This Tiny House Is All-Electric and Hides an Entire Second Level, Though Still Compact

Recent years have seen an unprecedented boom in the popularity of tiny houses. These micro- mobile dwellings had been around at that point for nearly two decades, existing at the fringe of legality and wider social acceptance as alternative housing for the eco-conscious nomad.

Today, tiny houses are riding the proverbial wave. The events of 2020 triggered wanderlust, backed by a new lifestyle that suddenly allowed for remote working, combining business and pleasure in equal measure. #Vanlife and tiny living are still two of the most popular topics on social media – a way of showing off a different lifestyle while making money off it.

Escape Traveler is not a new tiny house builder, though they too attained international fame over the past few years. Based in Wisconsin, U.S., they're credited with building "the most beautiful tiny house in the world," back in the day when tiny houses weren't everywhere.

That would be their Vista model. Since then, they've been working on expanding their range, adding larger and better-specced models so that their offer now fits all budgets and all needs.

Among the most recent Escape models is the eOne XL, which in itself is a two-time variation on the base One model. The "e" in the name indicates that this is an all-electric version, though don't mistake that for "off-grid." The home runs exclusively on electricity (so, no gas) but it hooks up to shore power, unless you invest more to render it self-sufficient.

The "XL" obviously serves to show that this variation is bigger than the standard model. This "very special" take on the eOne XL that we're looking at today is tweaked even further, so, at the end of it, it lives as a family-ready mobile home, which, though still relatively compact, offers an entire second level and all the creature comforts imaginable.

The thing about tiny living is that it can't be done without a certain degree of compromising. Depending on the size of the mobile home, the degree of compromise varies but, as a rule, the smaller the home the bigger the compromises.

This home strikes a good balance in terms of size and features, and it does so with the styling DNA of all Escape units. It sits on a double-axle trailer and offers a usable length of 30 feet (9.1 meters) and a width of 8.6 feet (2.6 meters).

The Japanese-style charred exterior hides an interior of almost 500 square feet (46.5 square meters) of living space, finished in sustainable materials chosen for durability and integrating a hidden second floor. That's just a way of saying it employs a two-loft design, tweaked to resemble a separate floor complete with a connecting walkway and framed in glazing so that it feels less constricting.

Most tiny houses will use lofts to create more living (or sleeping) space, and this unit is no exception. However, it breaks from tradition by using a single ladder for access and then linking the two lofts together through that walkway. By upping the size of the windows, these two spaces are flooded with natural light and feel much less cramped.

The smaller loft, for instance, is framed in floor-to-ceiling windows on all three walled sides, while the other one, which would ideally serve as bedroom, has two oversize windows. Should both lofts be used for sleeping, the home could accommodate as many as six people at once, including two in the ground-floor living room.

Also on the ground floor is the full kitchen – with all-electric appliances, as promised. You get a built-in induction cooktop with extractor, microwave, and fridge and freezer. You get stone countertops and storage options comparable in number to what you'd get in a city apartment. You also get a pantry and a laundry station, and even more storage on the opposite side.

The bathroom is under one loft, and the living under the other. Both are impressive in terms of size, especially if you look at other tinies built on top dual-axle trailers. For example, the bathroom here has a stone-top vanity with a sink, a toilet, and a shower with a proper (though small) bathtub – and even more storage options!

The home comes with privacy blinds and bug screens on all windows, a Mitsubishi mini-split for heat and AC, USB outlets throughout, smart TV in the living room, and maple cabinets. Escape describes it simply as "big and beautiful," but you wouldn't expect any less: not only did they build it, but they're also trying to sell this particular unit at a discount.

That aside, a tiny like the eOne XL proves that size should not be the deciding factor in forming an opinion about a mobile home. Creative design tricks and sleek styling can create a space that, though still comparatively compact, is comfortable and feels much larger than it is while also being packed with features.

With tiny homes, perhaps the best indicator of what a tiny can do is in their asking price. This one is now discounted at US$111,610.