We Build Environmentally Friendly Structures
“Building smaller and more sustainably, using traditional materials and techniques, results in healthier lifestyles, less debt and a lighter carbon footprint,” explains Tiny Lifestyle founder Simone Kidner.
“We strive to source materials as locally as possible: All of our timber has come from the top of the South Island and much from here in the Bay. We only use untreated, non-toxic and sustainably-sourced wood which is lovingly milled on site, keeping transport and our carbon footprint to a minimum.”
“We have a transparent supply-chain so our customers know where all our products come from,” adds co-founder Liv Scott. “We’ve done the hard work researching the most sustainable materials and suppliers so our customers don’t have to. We’ve brought them all together into one package so they can be assured of a completely natural, non-toxic space to have as a sleepout, a studio, office, or, with the mezzanine level, even a Tiny Home.”
We use natural, sustainably-sourced oils and paints to protect the timbers as well as natural sheep's wool made from recycled, pre-consumer carpet manufacturing.
In addition to the Rameka and our other timber frame design options, Tiny Lifestyle offer Traditional Timber Frame joinery courses that enable and empower people to build their own shelters. Taking place over six days in February in beautiful Golden Bay, students learn the art of traditional greenwood timber framing and how to build a stunning, bespoke frame.
Our timber frames are very low-impact, with cladding options including adobe, straw bale, hempcrete, light earth... “In today’s disposable society we try to keep alive the old skills and traditions to make something that’s not just going to stand for 50 years, but something that will stand for 200 years,” says co-founder Graeme Scott. “By educating people on natural building techniques we can increase awareness of sustainable lifestyle options, inspire the housing industry in New Zealand to build more sustainably and make sustainable building mainstream. This would result in less toxic materials used in construction, less materials imported into New Zealand, more biodiverse tree plantations and a decrease in national health problems related to substandard living conditions and chemicals off gassing.