There's tiny living and then there's the deluxe version of tiny living, made possible by park model tinies and other types of large-scale mobile homes. The Elevation Park Model RVs fall in the latter category, but they also challenge traditional definitions of an RV or a tiny home.
Tiny living is primarily limited to tiny houses, no matter their size. On the other hand, downsizing can refer to the transition to any type of mobile home, regardless of whether it's a tiny or an RV converted for use as a full-time home. As another general rule, tiny houses and RVs don't intersect, though each industry does borrow from the other elements that enhance functionality, efficiency, or comfort.
The builds from Elkhart, IN-based Elevation Park Models straddle both categories: they're essentially park model tiny houses but they're RV-certified, so they're technically RVs. The builder boasts a nationwide dealership network and a solid reputation that has also crossed national borders. As a "proud member of the RV Industry Association," it has adopted has the company motto "Go RV-ing," and can thus sell units as park model RVs.
Semantics out of the way, let's focus on one of the most popular models from Elevation: the 7-Series. Elevation offers a range of models, each one with several different floorplans and seemingly endless possibilities of combinations between them, as well as extra customization. In the end, the new owner ends up with exactly the kind of mobile house (trailer house would be a more appropriate term, to be fair) they need, tailor-made to their tastes and budget.
Photo: Elevation Park Models
The Elevate 7-Series is available either with a lofted layout or a single-floor model, with dimensions going as high as 39 feet (11.8 meters) in total length and 12 feet (3.6 meters) in width. Units offer around 400 square feet (37.2 square meters) of living space, divided in whichever way you see fit – meaning, with one, two, or three bedrooms and with an arrangement that meets your precise demands.
Whatever the layout, these dimensions make the unit a park model by excellence, which means that it's not built to travel across the country whenever you feel like it. In fact, you can only tow it with special permits and only under special circumstances, but it's still more mobile than a traditional brick-and-mortar home.
Given the large number of variations possible on any 7-Series unit, it's almost impossible to illustrate in words the kind of downsized lifestyle such a park model RV proposes. So, how about a concrete example? Toured in the video below is the brand-new 2025 7-Series 7-128 floorplan, with options that emphasize comfort over a higher guest capacity.
Photo: Elevation Park Models
This home is styled as a couple's main residence, but it can sleep an additional two guests on an occasional basis. Its focus is on comfort and luxury touches, with ample space to move around, residential appliances, and virtually no compromise in terms of convenience.
The layout is a single-bedroom, single-floor one, with the kitchen located centrally and the living room at one end of the trailer, while the main bedroom is at the opposite end. The bathroom is right next to the main bedroom, so it's technically an ensuite, offering a flushing toilet, a walk-in shower, and dual vanities for the kind of couple who don't like to share their personal bubble when brushing their teeth.
Speaking of personal bubbles, this unit adds a very private nook to the bedroom in the form of a terrace you can only access from inside the room through double French doors. Whereas most tiny houses will reduce the bedroom to a simple mattress placed on the floor of a loft and with nothing else around it, with a build like this, you get a proper room, with heaps of storage, an entertainment center, and its own balcony.
Photo: Elevation Park Models
There's an abundance of storage options and spaces that feel very much like actual rooms in an actual house. The kitchen, for instance, is designed for entertaining, with an L-shaped block and a central island that doubles as a dining space, and is more than capable to put to shame whatever the rest of tiny houses dub as "kitchen."
Like any other 7-Series model, this unit comes with two fireplaces and two large-screen smart TVs as standard, one of each in the living room and the other in the bedroom. Also standard are the residential gas range, a 40,000 BTU furnace, a 20-gallon (76-liter) electric water heater, 50 amp hookup to the grid, fiberglass insulation throughout, real hardwood trim package on the furniture, toe kicks for the lower cabinets to maximize storage spaces, and solid surface countertops throughout.
This unit is styled in contrasting tones of dark browns and off-whites and grays, but the choice of colors is also impressive, whatever the styling you prefer. Options also include hardwood ceilings, upgrades for the standard GE appliances, a front porch with premium railing, extra appliances, and even fancier touches like a "beverage center."
Photo: Elevation Park Models
Since Elevate 7-Series Park Model RVs are customizable to such a high degree, there's no mention of pricing in the official description of the model. But don't expect them to be as cheap as smaller tiny houses: these are premium builds that offer both larger footprints and premium quality, so they'll be priced accordingly. As a reference, dealers sell 2024 7-Series units for upwards of $110,000.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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