t built entirely from offcuts, but they have been used in the construction of the tiny home’s kitchen.

Designer: Konga

The tiny home is designed by the Danish architect Mette Fredskild, and it is finished in charred wood, giving it a rather unique and appealing look, while also providing protection against insects. It also helps to preserve the home, while accentuating its distinctive appearance. Generous glazing has been applied to the home, and most of it is operable. It is a well-insulated home that can deal with the cold weather and snow loads quite efficiently.

The interiors are well-designed and inviting. They measure 28 square meters, which is covered entirely on one floor, and feature a shared open-plan living space. The walls of the home have been clad in wooden oak veneer panels and teamed up with oak flooring. The cabin is filled with natural light, owing to the generous amount of glazing.

The kitchen is amped with a lot of features and amenities. It showcases a fridge, sink, and propane-powered gas stove, with loads of cabinetry and shelving. There is also a living room area with a sofa, a small dining table, as well a wood-burning stove to provide warmth. Two bedrooms have been positioned on either side of the kitchen. One of the bedrooms can be transformed into a home office, with sliding doors being installed to offer some privacy if need be. Both the toilet and the bathroom with shower are located in different rooms. The home also accommodates a small utility room, as well as a couple of storage nooks that have been nestled away throughout the house.

The cabin runs from an RV-style grid hookup, but buyers can opt for an optional rooftop solar panel setup and rainwater collection system. The wood-burning stove can be connected to a hot water system as well. The tiny home features a freezing toilet, instead of a composting toilet, and it basically freezes waste, ensuring the space stays odorless.

The post The Konga Off-Grid Tiny Home Features A Well-Designed Kitchen Made With Offcuts first appeared on Yanko Design.

The Sakura Tiny House With An Ingenious Transforming Interior Is A Game Changer In The Architecture World

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Dubbed the Sakura Tiny home, and designed by Canada-based Acorn Tiny Homes, this quaint little house is designed to be a game-changer as compared to typical homes. It breaks the norm of traditional tiny homes, and although it doesn’t feature wheels, it is equipped with an innovative space-saving interior consisting of a transforming kitchen and bedroom. In an era, where tiny homes are the most popular housing style out there, the Sakura tiny home takes this genre to a whole new and interesting level.

Designer: Acorn Tiny Homes 

The Sakura tiny home is inspired by popular Japanese design trends. Sakura means cherry blossom in Japanese, showcasing an overall Japanese influence on the structure. The roof is built from metal, and the siding is available in varied finishes such as wood, metal, and faux stone. The home will occupy 21.5 x 10.5 ft, and it isn’t as large as North American tiny homes and is quite similar to European models. The interior has a floorspace of 225 square feet and can accommodate two people, as well as a pair of guests, although it may be a tight fit.

The layout and interior of this home are quite unlike other homes. As you enter the home, you are welcomed by a flexible multipurpose space that occupies a lot of the floor space. This main living space transforms into a bedroom, when you slide out the double bed from underneath the nearby living room floor. The cabinetry conceals a fully functional kitchen, and it consists of an induction stove, microwave, oven, fridge/freezer, dishwasher, and a washer/dryer/. The kitchen also features a pull-out kitchen counter that provides some extra prep space.

This multipurpose kitchen/entrance/bedroom is connected to other rooms in the house. One room is the bathroom, which will hold a wet room, shower, skylight, and a novel toilet with an integrated sink that is supplied by greywater. The other room is the living room, which will be elevated to make space for the sliding bed, and will include a pull-out desk area, sofa bed, and a massive entertainment center.

The post The Sakura Tiny House With An Ingenious Transforming Interior Is A Game Changer In The Architecture World first appeared on Yanko Design.

This tiny Micro SD card organizer is a blast from the 90s

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Before CDs and DVDs revolutionized physical media in the 1990s, people mostly used floppy disks — little square pucks containing less than 2.8 megabytes of storage. If you collected a lot of floppy disks, for instance, the original release of DOOM (which released across four 3.5 inch floppy disks), you needed a place to put them. Back then, that meant keeping your disk collection in a whole bunch of beige boxes with tinted plastic coverings, locked shut with a simple mechanism.

