How many people dream about a life in beautiful Tahoe, California? Plenty. But how many can actually afford it? Not a whole lot—at least not going the traditional route of purchasing a full-size house. But with a tiny house, a lot becomes possible—even a life in Tahoe.
To be fair, Tim Eddy and Hannah Fuller already had a lot going for them. They owned 20 acres of land in the Tahoe area, so they already had something which a lot of people would never be able to get their hands on.
They could have built a traditional house on that land, but they decided to save money and reduce their ecological footprint by constructing a tiny house instead.
The house is surrounded by the trees and offers a view of the mountains. Despite the secluded ambiance of the site, it is only a 15-minute drive to get into town.
As you can see, the home is built on a hilltop and is raised up above the ground on stilts. This is what allows for a clear, unobstructed vista from the porch.
Metal and wood are combined in unique and creative ways to fashion the details of the steps, the porch, and the exterior siding.
On the side of the house, there is a cool one-of-a-kind bottle opener with a funnel.
Old cans were used to weatherproof untreated wood.
Inside, the house is just as rustic and charming as it is on the outside. The design is airy, and the house feels anything but cramped. Check out those huge windows, and once again, that gorgeous view!
Folding chairs painted red can be hung on a hook on the wall. Very smart!
There is a folding table as well.
A lot of the décor comes straight from the environment of Tahoe. Take these feathers for example, which Hannah discovered on a hike.
The kitchen honestly does feel a bit cluttered, at least to me—but there is no denying its cozy charm. It also looks perfectly functional, with everything you could ask for and then some.
Here’s some clever storage using mason jars:
Over the sink on the left is the bottle which contains the drinking water for the house. The bucket on the right is for showering.
Here’s the wood-burning stove which the couple uses to stay warm.
There is no closet; instead, clothing is simply hung on a rack along one wall. Thankfully the room is so spacious that this doesn’t make it look at all cluttered.
All the décor in the home fits in with the rustic theme. That hatchet was the property of Tim’s grandfather. So it is a real antique.
Here is what the living area looks like from the stairs to the loft:
There are some bookshelves and filing cabinets stuffed back behind the steps.
I love this detail shot of the bookshelf. Paint in different colors has been splattered all over the shelves, making for a cool artistic look.
The loft is where the couple sleeps. There is a ton of floor space, and the slant of the roof makes it possible to bring in a lot of light through the windows.
While Hannah grew up in a home which was also built by hand (by her parents), it is hard to believe that Tim had no building experience whatsoever when they started out on this project. They had no blueprints, and came up with this house plan entirely on their own.
Considering that, they did an incredible job turning their dream of off-the-grid Tahoe living into a fully functional and aesthetically gratifying reality. Want to learn more? Check out the full notes on the home at Apartment Therapy.
