A Tiny Home With a Big Heart
Warwick Plateau Wholemeal curtains made and installed by Sheridan Window Furnishings
The team behind the Melbourne based Scandinavian interiors store and design studio norsu interiors have donned their blush-coloured hard hats once again for an incredibly special project.
Photography Kate Collingwood / Styling Nat Wheeler and Lauren Bartlett-Bragg, norsu interiors
Aptly named ‘Project Seven’, the Norsu team have transformed a local family’s home by installing a brand new kitchen and a tiny home (pictured in this blog post) in the backyard as they expand from a family of five to seven with the permanent care of two special foster children.
“Close friends of our norsu clan have been fostering children temporarily through Berry Street for several years” explains Nat. “Almost two years ago a special little person entered their lives as a wee one straight from hospital…and to the delight of the family, he has now just been placed into their permanent care. But it doesn’t end here! His biological sister, aged eight, also needed a new safe home to live in, and being the generous people that they are, the family decided that they would provide a home for both children and therefore grow their family to seven. Literally overnight!”
Having met the husband and wife duo Razz and Bec from Soulspace Studios earlier this year at the Tiny House Festival, Nat immediately contacted them to see if they’d partner on the project. To her joy, Soulspace jumped on board, generously donating their building services and expertise, and the fun began!
Cabinetry by Zesta Kitchens; flooring by Scandinavia Floors; custom bench seat cushion by The Cullin Interiors; pendant light from Pott Australia
The Easycraft panels were painted in Dulux Monument Grey and Vivid White
Barn door & track hardware from Bunnings
Oak door handles from norsu
After witnessing the appetite from Souslspace to assist, Nat eagerly began reaching out to the norsu network of trades, suppliers and industry contacts, and was completely blown away with the support that followed. Before long, she had received donations for kitchen cabinetry (Zesta Kitchens), tiles (Perini tiles), stone benchtops (CDK stone), flooring (Scandinavia Floors), tapware (Meir), paint (Dulux), timber (Bowens), basins (Nood Co) and panelling (Easycraft), not to mention donations of time from numerous tradies to install the product and assist with the build, along with products to furnish the home from their retail suppliers. The local community also got on board, providing financial donations and other contributions to assist with the execution of the project.
“We’ve never experienced generosity on this level before. To see so many of our contacts instantly jump at the opportunity was truly humbling, and shows our beautiful community shares the same desire to help,” says Nat.
Mirror from Thermogroup; basin from Nood Co; tapware from Meir Australia; tiles from Perini; vanity is a repurposed Ethnicraft bedside table (available at norsu).
Shower screen from Superior Glass Solutions; tapware & shower heads from Meir Australia; tiles from Perini.
The exterior was painted in Dulux Monument Grey and Vivid White.
Timber by James Hardie from Bowens; 0utdoor shower from Hollow Tree Showers.
Together with Interior Designer Lauren Bartlett-Bragg from the norsuHOME styling team, the ladies began doing what they do best. It made sense for the family’s 18 year old son Oscar to move into the tiny home, which meant designing and styling a room for a young male client. This forced the norsu team to step outside of their comfort zone and away from their signature palette of blush and grey. Continuing their unwavering obsession for Scandinavian design, the team set out to create a Nordic inspired cabin where Oscar could escape to and hang out with friends.
Reflecting on the project, the norsu ladies all agree that one of the most memorable moments was watching the tiny home get craned into the family’s backyard. Built entirely offsite, the home made the journey down the freeway from Gippsland to Melbourne and required a 90 tonne mobile crane to lift it into position in the back yard!
“This was something new to us, and we were amazed at all the logistics required behind the scenes to get this tiny home into position.”
LOCKER / TOWEL / PENDANT LIGHT / CUSHION / LEATHER STRAP / SPOUT
ART PRINT / QUILT COVER SET / MOODYBOARD / BASIN / BEDSIDE TABLE