This Adorable Tiny Home Is Affordable Beachfront Living at Its Finest

This tiny beach house lives 100 yards from the beach in Strathmere. Photograph by Rich McMullin

Haddonfield-based designer Bridget McMullin was no stranger to tiny living — a few summers spent lounging in a refurbished trailer near the Shore had sold her on the low-maintenance lifestyle. So she decided to take things to the next level by building herself a 280-square-foot THOW (tiny home on wheels) as a vacation house.

The colorful, eclectic dwelling lives 100 yards from the beach in a members-only trailer park in Strathmere five months of the year, then rolls into storage during the colder seasons. Despite its size, the home sleeps six — there’s a master bedroom, a loft bed, and a futon on the enclosed porch. And thanks to some creative design work, the small space still feels open. Rather than a traditional slider, McMullin built wide double doors opening out to the porch. And instead of blocking off the cross-breeze with the bathroom, she hid the shower and toilet behind swinging doors.

“The trick to a bohemian vibe is to keep mixing. You want to make sure your eye can travel easily over the space and find cohesion even in what seems to be chaos.” — Bridget McMullin, designer

Now her company, the McMullin Design Group, is building “Beach Minis” for clients who want Shore retreats minus year-round maintenance — and endless parades of guests.

Exterior

The house, finished in blue aluminum siding, is transported as-is on a triple-axle trailer, while the enclosed porch can be dismantled in a day and packed away at the end of the season. McMullin decorated the “yard” with Smith & Hawken teak loungers and a whimsical “Jawn” sign from Fishtown Sign Aquarium.

The kitchen. Photograph by Rich McMullin

Kitchen

The kitchen cabinets received a coat of custom Benjamin Moore paint that paired well with a graphic backsplash from Avalon Carpet & Tile’s Italian collection. A ladder across from the sink leads to the loft bedroom above.

The porch. Photograph by Rich McMullin

Enclosed Porch

“I knew that I didn’t just want a vanilla box,” says McMullin. “Color excites me.” She turned to a watered-down green latex paint to brighten the floorboards, then balanced out the look with the help of patterned Surya cushions and Duralee fabric curtains.

The bedroom. Photograph by Rich McMullin

Bedroom

McMullin created an accent wall with floral Thibaut wallpaper over the queen bed. “I love textiles with character—they are all individual pieces of art,” she says. She added drama to the space with a vintage light fixture purchased at an auction.

Published as “Close Quarters” in the July 2019 issue of Philadelphia magazine.