Nineteen years ago, Brett and Kristy Dolenc bought a small farm for $18,000 and built it into their dream home.
Their “farm-ette” is now a modern-day beauty with a pond and a nice garden. The family also tends to goats, chickens, and rabbits.
The Dolenc family is growing, however, and a few years ago they realized that they needed more space for their three teenagers.
But instead of expanding the home they called Kicsi Casa, the family decided to buy a tiny house and use it to extend their home on the small farm.
Tiny houses are increasingly popular in the United States because they are less expensive to buy and maintain.
They are preferred by environmentally conscious homeowners because they have a smaller environmental footprint. In many states, tiny houses are also being built to help the homeless.
Many tiny houses are also built by the homeowners, following popular shows such as “Tiny House Hunters” or “Tiny House Nation.”
People interested in tiny homes can also buy tiny-house-building kits or get information and other tips about styles and house plans from the internet.
In the case of the Dolenc family, they decided that an additional tiny house would be the most suitable expansion on their small farm.
They then collaborated with Simblissity Tiny Homes for the design of their tiny home. The total cost of the tiny house amounted to $67,000.
Brett and Kristy thought of building the tiny home so that their children could have their privacy but remain close to the family on their small farm.
In the future though, the tiny home can be converted into other uses, such as a guest bedroom, an office, or even a mobile home for the children.
In the meantime, since the tiny house was meant to accommodate their three teenagers, the Dolenc couple asked their daughters, Lucie and Marin, to make the final decisions on the design, and customize their tiny home according to their personalities.
The whole project took six months to complete, and now the tiny home is a welcome addition to their small farm. It connects to the main house for easy access and has more than exceeded the family’s expectations.
Brett and Kristy are also proud of their daughters, who designed their respective rooms to highlight their personal traits and needs.
Nestled comfortably on their small farm, the tiny house has a composting toilet and a good sized-shower, vanity, and sink. Like most tiny homes, storage space was the major challenge. Available space under the stairs was thus utilized for closets.
Lucie chose to have a loft bed. Though it doesn’t give her plenty of room to sit up, she decided on this design because it felt cozy. She also enjoys the design of her storage space, which can be used as a desk when she needs to study.
On the other hand, her younger sister Marin chose a ground-level room. This allows her to enjoy views of the goats and the expanse of the family’s small farm.
There is a hangout loft above her bedroom, which the kids have as a spot to read books and relax.
There are also two sofa cushions that can transform into beds. When friends come and visit, they can use the sofa cushions for sleepovers.
Because of the tiny home’s comforting features, Brett laughingly shared that the children have threatened that they would never leave their small farm.
It’s easy to understand though why the children think of the small farm as their forever home. Kristy said, “Raising kids out here, you know they have chores and animals. So, we just made the decision as a family. This is our lifestyle. We share responsibilities, we help each other, we do things together.”
Amid the pandemic, the Dolenc family opened their small farm to their neighbors. Friends and neighbors could stay on the farm-ette, mingle with the farm animals, and enjoy what they called “COVID relief goat therapy.”
The small farm, with its beautiful and lush trees and pond, and relaxing ambiance, was a an amazing escape from stress and anxiety.
Now with a wonderful new addition to the small farm, the homestead is going to be an even more fun and restful destination for the family and friends of the Dolencs.
See their beautiful home in the video below:
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