Tiny House Fits Lily Duval to a T

A home is not just a building, it’s also a state of mind. For Christchurch woman Lily Duval, 28, it meant creating a charming, cozy space out of her self-built 14sqm tiny home, where she could have her beloved book collection front and centre, while also showcasing some colourful vintage items in her sunny kitchen. Treehugger reports.

Duval, who had no previous building experience, constructed this tiny home last year in a small Christchurch community run by a land trust. She started from scratch, building over a trailer that she purchased for around $8000. The scheme was designed around a custom-made bookshelf with cupboards that Duval made herself, and which she modified to fit into the new home.

Like many other tiny housers around the world, one of the main reasons why Duval chose to live smaller was for financial security. “The idea of having a mortgage just seems too frightening,” she says.

It is a warm, welcoming space that exudes comfort and character. To maximise a 5.5m long, 2.5m wide and 4.2m high small space by adding some multi-functionality, Duval has an unwritten rule that everything has to have more than one function, or can be stored in unexpected places. For example, tools and small items have magnetic tape attached to them so that she can stick things on her refrigerator. A bookshelf on the sleeping loft doubles as a safety rail.

Original article by Kimberley Mok, Treehugger, November 27, 2015.