This Foldable Tiny House Expands to 20 Feet Wide

Tiny homes historically have been a do-it-yourself affair, from the early days of the modern tiny house movement that started in the 1970s with pioneers like Lloyd Kahn and Lester Walker. Nowadays, there is an abundance of tiny-house building companies that offer up a wide range of options, from turnkey models for those who are less inclined to build their own to tiny house shells and inexpensive tiny house plans for those who prefer to be more hands-on.

While we've become accustomed to the typical gable-roofed tiny house profile, there are also many other tiny homes that don't have that familiar feel. In fact, some of these smaller homes get a bit more hi-tech, like the Grande S1 by California-based startup PODX Go. The diminutive Grande S1 can physically open up to expand to an impressive 20-foot-wide width, making it a prefab tiny home that literally breaks out of the usual tiny house footprint. We get a tour of this remarkable solar-powered home via Tiny House Expedition:

Probably the most significant feature of this tiny home is the fact that it can physically fold out and expand to a full width of 20 feet and 364 square feet, much like a space-expanding RV with slide-outs.

When it's folded up to go on the road, it measures 20 feet by 8.5 feet, and looks like a non-descript box. As the company emphasizes, this size is what makes this unique tiny house completely street-legal, with no special permits required to tow it on the road.

But when you're ready to park, you can open the Grande S1 up in about 15 to 20 minutes by lowering the stabilizing posts to the ground and folding out the awning and stairs. Then, with the push of a button, the rest of the house unfolds itself with the help of integrated pistons that do the heavy moving for you.

The house is capable of going off-grid, as it is powered by a 1,400-watt array of solar panels that is hooked up to a 5-kilowatt Lycan power box from Renogy. The company also offers other energy options, like a stackable Aura system.

Inside, the layout feels much more ample due to the fact that it's not long and narrow like most tiny houses but is more squarish in shape. The entry area has a nook for storage or a place where a combination washer-dryer can be installed. Here is also where you find the Edge ONE smart home control panel for things like turning on lights and checking the sensors and exterior cameras.

To the left of the entry area is the main living area, comprising the dining, kitchen, living room and bathroom.

The dining area includes this space-saving set of dining table and chairs. When more space is needed, the drop leaf portions of the table can be folded down on both sides, and the chairs inserted into the middle. But when eating meals or entertaining guests, the table can be fully opened to provide plenty of space to eat.

The kitchenette is admittedly small, but the design maximizes this area by having a portable cooktop and a removable insert that covers the sink to create more countertop space. There is a mini-refrigerator with a separate freezer, as well as a decent amount of pantry storage.

The living room sits at the other end of the house and includes a compact sleeper sofa and coffee table. There are plenty of windows here to let light in, with integrated blinds to modulate the interior brightness level.

Next to the living room is the bathroom, which is designed as a wet room and feels very much like an RV-styled bathroom with the molded sink and shower.

On the other side of the home's central core is the home office and bedroom. The office includes a desk that can fold into the wall when not in use.

In the same wall cavity, you'll find a closet, a security lock box, and the queen-sized Murphy bed that can flip up into the wall.

And when you're ready to move house, you just have to stow away the desk, bed, and dining table into their nooks in the central wall space. The sofa can be broken down to fit into the front entry area, and the office chair and coffee table go into the bathroom. Once the interior areas are clear, you exit outside and remove the four stabilizing posts. Once that's done, you can press a button on the remote provided, and the house will fold itself up automatically in less than 10 minutes.

One can imagine that moving around is much easier with a tiny house that is designed to make itself small and portable—yet it also has the capacity to expand its footprint considerably. It's one of those tiny houses that defies all labels; it's not quite a tiny house and not quite an RV. In any case, it's for anyone who knows they want that ease of transport as a main feature. For those who are interested in an easy-to-move, loft-free tiny home, the base price for the Grande S1 starts at $85,000—with more bells and whistles adding extra cost. To find out more, visit PODX Go.