00:06The pod design was inspired by partly my Danish heritage. I love the simplicity of
00:13Scandinavian design and also inspired by the Tasmanian landscape. So it's a
00:18merging of really simple pared-back design and then letting Tasmania do the
00:27talking. My name is Alice and I'm a travel writer here in Tasmania. I spend
00:34most of my days writing about Tassie so this little tailored pod is is all the
00:38things that I love about this island in the built form. The tailored pod is
00:45located in Lewisham which is about 40 minutes drive from Hobart. It's also a
00:52gateway to the East Coast beaches. The sand dunes and the pine trees is a
00:59really a signature view that is it's almost a one-off here in Tasmania as well
01:05as that really beautiful feel of being part of a local community as well. Well
01:12I built the house to live in it. With my travel writing I tend to travel a lot and
01:17I came to find that a lot of the time it was empty. Hosting on Airbnb has been a
01:22really beautiful balance for me because it allows me to share and celebrate
01:27Tasmania through having people stay here. I'm able to then have the freedom to do
01:31more travel writing and I can block out the calendar and I can come home and then
01:36at the same time share my home. So it's really just a really beautiful blend. I wanted the
01:42build itself to be very simple and transportable and I also wanted to have a
01:47feeling as if it was floating in the landscape a really light feel. So the pod
01:53came in two separate structures which were brought on separate trucks and then
01:59when they arrived were joined and as part of that join there's beautiful
02:03skylights that allow the light to to filter in in between the two separate pods.
02:11The pod is built with a timber frame and bracing. It's inspired by a war aircraft
02:17which means it's very strong but very light. The exterior of the pod is wrapped
02:23in Tasmanian oak and then we've got the big floor-to-ceiling glass at the front.
02:30So when you get into the pod you pretty much see all of the pod in one hit and
02:34that's the beauty of this small living. You've got the whole scene playing out
02:38before you with the landscape as the backdrop.
02:44With the living room I wanted it to have a really intimate cosy feel so the
02:49fireplace is the focal point designed and built by local blacksmith Pete Matilla
02:55and he basically created the fireplace with flame in mind and movement.
03:02The couch is built by local furniture maker Simon Anker out of hydro wood timber and it
03:08literally floats a bit like the pod itself and he's done such a wonderful job in making
03:14something that not only looks incredible but feels super comfortable.
03:21So over to the left of the pod is a great little storage space with reading nook and you can
03:28actually see Mount Wellington Kunanyu while you're sitting there.
03:34I've created a special honesty cupboard and that's full of things that are made by local people if they
03:40really fall in love with something that they've used or engaged with during the stay where they can
03:44actually take it with them. And also it slides out to be a single bed when I've got extra family
03:51staying.
03:55What I love about the sleeping space is that it's so cosy. There's a lovely black timber or darker timber
04:01around.
04:02It's elevated and two cute little windows that bring the view in.
04:08So we've got an electronic skylight so you just hit a button and you can open it so you
04:12can feel the cool night air. But I love to be able to look up and see the stars at
04:17night.
04:19Underneath the bed there's some great storage as well which is really generous.
04:25The front pod and the back pod are divided by skylights which put a distinct but very natural
04:31division between the living space and then the dining space in the back.
04:39The kitchen is small like everything else but it has everything you need. It's got the induction
04:45cooktops, the full-size oven, we've got the fridge there. The galley kitchen also has plenty of storage
04:50above and below and just enough bench space to do what you need.
04:58The kitchen table has also been built by a local furniture maker who doubles as a police officer.
05:04He's built this beautiful Tasmanian oak dining table which works really well as an extra bench
05:09space for the kitchen too. So separating the bathroom is the only interior door in the whole pod,
05:19a glass sliding door and once in there there's a beautiful ceramic basin that's handmade under the
05:25foothills of Mount Wellington. It literally floats on top of a patina aged bench top and we've also
05:34got a forest style shower and you've got a lovely little aspect of a small window that looks out
05:39where you can see the dunes and the ocean beyond.
05:44And we've also integrated a simple laundry facility in there as well.
05:53So one of my favourite elements of this whole pod is the outdoor bath. It's like the hero and I
05:59know
05:59a lot of the Airbnb guests just absolutely love it. The Huon Pine Bath is built out of hundreds of
06:06tiny
06:06pieces that were hand glued and then a robot carved the final product.
06:14So the outdoor deck has got privacy screens so that people can enjoy the bath in their own private space.
06:23So when people arrive at the pod I want them to feel that really warm welcome so they come and
06:28they
06:28have Tasmanian bath salts, Tasmanian bubbles on the table waiting for them. They've got a Tasmanian
06:33book that will extend their travels for exploring more of the area. So there's different layers of
06:39experience that are complementary and part of the stay.
06:46Hosting has made me think very differently about design. I think it's really the simplicity that
06:51sings in this space and the feedback has shown that. The highlights like the fireplace and the bath
06:58are the elements that people are really engaging with and really enjoying.
07:05What I love most about hosting on Airbnb is getting to share this little piece of Tasmania with people
07:11and making sure that they really engage in a beautiful way with the Tasmanian landscape and
07:16the people and the makers and go home with a story to tell.
07:21So
07:22I'll see you next time.
07:23I'll see you next time.
07:29I'll see you next time.
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