What if I tell you that you can get your tiny house today, inside a box? You’d think me crazy, but it is the work of Li Cheng, CEO and founder of Unfold House, offering a tiny house that folds itself to fit inside a standard 40-foot shipping container and unfolds into a livable home on-site in three hours.
I first came across the Unfold House in a video by YouTuber Levi Kelly, who frequently covers and shares his unique Airbnb and vacation rental experiences. Levi also met with Cheng during his stay at the Unfold House – now a first-of-its-kind Airbnb in Kingston, Oklahoma – to understand the idea behind the foldable tiny house.
Cheng aims to solve the housing crisis with his modular houses, built in a factory in Shanghai, China. Thereafter, these micro-dwellings are folded and packed into a 40-foot shipping container. The unit is then unfolded and established on site within three hours. From there, a small team of construction workers finalizes the unit into a luxury tiny house within a week.
Isn’t that neat? You can be a homeowner with rarely a fuss and start living in it. From construction to ready-to-live-in, it takes just one week. Think about it: the only thing you need to do is prep the site with water, septic, and electrical systems at the ready. The team will take care of the rest. I’d take that action over months of construction.
Once the structure is erected, the construction team adds the shou sugi ban wood exterior to the Unfold House, installs premium finishes, and glazing. You also have the option to choose from different exterior claddings. The team will also waterproof the folding seams, so you can use it as an all-season home.
The unique tiny home features tall 12-foot ceilings, a full kitchen, and a bathroom. It even comes with living room furniture, which you can select when placing your order. How cool is that?
Now sitting near Lake Texoma in Kingston, Oklahoma, the Unfold House is the future of housing. It offers a bright, open living experience for architecture lovers and curious explorers like me. The 482-square-foot tiny house offers a studio-style living on a single floor with a breezy open floor plan.
The Airbnb rental has giant glazing on the front. The bedroom sits in front of the glazing, offering wide outdoor views from inside the house. Its lounge sits opposite the bed, while the kitchen and bathroom take up the rear. The Unfold House also comes with a foldable deck that lets you sit outside, which is a nice touch, whether you want to use the foldable tiny house as a rental or full-time dwelling.
For me, the best part of the tiny house Airbnb is the smart features it hides in plain sight. The smart face-detection lock on the steel door on the side makes self-check-ins really easy. A Chinese bidet toilet with a remote is definitely another highlight for me. Another perk is the closet next to the bed, letting you store your bags and such during your stay.
The kitchen is finely designed. It comes with a ton of storage both under and above the counter, a washer/dryer unit, a dishwasher, an integrated cooktop, an oven, a range hood, and a retro-style full-fridge. The kitchen in the Airbnb unit features Chinese appliances, but I am not sure which brands will feature in future units of the Unfold.
Its U-shaped countertop extends into a side coffee station-like space. It can also double as a breakfast bar or work-from-home space. Above the coffee station hides a secret. Instead of resorting to a split AC unit, the tiny house conceals an air conditioner behind a slatted cabinet. This is practical and looks nice, whether it’s a rental or full-time home.
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The Unfold House can be your dream home for $80,000. If you want to try it out first, you can stay at the vacation rental in Oklahoma that you can book for $315 per night. Outside the rental, the firepit, alfresco dining, and BBQ area make a great addition to your summer trip.
Aside from the clever construction, I really love the idea behind the Unfold House. Cheng wants to solve the housing crisis, which is exacerbating globally. It is not only functional and practical, but also affordable, giving a workaday like me a chance at a dream home when most of us are renting because we cannot afford to own one.
Would you live in a home that comes in a box? Let me know what you think of the idea of the Unfold House.
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