Apparently, that design — despite its relative clunkiness and odd fit for modern offices — is nostalgic to collectors of modern physical media devices like Micro SD cards and Nintendo Switch cartridges, and, as a result, independent artist Trevor Flowers has designed his own tributes to the classic floppy disk holder design. Calling it the “Smol Floppy Disk Organizer for Micro SD Cards” on his Gumroad page, this adorable replica of days gone by can fit on any desk surface thanks to its near-microscopic size.

Designer: Trevor Flowers

“Back when floppies were new we kept them safe in somewhat terrible plastic bins,” says Flowers in the description of his Micro SD card holder.

“Now that micro SD cards can hold thousands of times more data they’re what we use and what we lose! Because, smol. So, here’s a little throwback to the floppy organizer but sized for micro SD cards. I used double-sided tape to stick mine to the top of my PC monitor because I’d lose it on my messy desk.”

The Smol Floppy Disk Organizer for Micro SD Cards is available to purchase on Flowers’ official Gumroad page for $22, though it seems like supplies are limited as only 37 units remain. The same is true of his Smol Floppy Disk Organizer for Switch Cartridges, of which only 8 remain as I write this article. It’s unclear whether more will be constructed, though it’s worth noting the build is quite cute and may even have mass-market appeal for collectors.

Smol Floppy Disk Organizers aren’t the only unique retro design Flowers has come up with. On his page, you can find other bespoke (and somewhat larger) tributes to the TRS-80 Model III and the Osborne One.

The post This tiny Micro SD card organizer is a blast from the 90s first appeared on Yanko Design.

Top 10 Tiny Homes That Are Transforming Housing in 2023

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Tiny homes gained popularity a couple of years ago, and since then they’ve cemented their place in the world of architecture. What started off as a cute little trend is now turning into a serious option for home spaces. You could say that 2022 was the year of tiny homes! And I do believe this will continue well in the future. They are a space-saving and eco-friendly living solution that reduces the load on Mother Earth. They’re simple and minimal alternatives to the imposing and materialistic homes that seem to have taken over. And if you love exploring tiny homes, as much as I do, then you’ve reached the right spot. We’ve curated an eclectic and exciting range of micro homes that will totally satisfy your love for tiny homes! From a 40′ highly insulated converted shipping container tiny home to a smart tiny home that expands to 3 times its size – there’s a tiny home here for everyone!

1. Pod Studio

California-based Podform just launched the world’s smartest tiny home called Pod Studio. The innovative tiny house can expand up to 3 times its original size!

Why is it noteworthy?

The Pod Studio’s original size is 161 square feet, however, it can transform to 454 square feet within 15 minutes! The tiny home is portable and easily transportable and requires no foundation owing to its built-in hydraulic legs.

What we like

  • Features solar panels and smart technology which can be controlled via an app

What we dislike

  • It’s not out on the market yet, so we’re not sure what the final home will be like

2. Vagabundo Flex

The Vagabundo Flex is a special little home that extends gracefully over two levels, owing to an inventive automated lifting root system, that upgrades the comfort and functionality of the home. The house is built using timber framing, wood fiber insulation, double-glazed aluminum windows that have been laminated with safety glass, and three-layer fit wood for the interior paneling.

Why is it noteworthy?

The Vagabundo Flex’s innovative and unique design supports the roof in rising to an impressive height of 20.3 ft, in turn creating a spacious interior that occupies 300 square feet.

What we like

  • The bulky elements have been smartly concealed in the corners and tucked away in cupboards
  • The tiny home has been amped with all the essential amenities, as well as massive panoramic windows and timber furnishings

What we dislike

  • Heavily priced

3. Fujitsubo

Japanese construction startup Serendix unveiled ‘Fujitsubo’ – a small home priced at 5.5 million yen or around $37,600!

Why is it noteworthy?

Dubbed Fujitsubo or “the barnacle”, the compact home occupies only 538 square feet, which is pretty small in comparison to the average new American home, which is five times larger. This 3D-printed home features one bedroom, one bathroom, and an open living room connected to a kitchen.

What we like

  • Costs as much as a car

What we dislike

  • It’s still in the conceptual phase

4. Browny

This adorable-looking tiny home is called Browny, and it ranks really high on versatility, as it effortlessly accommodates a home office, exercise area, and a guest bedroom all within a length of 6 meters.

Why is it noteworthy?

