My design has been based around the needs for a couple to live comfortably. The spacious interior, with well defined living areas allow for living apart, as well as together. The single door was included so that if ever needed, a separate structure for extra bedrooms, office or storage areas can either be butted up against, or connected via a covered walkway. There's room above the living area window to build an extra, smaller loft, which would be accessed via a ladder. In terms of power, it's currently connected to mains, however has been wired to have solar power should it be moved somewhere else. For ongoing maintenance, the cladding will require further staining every second summer, and a spring clean. Other than that, it's all very low key.

Designed with comfort in mind, Mi Casa is 3m wide, 7.8m long and has an approximately 3.6m internal height. Everyone comments about how spacious it feels, which is accentuated by the openness of 10 windows and doors. These allow the house to be bathed in sunlight, keeping the place warm all year round. In summer when it gets really hot, the skylight opens to release the hot air, keeping things comfortable. Being the size it is, there is well defined living areas which mean you feel relaxed and not too cramped, as well as being able to have a place to relax, eat, work, and sleep - very important to differentiate each area for wellbeing. Being a little taller than most, whilst keeping within transport height limits, the loft bedroom is comfortable for some to stand tall, with others needing to crouch just a little to move around. Having the 1.2m x 1.2m skylight above the bed allows for some excellent star gazing opportunities too. The bed frame lifts up completely to fit bedding, suitcases and other large items underneath, as well as having the wardrobe in the loft for day to day clothing and personal items. The bathroom includes a full 1200mm x 900mm shower, dehydrating toilet, basin, full sized washing machine and cupboard - so even though tiny, not compromising on anything. The window within the enclosed alcove shower area serves two purposes - a great view, as well as ventilation which means the bathroom doesn't get any moisture buildup. The kitchen has plenty of bench space on the custom made totara bench top for preparing meals. These can be cooked on the gas hob, gas oven, or an electrical appliance plugged into the wall. With the pantry next to it, and the fridge behind, it's easy to cook and clean. There's plenty of storage underneath the bench, and in nearby cupboards for all the cooking needs. Moving into the living area, you'll find two ottomans which give about 2.3m x 1.1m worth of space to lounge and relax on. Nestled under the large picture window, there's always some nature to gaze at outside. These ottomans are exceptionally comfortable, and great to sleep on. If you want to relax with some music, the turntable is there to pop on some tunes, or if you turn left to the library, grab a book and read the day away in the sunshine. Want to head outside? No problem. From the kitchen table, open up the bifold window and you're instantly feeling like you're there. Or if that's not enough, the lounge bifold allows you to head out onto the 14sqm deck and relax in the sunshine. If it's a bit warm, hang up the 15sqm shade sail and you're good to go.

At a guess, 99% of the building work has been DIY, with a tonne of learning along the way. Adding to that, 95%+ of the build was custom made fittings and furnishings, or came semi prepared with many more hours spent to get them to the final finish. Hardly anything has been off the shelf, and if so, likely modified to suit the space. The detachable trailer was custom made by me, with the help of Dad's expertise. A great learning process and allows for ease of movement. The cedar cladding was sourced from a farm in the Bay of Plenty, which required cutting to size, staining, and installation. I recycled corrugated iron, primed and painted it to make up the rest of the cladding. All the double glazed doors and windows were resourced as second hand new or second hand, and then primed and painted to get the right look. The star of the bedroom is the natural mural which was completed over a few hundred hours, using a fine art paintbrush in order to give such rich detail. This was done ever so patiently and masterfully by a partner, and has been sealed to protect it. The custom lifting queen sized bed frame is maintained by gas struts. All of the native timber was recycled from my family farm, or from my grandad's kitchen. Originally 5.4m long and 400mm wide, a totara slab was sitting inside a shed for about 50 years, collecting dust and motor oil after being acquired by my great granddad. After a fair amount of work, it's now the treasure of the home as both the kitchen bench and dining table. With recycled rimu timber from my grandad's old kitchen making up the shell of the new kitchen and stair treads (thanks Rachel), a recycled totara fence railing as the custom lounge hanging light, rimu for the hand railing and turntable bench, matai for the bathroom vanity, and totara fence posts for the ottomans to sit upon. The connection to nature is strong within this abode. The hessian cupboard doors have been custom made and painted (half the frames by me and the other professionally) to give a very homely feel, and which complements the warmth of the native timber well. The outdoor areas have been custom made to fit around the tiny house, without impeding on movement away from the site. The covered entrance porch is perfect to fit jackets, shoes and pinecones for the fire, with the deck more than doubling the available open living space. After putting the heart, blood, tears and soul into this build, there's so much more I could list, but I hope the photo's tell the story and do it justice.

The tiny house is on a detachable dual axle trailer, allowing for movement of the house on a low loader transporter, and ease of WOF certification. As you walk in the single door, you're greeted with cupboards to your left which you can store shoes or bags in, or place keys or other items on the open cubby above. Here you'll also find the light switches for the main lounge, kitchen, outside and stairway. Within each of the three entrance cupboards there is a large space which extends all the way underneath the stairs, with pull out drawers, and a small shelf or two. The open portion of this area is currently utilised as the bookshelf - an absolute necessity. Underneath the stairs you'll find the pantry and two other storage cupboards, and underneath the ottomans and bed there is room for even more storage. Lift the bed up and you'll find a whole lot more. Spaciousness without compromising on storage. A dream tiny house setup.

Warm tones and wood were key for this build. I wanted to feel like I was around the mountains, like when living in Wānaka. A lot of the buildings have the cedar/flaxpod look which really suits the natural surroundings well. Having both vertical and horizontal lines within the cladding both lengthen and heighten the place, making it look bigger than it actually is. Pairing this style of exterior with clean negative detail lines and natural tones of the interior really creates a visually appealing and luxurious space. Small pops of colour catch the eye and create subtle uniqueness in each room, without detracting from the overall natural feel of the place. The place is always so light, and the sunsets bathe the interior in golden hues which really stand out against the yellow of the poplar core ply linings. Golden hour is really quite special. There's 3 LED strips hidden within the furnishings - under the ottomans, within the handrail, and under the kitchen cupboards. At night these warm yellow strips are perfect for mood lighting, and calming the environment to become ready for sleep. The hand painted art pieces that are often mistaken as wallpaper are one of a kind. Other aesthetic details have been given in the other sections.

I hope the photos show how proud I am to have completed this build. It's truly one of a kind, designed from just an idea and completed from scratch. From research to completion, it's had it all. From little building experience to what you see has been an incredible journey, with help from an amazing community. My dad has been the biggest factor in getting this completed. His knowledge, insight, problem solving ability, and countless hours lending a hand cannot be thanked enough. I've learned not to give up, take a break, no problems - only solutions, push through the tough times, time management, budget management and the importance of time freedom. The estimated total cost is $75,000 including the trailer, deck, landscaping etc. Cheers for putting on the competition! Loved the TH awards last year.

Dad, H M Electrical, Roger Smith, Matt Meyrick, Kim Piesker, Liam Crawford, Valley Plumbing, Rennalls Joinery and all the other friends that gave a helping hand throughout. Chels, Mum, Finn, Sam, Harry, Charlotta, Matt, Sara, Rowan, Clare, Wilson, Britt, Ruby, Jamie, NZ Tiny House Community Facebook page. Couldn't have done it without you.