In Marton, New Zealand, youโll find a little, yellow submarine nestled in the woods.
Its captain? A man named Keith, who got the idea randomly one day while sitting in a yellow cafe in Wellington, New Zealand.
โI just said out loud, โI think Iโm going to build a yellow submarineโ โ and the kids said โkeep it down, dad, youโre embarrassing us,'โ he told the host of Living Big In A Tiny House.
Weโve got to say, thatโs NOT where we expected the story to begin!
But Keith wasnโt kidding โ six months later, construction was underway after his partner Jen located a grain silo on an Internet auction site called Trademe. The couple agreed that it looked like part of their vision of a makeshift submarine.
They managed to snap up the giant silo for just a dollar!
Then Keith painted it a bright Beatles-friendly yellow and it sat in their backyard. He continued tinkering with it and adding bits from items he already had lying around.
In case you havenโt guessed, heโs pretty handy. He likes to build things and has a background as a radio technician. But his creativity is what really stuns us โ for example, the top of the โsubmarineโ? An overturned spa pool.
โThere was no plan, it was just sort of โfudge it as we go,'โ he said of the overall construction.
And this is just the outside!
Heโs recycled things from satellites, radar antennas, and plenty of other items the rest of us might never think of using to build a submarine home in the forest. And the front is built from plywood!
Keithโs submarine isnโt just an homage to Ringoโs Starrโs quirky hit though (despite it sitting in a โsea of greenโ).
There is a Beatles theme, but Keith incorporated Soviet Cold War, U-boat, and Steampunk aesthetics too.
This isnโt the first liveable structure heโs built with his own two hands either. While the submarine is operated as an Airbnb rental, Keith also build a colonial tiny home for himself.
But renting out the submarine has also been quite an adventure, introducing the couple to people all over the world who want a unique place to stay on their trips to New Zealand.
Ok, we know what youโre thinking โ letโs see the inside!
First, Keith ramps up the anticipation with a slow-opening hatch.
Once inside, the theme is, not surprisingly, that of an actual submarine with little marine details scattered about.
Oh, and thereโs a life-sized John Lennon to act as your concierge (and that weโre pretty sure scares the living daylights out of guests who wake up in the middle of the night).
Aside from John, itโs a truly stunning interior with lots of well-used space.
The sub has a social area with a large couch, a table for eating or working, and a little kitchen with a sink stuck in an old dresser โ and thatโs just the front part of the first floor!
โYou can fit anything into a sardine tin if you try,โ Keith says of the bathroom thatโs nestled into the โpointy endโ of the vessel.
And heโs right โ thereโs a toilet, sink, AND shower.
The crewโs quarters are in the back and seem as though they would easily accommodate a small family (the Airbnb listing says the maximum is 4 guests).
Thereโs yet another quirky space in the vessel as well.
Keith shows us to the โcontrol roomโ which sits at the top of a ladder. Itโs not entirely clear whatโs meant to happen up there but it sure is a fun space, with a captainโs chair and everything.
The couple is shocked (and relieved) that their vision came together and resulted in a liveable/rentable space.
And we have to say, itโs one of the most unique tiny homes weโve ever seen.
Since weโve only shown you part of it, be sure to scroll down below to get the full tour!
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
