A Tiny Home Project in the Hills

The Turn House

is a supposed container van home turned escape for Iya and her family.

The brief was simple – over the last 2 years, Iya realized that she needed a place away from the busyness of the city that was fun and relaxing for her 4 kids, herself, and her husband, Drew.

They had the perfect patch of land located high up in the hills of Rizal, with sweeping views of the city below; her family would use to rough it out and camp at site here. The property was interesting to build on due to the steep elevation and trapezoidal shape, but the team was more than willing to take on the challenge.

Iya approached Ikoniq Design Studio for the project; where initially she wanted just a container home, Lauren and Jilli convinced her to go all-in to create the perfect space for the entire family to relax, enjoy and escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.

The playground is the focus of this project which is why it takes up about half (or even more!) the entire property. The house was secondary, just so there was a place for the grown-ups to stay and watch the kids. It features:
- a second floor with beds for siestas,
- a living room with an entertainment system perfect for singing karaoke,
- an indoor and outdoor bar,
- a coffee corner, and
- an outdoor BBQ area with enough seating for the whole family.

As the designer, Lauren had to ensure that each space and its corresponding design made sense and told the same story, not only in the way it looked but also when it came to the use and functionality. A material that addressed this need was Neolith sintered stone; it is durable and practical, allowing one to put baking trays fresh out of the oven on top of the counter, slicing or chopping ingredients directly on the table, and even perform well as an outdoor counter.

On the other hand, Jilli concentrated on the movement and flow of the space – ensuring that there was harmony and continuity particularly seen in the indoor kitchen opening out to the bar and outdoor kitchen, allowing a view of the children at the playground below.

Seeing their vision turn into reality, everyone was happy and excited to experience the playground themselves – to swing on the swings, slide on the slide and just enjoy the space. This, of course, was the real purpose of the Turn House: a place for kids, but also for adults to relax and breathe.

Interior Design by Ikoniq Design Studio (  / ikoniqdesignstudio  )
Construction by Ikoniq Construction (  / ikoniqconstruction  )
Kitchen Counter Tops by Euroasia Marble and Granite (  / euroasiagra..  )
Kitchen Material: Neolith Shi Lin (  / neolithofficial  )

DP/Cinematography by Andrew Gregory Films
Assisted by Marty Son