Photos of Architect's Incredible Tiny Home Immediately Get Attention Online
The Tiny Home movement has gained quite a bit of traction in the last few years. You may have seen HGTV’s show “Tiny House Hunters,” or perhaps you know someone who owns a tiny home of their own.
This trend has given much attention to the minimalist living movement and helped to showcase the ways in which different people around the world are able to combine efficiency with comfortable living.
Vina Lustado lives in Ojai, California, in a tiny home that is garnering much attention for its beautiful intersection of design and efficiency.
Some people told her she should share photos of her tiny home online, and it wasn’t long before she was contacted by interested viewers who wanted to see more of her set up. One video distributed by Houzz has garnered more than 6 million views.
Originally from the Philippines, Lustado grew up with 8 siblings in a very modest environment. In that setting, she learned to live minimally, and now she continues that lifestyle in the United States.
According to her Yale University Profile, Vina decided to “focus her career on smaller-scale projects that could make a positive difference” after completing her degree at the University of Southern California and spending 20 years in “high-end corporate architecture.”
Furthermore, her tiny home reflects her philosophy about simplicity, sustainability and living within her means.
Welcome to Vina’s tiny house! A 140 square feet of minimal, Scandinavian and Japanese inspired design. #tinyhouse … pic.twitter.com/tkUYIUCwdu
— Sol Haus Design (@solhausdesign) June 6, 2016
In a HouzzTV video featuring her home, Lustado said, “The tiny home allows you to have that flexibility, but still be grounded… that’s an amazing thing.”
The dream home Lustado built has just one bedroom and one bathroom but is designed to maximize its 140 square feet. According to The Tiny Life, tiny homes generally are 100 to 400 square feet, in comparison to 2,600 square feet for the average traditional home.
Lustado’s home faces south for the best continuous lighting throughout the day without heat gain, but it also has wheels, just in case she decides to relocate somewhere besides Ojai.
Vina’s office is a simple, uncluttered and uncomplicated work space. The biggest distraction has to be the great ou… pic.twitter.com/PjZAeLaQIP
— Sol Haus Design (@solhausdesign) June 6, 2016
One of the appealing details of the home is its incorporation of the outdoors. The deck doubles the square footage of the home and also provides a relaxing outdoor living space. In addition, the many windows in the home give it an open feeling, allowing the natural light to illuminate the indoor area.
Lustado said, “Just because I’m tiny doesn’t mean I don’t go big!” Her tiny home certainly does deliver some big features, such as a fireplace and skylight.
Lustado loves her skylights, which open up above the loft where her bed is located. This allows for bird watching during the day and stargazing at night.
Here are some photos @caleb_thal shot for our piece on @solhausdesign’s house in issue #3: https://t.co/rMCTRbBPWM pic.twitter.com/bD5PjASPxt
— Lagom Magazine (@readlagom) November 11, 2015
The Scandinavian- and Japanese-inspired home is built to last, with rain guard under the cedar exterior and a construction that makes it resistant to rot and the elements.
In addition to providing a house that leaves a small carbon footprint, Lustado’s tiny home is also a huge money saver! Her home cost $40,000 to build, although The Tiny Life notes that some tiny homes may cost as little as $10,000.
The tiny home lifestyle also provides huge savings on energy costs and utility bills. This minimalism allows people like Lustado to experience a huge level of freedom in life.
“It opens up quality time for family,” Lustado said in her HouzzTV feature. “It’s not temporary. I’m never leaving.”
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