Browny is installed in Loire-Atlantique, western France to offer the homeowner an improved space to work and live in. Founded on a double-axle trailer and finished in red cedar accentuated by aluminum accenting and a roof, Browny is one good-looking tiny home. It has been equipped with an ample amount of glazing to maximize the natural light within.

What we like

  • Accommodates multiple amenities in a small space
  • Features integrated storage space

What we dislike

  • Lacks a proper kitchen and bathroom

5. Ecocapsule NextGen

A couple of years ago Ecocapsule launched an egg-shaped off-grid tiny house, which became a major hit. And recently they launched a new and upgraded version called the Ecocapsule NextGen!

Why is it noteworthy?

The size of the Ecocapsule NextGen has been increased. From 4.67m the home has been expanded to 5.2m, making it larger than the original version, but still maintaining a small and compact form.

What we like

  • Features a gull-wing door that makes the home more open to the outdoors

What we dislike

  • It’s not released on the market, so we don’t know what the actual final product will be like

6. The Pathway

Called the Pathway, this latest model by MTL is designed to maximize limited space. It features a length of 8 feet and a couple of star features such as a rooftop deck, and a smart space-saving interior accentuated with a pulley-operated ladder.

Why is it noteworthy?

The compact home is supported by a double-axle trailer and finished in engineered wood. The aforementioned rooftop deck area is a brilliant space to host guests, which was a priority for the homeowner, and has been equipped with a collapsible security railing for safety.

What we like

  • Features a rooftop deck
  • Features an impressive amount of storage space

What we dislike

  • It isn’t the smallest tiny home on the market, you can find more compact options if you like
  • The bedroom is only accessible via a pulley-operated ladder, which isn’t the most inclusive design, and could be uncomfortable for some to climb

7. Napoles House

Located in Napoles, Ecuador, and quite rightfully called the Napoles House, this micr0home was designed by PJCArchitecture and features two brick forms that are connected by a glass bridge that relies heavily on passive heating and cooling.

Why is it noteworthy?

“The design is based not only on the client’s needs but on her desire to embrace the local environment, culture, and vernacular,” said lead architect Nandar Godoy-Dinneen. “It was also heavily shaped by the availability of construction materials and by working within the local traditions.”

What we like

  • Constructed using locally sourced materials and by local crew and craftsmen

What we dislike

  • No active systems, which may be inconvenient for some people

8. Ark Tiny Homes’ Delta Model

Ark Tiny Homes designed a highly insulated tiny home that is built from a converted shipping container home with a modest price tag of $59,500.

Why is it noteworthy?

Located in Heber City, UT, the tiny home has been equipped with premium quality amenities and generous living space. The layout of the home manages to provide an element of spaciousness and openness to the 40′insulated home.

What we like

  • An environmentally friendly home that has been outfitted with great quality amenities while going easy on the pocket

What we dislike

  • The aesthetics of the home are a bit old-fashioned and traditional

9. The Nest

The Nest is one of the two short-term rental properties available at ReWild Rentals and is located in Hocking Hills, Ohio. It showcases the beauty of the location to the guests!

Why is it noteworthy?

The exterior of the small house is clad in black board-and-batten wood siding, which gives the home a modern and contemporary feel, accentuated by a long sloping roof on one side, that also shelters the outdoor patio.

What we like

  • Unique layout unlike the typical tiny homes
  • Seems more spacious and larger than it actually is

What we dislike

  • The barn-style door is a bit old-fashioned and doesn’t provide much privacy in the bathroom

10. Kjerringholmen Cabin

Dubbed the Kjerringholmen Cabin, this idyllic cabin occupies 63 square meters and is located in the Hvaler archipelago. The cabins occupy a decent amount of space and have an airy and spacious feel to them.

Why is it noteworthy?

Kjerringholmen is proof “that large houses don’t necessarily mean more quality of life. In just 63 square meters, with smart planning, it still has plenty of usable space,” said the studio. Occupying 63 square meters, the cabin is supported by steel pillars and surrounded by a dusky rocky landscape.

What we like

  • Blends perfectly with the natural landscape
  • Designed extremely efficiently to support a smart way of living

What we dislike

  • Birds may not notice the home and could crash into it since it merges so perfectly with its surroundings

The post Top 10 Tiny Homes That Are Transforming Housing in 2023 first appeared on Yanko Design.

