by Todd Miller

After much ado, Oregon Cottage Company is proud to christen our latest Tiny Cottage. Based upon the “Alsek” cottage the new “Tiny Tea House” is now complete.

I hope you enjoy the photos! We will let the pictures do the talking for us! If you would like to see other Tiny Home designs visit us at oregoncottagecompany.net

The “Tea Room” with shoji screens, (3) tatami mats, a sunken tea warming hearth, two pull out drawers for storage under the raised floor, a “guest” 28.5 in. x 28.5 in. entry door, a honoring alcove, and a traditional tea serving chest.

We choose to use black walnut accent wood around the guest entry door, loft edge trim, alcove slabs and ladder catch. This allowed us to express the stark contrast against the knotty pine walls.

The small efficient 5 ft. long counter with large 36 in. x 36 in. awning window allows enough room for the dining area on the opposite wall. Our client wished to have as much natural wane wood exposed as possible as seen on the shelf above the kitchen sink and cabinet door rails. The thick upper black walnut shelf allowed us to recess puck lighting for tasks at the counter. We also installed a two-burner gas recessed range in a red oak butcher-block counter.

We used 3 tatami mats with a pine and black walnut frame. Since our client will be living here full time she wanted to feel at home in Japan like where she was brought up and sleep on 2 ½ in. thick tatami mats did just that. We also provided 2 fixed skylights to allow ample light from above. The red oak sliding ladder runs on a black walnut track and can be stored in an upright position hung next to the counter.

To remind her of her childhood bathing routine, we installed a Japanese soaking tub with stainless steel surround for our client to soak and shower in if desired. The Nature’s Head composting toilet is compact, durable, self-contained, and vented. Above the toilet we installed a takagi gas on-demand hot water heater.