‘The story is only just beginning’: Chris and Caro in an interview with NEW-HOUSING
INTERVIEW With their book *From a Small Dream Home to a Ready-to-Move-In Home*, Chris and Caro from tinyon have produced a must-read guide for anyone interested in tiny houses. How has the book been received? Is there a follow-up in the pipeline?
Over the past ten months, we’ve been publishing extracts from your debut book, *From a Small Dream Home to a Ready-to-Move-In Home*, on the NH website and via our newsletter. How did readers respond to your first book?
Chris & Caro: We were absolutely delighted by the fantastic response to our first book! It’s particularly heartening that it seems to have achieved exactly what we set out to do when writing it: not only to inspire people to embrace life in a tiny house, but also to provide them with a concrete roadmap for their own journey. Feedback from the community and industry experts confirms, above all, that the combination of personal experiences, in-depth knowledge and practical guidance offers real added value. The fact that we ended up with sold-out copies at NEW HOUSING 2026 was, of course, a particular highlight for us!
You also brought the book with you to NEW HOUSING 2026. Where else have you been taking the book?
Chris & Caro: Our book has now become a wonderful icebreaker for meeting people. As well as NEW HOUSING, we’ve been on a book tour to Regensburg and Augsburg, amongst other places, where we combined traditional readings with personal insights, short talks and an interactive ‘dream home’ check. What’s more, the content guides us through workshops, consultations and events centred on new ways of living. We’re particularly pleased that our experiences are now being heard beyond the world of trade fairs and books – for example, through our regular contributions as guest writers in Laible Verlag’s “Kleiner Wohnen” magazine and on FOCUS online.
Are there any insights you didn’t include in the book?
Chris & Caro: Definitely – and the lovely thing is that we never stop learning ourselves! Our book guides people through ten steps, from the initial idea to moving in, but it’s only once the house is finished that real life in it begins. The longer we live in our own tiny house ourselves, and through the now more than 1,000 consultations we’ve had with people we’re guiding on their journey, the clearer it becomes to us that consciously minimalist living goes far beyond square metres, floor plans and possessions. It’s increasingly also about community, personal change and the question of how we want to live during different stages of life. It’s precisely this perspective that’s currently occupying us most.
Anyone who follows you on social media knows that you’re now living in your tiny house with your dog and child. Can we look forward to a follow-up book from you, focusing on the insights gained from family life in a tiny house?
Chris & Caro: We’d certainly have enough material for a second book by now! We moved into our tiny house as a couple; first our dog Bella joined us, and now we’re discovering life in 42 square metres all over again with our daughter Pauline. Every day, we’re learning just how much living space a family actually needs, how important flexible solutions are, and that a garden is sometimes the more valuable extra children’s room. We’re already sharing these experiences on our podcast, on social media and in our articles. We’re leaving it open as to whether this will eventually become a second book – after all, the story is only just beginning to unfold.
What else are your plans for the coming months?
Chris & Caro: Things are set to remain exciting at tinyon, as we want to play an even bigger part in ensuring that enthusiasm for small-scale living actually leads to new housing opportunities. A special highlight is already on the cards for the end of November: As the exclusive partner for the trending topic ‘NEW LIVING’, we’re curating and hosting the forum of the same name at OutVenture Berlin, and we’re delighted to be setting new trends together with Messe Berlin. At the same time, together with our partner Fabian Müller from Vilcomo, we’re expanding our collaboration with local authorities, project developers and our network of experts to establish ‘Tiny Living’ more firmly as a serious option for housing and urban development. Of course, our podcast, the community and the personalised support we provide to prospective tiny-house residents remain integral parts of our work. Our goal remains unchanged: to encourage people not only to consider new ways of living, but to actually embrace them.