Top 5 tiny cabins to visit + relax in this upcoming summer

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If there’s one architectural trend that’s blown up like anything – it’s tiny homes. As much as we absolutely love tiny homes, you know what’s even better than them… Tiny Cabins! Cabins have been a relaxing and quintessential getaway option for everyone for ages galore. They’re the ultimate safe haven in the midst of nature if you simply want to get away from your hectic city lives and unwind. And now they even come in tiny shapes and sizes. Tiny cabins are space-saving, economical, sustainable, and not to mention great vacation spots. If you want a simple and minimal vacation that lets you truly connect with nature, without any of the materialistic luxuries most of us have gotten accustomed to, then a tiny cabin is the answer for you. And, we’ve curated some beautiful and super comfortable tiny cabins that’ll be the perfect travel destination for you. From a wooden tiny cabin that merges perfectly with the Norwegian archipelago it is located in to a tiny cabin raised on stilts – these mesmerizing and surreal tiny cabins are the ultimate retreat you’ve been searching for!

1. Kjerringholmen Cabin

This is the Hvaler archipelago, a true island paradise in Norway where you will find the ‘Kjerringholmen’ cabin. With just 63 square meters in size, the plan/design of the cabin still showcases plenty of space to give a very spacious and airy effect.

Why is it noteworthy?

Kjerringholmen is proof “that large houses don’t necessarily mean more quality of life. In just 63 square meters, with smart planning, it still has plenty of usable space,” said the studio. Occupying 63 square meters, the cabin is supported by steel pillars and surrounded by a dusky rocky landscape.

What we like

  • Blends perfectly with the natural landscape
  • Designed extremely efficiently to support a smart way of living

What we dislike

  • Birds may not notice the home and could crash into it since it merges so perfectly with its surroundings

2. The Trakt Forest Hotel

Swedish architecture studio Wingårdhs designed a collection of five quaint suites for the Trakt Forest Hotel in Småland. Supported by five metal stilts, the suites allow the visitors to feel as if they’re chilling amongst the tree canopy! Designed to “put nature in focus”, the cabins are accompanied by a restaurant and sauna in the complex, and they’re all connected via narrow woodland paths.

Why is it noteworthy?

While building the cabins, the studio wanted to create minimal disturbance to the surrounding landscape, and hence they positioned the suites on steel columns placed on concrete plinths. The cabins were constructed using locally-grown wood.

What we like

  • Let’s you chill amongst the tree canopy
  • Constructed using locally sourced wood

What we dislike

  • Deserves a gallery/balcony to improve the experience

3. UHU

Located in the midst of a boreal forest, in the heart of Charlevoix, Canada is a tiny cabin raised on stilts called ‘UHU’. Quite literally translating to ‘owl’ in the Innu language, the UHU cabin is nested 12 meters in the air, with stunning views of the Saint-Laurence River to greet you every morning.

Why is it noteworthy?

The triangular cabin features a glazed facade which allows for generous views of the surrounding forest and green landscape. You can enter the cabin via an enclosed spiral staircase, and a 6-meter bridge. Although compact in size, the UHU cabin is equipped with all the amenities you need for a comfortable and cozy stay.

What we like

  • Let’s you sleep in the treetops
  • Positioned 12 meters above the ground

What we dislike

  • It can only accommodate two people

4. Cabins in Farouche Tremblant

Nestled within the Devil River’s Valley, with the Mont-Tremblant National Park in the backdrop is a series of A-frame buildings in the ‘Farouche Tremblant’ agrotourism site that includes a cafe, farm, and four rental micro-cabins. “The cabins, though minimal, are designed for visitors to comfortably experience the changing beauty of the site throughout all four seasons,” said Atelier l’Abri founding partner Nicolas Lapierre “The structures’ organization and proximity really bring in a more social and communal experience which is great.”

Why is it noteworthy?

Designed by the Canadian architecture studio Atelier l’Abri, the buildings are meant to “recede in the landscape”. The studio designed that function as a basecamp for visitors who want to visit Devil’s River and Valley.

