This story has been updated. Watch the new video update.
Do you spend hours online looking at beautiful kitchen remodels? You normally see them inside big houses, but this tiny home will not be outdone.
Do you think it’s possible to clean an entire house in 30 minutes or less? That would be completely unthinkable for a traditional home – just cleaning the bathroom alone could take almost an hour!
But amazingly, this is the reality for Lisa Tranter and her boyfriend, Matt Hobbs. Cleaning their house in a breeze is just one of the perks they enjoy from living in a tiny home. On top of that, they have one of the most beautiful kitchen remodels we’ve seen so far!
The tiny house trend is a social movement where people go from living in regular-sized homes to living in ones that are smaller. Families willingly downsize their houses and simplify their lives by living with less, which they say gives them more freedom. If you’ve been looking at these big houses with their beautiful kitchen remodels, this tiny home’s kitchen is gorgeous!
Lisa, 31, and Matt, 32, were inspired by this increasingly popular movement. For approximately $90,000, they were able to build their dream home practically suited to their needs and individual lifestyles.
The couple bought a piece of land in the Blue Mountains, just west of Sydney, in July last year. After spending about three months building the 2.5 meter wide, 9 meter long, and 4.3 meter high property, the duo finally moved into their house on wheels in December of last year.
The pair shared to Daily Mail Australia the benefits of living in a tiny home and provided a glimpse into their cozy dwelling.
The first perk involves cleaning time.
“Cleaning on a bad day is 30 minutes max. We have no desire or room to fill excess space with things so we aren’t feeding the consumerist agenda,” Lisa shared.
Living in a small space also meant minimized electricity and water expenses.
“The bills are tiny. The power with the air conditioning running virtually all the time over summer was about $300 per quarter. The four bedroom house we were in before was about $800 per quarter, with solar already installed so it’s a huge saving now. Water is about $140. We wanted to see how much we consumed before going off-grid, so we could accurately work out how many solar panels or water tanks to put in.”
The property, measuring about 22 square meters on the lower floor and around 10 square meters in the loft space upstairs, is also equipped with outdoor entertaining.
Though space is limited, the couple made sure that they wouldn’t skimp on the necessities. The house is fixed with everything they need, including a bedroom, a complete living area, a full-size kitchen, a fireplace, a bathroom, and a stairway going up to the loft bedroom.
The fridge and the oven were strategically placed under the stairway to make room for extra storage. “We wanted a full-sized kitchen with full-sized appliances, so we built the kitchen around those.”
Lisa, a barista and cafe manager, says that she’s been dreaming of building her own tiny house for years.
“I’ve had had a mild obsession for the last five years, with the intention of buying and building my own tiny home before I met Matt, who I then convinced not too long after we started dating,” she admitted.
Thankfully, Matt was sold on the idea, and the couple set out to buy their own land to build their tiny abode. Matt is a plumber by trade, but he now owns his own bathroom and kitchen renovations company.
The couple built their house from scratch but sought the help of other people along the way.
“We did a lot of the work ourselves as well as calling in heaps of favors from tradie friends and family.”
Though living in a tiny home has proven to be beneficial for them, it is not completely rid of slight inconveniences.
“Often when I need to study, Matt wants to watch TV. We don’t have any doors to close so it’s hard to block out the sound,” Lisa said.
The duo said that they have no plans of relocating their house on wheels anytime soon.
“The block is surrounded by bush, with a protected creek in the gully. It’s a very pretty spot, so we have no plans to leave our little oasis,” they said.
It’s been four months since they moved in, and the couple said that they have yet to experience anything bad.
“We have yet to encounter a bad thing about it. We have everything we need day to day because we took the time to tailor the house to suit our needs and lifestyles,” Lisa said.
In a house as beautiful as theirs, it is not difficult for the couple to find their favorite parts. Lisa’s is the ‘louvered’ window in the bathroom, the feature panel over the front door, and the floor transition.
Of course, Matt’s favorite is the bathroom, as he was able to try out some things that he normally wouldn’t in a client bathroom.
“The bathroom is a space we often use together so we made it large enough that we can both be in there without getting in each other’s way,” the couple said.
Do you want to build your own tiny home and get one of those beautiful kitchen remodels that you’ve been dreaming about but have no idea where to start? Well, this couple has some useful advice for you.
“The issue people face is finding a place to actually park their house. If you look at most of the people who actually live in a tiny house, it’s often on their families’ property or they are renting a spot of land from someone – and it’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea.”
“Those who are lucky like us have the opportunity to own the land they park on and still have that mortgage.”
“Next, decide what it is you actually need to live with – often it’s less than what you already have. Start to practice some aspects of minimalism, downsize things, throw or give away stuff you haven’t used in ages, and avoid buying more things,” Lisa advised.
Well said. Stop looking at those beautiful kitchen remodels and build your own! Best to take it from those who’ve been through the experience!
04/26/23 UPDATED: The host of Living Big in a Tiny House recently visited Matt and Lisa and there have been amazing changes in their tiny home. They have overhauled their outdoor living space and the installation of a massive new solar power system that can even charge an electric car. For more updates, watch the video below:
You may follow the couple’s Instagram where they share more about their big tiny house. And visit Living Big in a Tiny Home for more amazing videos!