After 15 years of waiting and kids moving out, mom builds dream tiny home with a personal library

A mom waited 15 years until her children moved out and then designed her dream tiny home, including a personal library she named Anipo.

Lee has always been interested in small living. In her twenties, she thought about buying a train car and later lived on a boat.

While she wanted to live small, she focused on giving her daughter a normal life.

“For 15 years, I had an idea of exactly what I wanted in my tiny house. With what I have, I designed my house,” Lee said.

Lee designed her house with metal sheets and red wooden sections but had to replace the rotten wooden part after two years.

Recently, she built a deck and shade to combat the intense summer heat. Lee was fortunate to catch a mistake with the window during construction.

The builder had forgotten to move it out as planned, but Lee intervened, and they rebuilt the window, allowing her to have a shelf for her kitchen plants.

Despite living in Florida, Lee dislikes air conditioning, preferring to keep her windows open.

Fortunately, during the rainy season, she can still enjoy the fresh air year-round, which is essential to her.

Lee’s house features a versatile big window that can serve as a front door depending on her preference or home layout.

The kitchen is central to her home, where she spends a lot of time cooking vegan meals with garden-fresh ingredients.

She enjoys using practical kitchen tools, especially when her daughter visits, who shares her passion for cooking.

Although she initially desired a butcher block, Lee prioritized functionality over aesthetics.

She finds joy in her beloved window shelves and considers washing dishes therapeutic.

Her fridge, though not full-sized, meets her needs as she prefers fresh food.

Lee often receives surplus produce from neighbors, like Mexican spinach, which she happily includes in her meals.

Despite not using her microwave often, Lee keeps it in line with her minimalist approach, repurposing rather than discarding items.

Lee also has a cupboard where she keeps different things. She enjoys giving new life to items, such as making a lamp from teabags and huge shells found by the community lake, decorated with tree moss.

When planning her home, Lee preferred the stairs to be separate from the entrance for flexibility if she ever relocates.

Originally, the stairs were too large, so she made an extra step using pieces found in the trash for convenience.

Each item in her house holds memories, from her daughter and mother, surrounding her with warmth and positivity daily.

“I’m surrounded by love all day. I work from here, I live here, I love my house, and all I have is loving, positive energy, so I can’t go wrong,” she said.

Lee prioritizes sleep, ensuring her room is dark for optimal rest.

She and her daughter share a queen-size bed that doubles as a comfortable box chair, where Lee sometimes works or writes.

In her living room, Lee showcases a personal library, underscoring her profound love for books cultivated since childhood.

Despite its smaller size, Lee said, “I cannot live without books. I grew up with that; this is always the background of my parents’ and grandparents’ houses. I just needed this. It enriches me and makes me happy.”

The bookshelf, adorned with artwork and cherished volumes, embodies Lee’s fundamental design philosophy for her home.

Lee’s daughter supported her dream of designing their house, understanding it was Lee’s aspiration, not hers.

She initially planned two bedrooms, anticipating her daughter’s college visits, but when the pandemic hit, her daughter moved in permanently, embracing the home.

Lee respects her daughter’s privacy in her upstairs room, refraining from entering despite her daughter living abroad.

Meanwhile, Lee’s bathroom, though small by New York City standards, suits her needs perfectly, featuring a spacious shower and a Japanese soaking tub used during half-marathon training, cleverly stored under the sofa when not in use.

Mirrors adorn Lee’s space, enhancing the light. Despite having a laundry area, Lee prefers using a laundromat, repurposing the unused space as a shelf for three and a half years, in line with the community’s preference.

Lee’s advice for those interested in tiny living boils down to designing a home that truly represents them.

Whether working with a builder or not, it’s crucial to ensure that the space aligns with one’s needs and preferences.

Lee stresses the common pitfall of ending up in spaces that don’t fit, leaving cherished items without a place.

While she feels fortunate to have built her dream home, she acknowledges that not everyone has that opportunity.

However, she emphasizes the importance of active involvement in the creation process, believing it to be essential advice for anyone considering tiny living.

Look inside Lee’s dream tiny home with a personal library through the video below:

Subscribe to Tiny House Giant Journey‘s YouTube channel for more amazing tiny home stories.