Maddison Cate’s Off-Grid Tiny Home Is a Cosy Oasis in Nature

We’re often encouraged to think bigger is better – bigger homes, fuller schedules, more possessions. Social media dictates what success looks like, glorifying a lifestyle that always keeps us busy and wanting.

But among the blue gums and golden wattles of South Australia, Maddison Cate – mother, dietician, yoga teacher, and wellness advocate – is taking a different approach. Alongside her partner Kyle and two sons, she’s chosen simplicity and a slower pace, settling into an eight-and-a-half-metre-long tiny home overlooking farmland.

Almost two years ago, after a period of travel and transience, Maddison fell pregnant with her second son and decided to put down roots in the countryside. They traded in their campervan and rented a plot of land where they could build an off-grid dwelling. This “warm little cosy oasis in the middle of nature” has now seen them through every season, and is the foundation of their gentle, more grounded rhythm.

A collision of hard work and fate was key to making the home a reality. Kyle developed the floor plan, and together with his brother – a skilled builder – they constructed the tiny home from scratch. From drawing up the plans and buying the trailer, it was about an eight-month process start to finish. When building started, they still didn’t know where they were going to place the home. “It was a bit of a mystery where we would be,” says Maddison, an overwhelming prospect to some, but an exciting leap of faith to her.

The moment they visited the farm, they knew this is where they, and the home, belonged. Maddison recalls thinking, “This is where we’re going to park. This is going to be home for now.”

Maddison had a clear vision from the beginning. Over the years living out of a van, she’d gathered inspiration and ideas, so she took the lead on the finishing details and décor.

From custom-made stained-glass windows to bespoke kitchen tiles, every element is an ode to their personal style.” Even the rounded corner of the kitchen bench and all the curves that continue throughout our house – it was all very intentional.”

She wasn’t sure what the result of combining all her references and influences would be, but intuition prevailed: “When we actually finished and it all came together, I couldn’t be happier,” she says.

A 15-minute drive from their closest town, they still have access to the services they need, but they’re undeniably rural – and that’s the way they like it. The stillness and quiet are Maddison’s favourite parts of country life. Naturally, the kids add some lively atmosphere: “They’re the main noise in our lives!” laughs Maddison. But other than that, it’s a bucolic soundscape – “You wake up in the morning and hear the birds” – and an equally idyllic scene: “There are cows right up against our fence, and kangaroos are everywhere… the unobstructed view of the stars is just phenomenal.”

While Maddison is deeply grateful for their way of living, she recognises that it can be idealised. “There are definitely pros and cons,” she says. “I feel like just having your head across what you actually use can be really empowering, but equally there are seasons and times of the year where it can be really hard.” Naturally, winter is one of these seasons. “Wintertime is the shortest amount of sunlight that we get, and with that comes challenges.” Less sun means less solar power, which means they must rely on the backup generator.

Everything is dependent on the elements, and living in urban environments can detach us from that reality. Flicking on a light switch or turning on the taps becomes second nature, rather than something we consciously think about. “We don’t get a huge amount of rainfall here, so we have to truck in water sometimes. In summer, if it’s a real dry spell, we’ve had to get a delivery of spring water to fill up our water tank.”

Maddison has been totally off-grid now for many years, from when she packed up and hit the road in the Sprinter van. “We have such an appreciation for the resources that we use, and we’ve had to get good at being more conservative with those resources,” she says. This involves knowing exactly how much water and power you have left to use. “I don’t think there’ll ever be a time where we wouldn’t appreciate being able to flick the tap on and just have water.”

There’s a famous quote by the English designer and poet William Morris: “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” This feels like the thesis of Maddison's home. She describes the balance between keeping the space practical while maintaining a strong visual identity as “a juggling act”. Much of that comes down to creating “designated kids zones”. “My son’s bedroom has a whole built-in wardrobe – one section for his clothes and another for his toys. The storage underneath our couch is for board games, craft supplies, and the books that we rotate… We have to switch up the books and toys every week, or every couple of weeks, and keep things interesting.”

If you’re across how they made this lifestyle happen, but are still wondering why they’d do it with kids, Maddison’s answer is simple: “We want to be outside as much as we can.” Immersed in nature is where their boys are “happiest and thriving the most – rain, hail or shine.” The beauty of limited indoor space and a fluid open-air design is that it draws them beyond the walls of the home and into the world around them.

Every day is a fresh adventure. “We’re still yet to hang curtains in the bedroom, so we’re usually up with the sun,” she explains. After that, “the boys pile into our bed and we cuddle and start the day.” After breakfast, Kyle leaves for work, Maddison turns her attention to the ebb and flow of the day – reading or playing outdoors with the boys, tending to the home, gardening, and working. When the boys have had lunch and their afternoon nap, they’ll spend time out on the deck or strolling in the fields before Kyle returns home.

‘Slow living’ takes on a new form in motherhood. When Maddison Cate reflects on whether she connects with this philosophy, she pauses: “Me as a person, definitely. Adding kids into the equation – it’s messy.” It’s been a journey as “someone who needs little rituals and moments of quiet, while raising two very energetic boys.” “I’ve made peace with the mess, the chaos and the noise,” she muses, “and I just bring in my little rituals.” These moments might be as small as lighting incense or making a pot of tea: “I’ve had to simplify my anchors.”

Entertaining is weather dependent, but spring, summer, and autumn are made for barbecues and bonfires. “We have the most beautiful evenings, so we often have friends around for dinner on the deck. Watching the sun set over the hills while we’re all sitting around the dinner table is just magic.” The community they’ve cultivated is something they deeply cherish – “lots of young families, lots of people in a similar season of life with similar values,” and sharing their space with their loved ones is one of their greatest joys.

To return again to the words of William Morris, “The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life.” This rings particularly true for Maddison, who says that her environment has strengthened her creativity. “Being in a space that we’ve intentionally created brings me so much joy and creative energy,” she says. “I wake up in the morning and even down to where the sun hits and how it comes in through the kitchen windows, I just feel lit up and inspired by that.”

As someone who shares her experiences online, Maddison Cate is conscious of the way off-grid living can be romanticised. While audiences may be drawn to the golden afternoon light and rolling hills, she feels a responsibility to also show the less glamorous realities – from maintaining a composting toilet to navigating the challenges of a small space. “I do try to keep it real, because it’s not for everyone,” she says. At the same time, she’s balancing authenticity with protecting her family’s privacy. “There’s always a trade-off. There’s always a hard part,” she reflects.

After years of living in temporary spaces, Maddison describes finally creating a home that reflects her visual world as deeply inspiring. “I’m very much a visual person and very affected by my environment,” she says. “Having something that’s everything I’ve ever imagined in a little place just feels really inspiring.” Even now, she finds herself captivated by the way the light shifts throughout the day. “I’m always thinking, ‘Wow.’ It doesn’t get old.”

While the kitchen – with its joyful handmade tiles – is her favourite room, the outdoor bath has become one of the family’s favourite rituals. Especially in winter, when there’s more water available, evenings are often spent soaking together under the open sky. “It’s such a reset,” she says. “The boys are jumping and splashing and throwing water everywhere, but the beauty is that it doesn’t matter. It just waters the plants next to the bath.”

Motherhood has transformed Maddison’s relationship to home. Before having children, she and Kyle were constantly travelling, but now she finds meaning in creating a grounding space for her family. “These little things are going to be part of their childhood and their memories,” she says. When asked what home means to her, her answer is simple: “A place to land, a place to feel held.”