Erica Allen and Jake knew that they wanted to live in a tiny home with wheels. They had a space to create one and after watching YouTube videos and once their Etsy shop had taken off, they purchased a 32-foot trailer and began building a home with their two pets. WITH NO EXPERIENCE.
This is how we do it… Photo: Erica Allen
Jake taught himself how to use a 3D-modeling program and was able to fully lay out how they would use every inch of the trailer to fit their routines. They mapped out the locations of all their belongings, which helped to keep everything organized in a specific place, and made their ceilings as high as possible. The new home is 8 1/2 feet wide so they wanted to maximize their ceiling height to make it more spacious inside. Since their home is on wheels, they were able to abide by the legal road requirements, so when they have to move it, which isn't very often, they can fit under bridges, stop lights, or other barriers. Their friends and family initially all remark how large it seems, and for this, they have their tall ceilings to thank!
Because of those high ceilings, they were able to add lofts to create two extra homes on either end of the home - taking further advantage of the vertical space. The front end is an office that holds their books, computers, and business inventory, all accessible by a built-in ladder on the wall. And on the back end are built-in stairs doubling as added storage, leading up to the bedroom area and an ever-growing plant collection.
Two different lofts in the tiny home. Photo: Erica Allen
The leveled areas make the home feel larger and also give their animals their own space. Their cat loves to roam around and the puppy spends time on the main floor.
The multifunctional couch is the couple’s favorite piece of furniture, it’s an L-shaped couch that also functions as extra storage! When they want to relax or enjoy watching the starry light ceiling, the couch seamlessly extends into a bed. The couch also leaves just enough room for their dog's crate.
What’s not to love about a multifunctional couch that also serves as a bed for guests? Photo: Erica Allen
Having enough natural light in the home was one of their worries, so they included large windows on the main floor in both lofts. The windows on each side of the house are 6 feet long, bringing in a ton of natural light from the outside world. The door also acts as a tall window with added blinds.
The animals also enjoy the flow of natural light, where they both bask in during the day. The look of the walls makes an impactful improvement to the space. Instead of painting their walls, they screwed in each board of plywood, which brings a warm ambiance. They positioned the wood grain to travel upward to draw eyes towards the ceiling, making the space feel larger. Taking advantage of these built-in decor choices, they used the same concept for their barn door.
Who wouldn’t want to gaze at warm plywood day and night… Photo: Erica Allen