What we like

  •  Amped with outdoor decking and a glazed gable end which allows the visitors to enjoy stunning views of the surrounding natural landscape

What we dislike

  • The aesthetics of the cabins are a bit old-school

5. MiniMod

Nestled in the redwood forest of the popular and beautiful Sea Ranch community along the Sonoma, California coastline is a 684-square-foot weekend cabin that was originally designed by the acclaimed Bay Area architect Joseph Esherick. Called MiniMod, this cabin was lovingly restored and refurbished by Framestudio after it was purchased by its creative director Chad DeWitt, and his husband James Cook.

Why is it noteworthy?

The cabin was originally built to show how a comfortable and affordable home could be constructed while following the Sea Ranch building guidelines. The midcentury modern cabin has a stunning wooden exterior that allows it to effortlessly blend with the surrounding natural environment

What we like

  • Midcentury aesthetics but modern amenities
  • The history and heritage of the cabin have been maintained

What we dislike

  • They don’t offer unique wood finishes/materials to approach one’s individuality

The post Top 5 tiny cabins to visit + relax in this upcoming summer first appeared on Yanko Design.

TinyTV Miniature Video Displays

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TinyTV 2 and TinyTV Mini are miniature video displays in the form of old CRT televisions. Currently, an already heavily funded Kickstarter project, prices start at $49 and go up from there depending on the style and color of the television case and the inclusion of an equally tiny remote control. Obviously, I might just be receiving that World’s Best Uncle award sooner than I thought if I get one of these for my niece’s dollhouse.

The TinyTV 2 (the larger of the two tiny models) features a 216×135 pixel display, functional rotary knobs on the front for adjusting volume and changing the channel (next video file), a forward-facing speaker, 8GB storage (~10 hours of video) and a Li-polymer battery with about 2 hours of power. The TinyTV Mini features a 64×64 pixel OLED display, volume and channel buttons on top, an internal speaker, 8GB storage (~40 hours of video at this resolution), and a Li-polymer battery with about 1 hour of power. Both can easily have video footage uploaded, and their batteries recharged via USB-C cable, as well as be operated using an IR remote.

Most people want as large a TV as they can fit in front of the sofa, so it’s refreshing to see ultra-miniature televisions for a change. Plus, they’re much more budget-friendly. Sure I’ll likely miss a lot of the finer details watching House of the Dragon, but those dragons would probably scare me on the big screen anyways.

Tiny Robotic Crab Is So Small It Can Stand on the Edge of a Penny

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Developed by researchers at Northwestern University, this tiny robotic crab is so small it can stand on the edge of a penny. Not the side of a penny, the EDGE. Now that’s small. So small there could be a whole army of them in your bed right now, and you wouldn’t even know it. Sweet dreams!

The robocrab is covered in a fine glass coating, which, thanks to the crab’s incredibly small size (it’s only half a millimeter wide), is able to be quickly heated using a laser, which then rapidly cools. When this is done in rapid succession, scanning the laser either left to right or right to left, the crab will walk in that direction at a rate of about half a body length per second. No word if it’s capable of pinching yet.

It’s only a matter of time until we’re all filled with tiny robotic crabs scuttling around inside us, monitoring our vitals and performing other medical tasks to make us live longer. And I’ll laugh and briefly ponder just how primitive technology was in the early 2020s while I blow out the candles on my 190th birthday cake.

[via TechCrunch]

Modder Builds MacBook Mini: “The World’s Smallest MacBook Pro”

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Because dream it and you can achieve it, modder Michael Pick (aka the Casual Engineer) went and built himself a custom MacBook Mini, which he considers “the world’s smallest MacBook Pro.” It doesn’t actually run iOS, though, instead, it’s powered by a Raspberry Pi 4 running iRaspbian OS. It only looks like an Apple product, which is what a lot of consumers only care about anyways.

The MacBook Mini features a light-up Apple logo on the back of the screen and a MagSafe charging connector and USB 3.0 port. Besides those features, the tiny laptop looks almost unusable – at least with my big bear paws. Maybe my wife could use it; she has tiny hands. They’re so small she can’t even open pickle jars, which is one of the two reasons I suspect she keeps me around. The other is jelly jars.

Pretty cool, albeit impractical. You’re probably better off just using your phone as a computer. Unless you still sport a Nokia 3310 brick phone as I do. I took it to the phone store recently to ask about an upgrade, and the kid behind the counter said he’d never even seen one before. Wait till I bring in my pager!

[via TechEBlog]