Jake & Kiva started building their 20-foot long tiny house in 2014 and they’ve been living in it full-time with their cat and dog for 4 years now!
They came up with some brilliant solutions and designs to maximize the small space and make it as functional as possible, and the build cost $36K CAD.
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Jake & Kiva’s 20-ft. Self-Built Tiny Home
Image © Exploring Alternatives
When you first walk into the Tiny Nest, there’s a 2-level coat closet and a functional storage area for things you need when coming in and out of the house (keys, dog towels, water bottles, etc.).
Tucked behind the fridge and freezer is a set of cat stairs with pieces of bath mat on each step to clean her paws each time she comes into the house.
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The kitchen has loads of counter space, an induction cooktop and a toaster oven for cooking, stacked bar fridges (one of which is actually a freezer!), food storage below the counter, and open shelving for dishes above.
Image © Exploring Alternatives
There’s even a central vac system under the sink that allows them to easily vacuum the entire house!
Image © Exploring Alternatives
The bathroom creates a hallway effect with the shower on the left, and a self-built composting toilet and sink on the right.
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The shower was the last piece of the house to be completed and they realized they hadn’t planned for a space to dry towels. With a bit of SketchUp know-how, Jake designed a swinging towel rack that keeps the towels dry while you shower, and keeps them out of the way when the shower isn’t being used.
Image © Exploring Alternatives
The living room has a large l-shaped sectional sofa for lounging with loads of storage space underneath. Kiva has a growing pillow collection to make it a comfy space for gaming and watching movies.
Image © Exploring Alternatives
The big-screen TV is also a transforming home office with a sit-stand desk and the option of sitting on a stool or standing on an anti-fatigue mat. There are also some cleverly hidden charging stations tucked between the ceiling joists for powering electronics.
Image © Exploring Alternatives
The sliding ladder is tucked away beside the fridge but it can be pulled out and extended to access the king-sized loft that has a massive bed, a closet, shelving, and a cat house (for cat food and rest, there’s no litter box in the tiny house because it’s an outdoor cat!).
Image © Exploring Alternatives
Living in a self-built house has allowed Jake and Kiva to quit their jobs and start their own tiny house business, as well as working odd jobs on their own terms, like contract electrical work and horse care.
Take a peek at the video below for a full tour of the Tiny Nest, and be sure to follow the Tiny Nest on Instagram and on YouTube!
VIDEO: Couple’s 20ft Tiny House has LOADS of Clever Features and Epic Home Office Set-up
Additional Resources
- Tiny House Tour on YouTube
- Tiny House Build Series on YouTube
- Tiny Nest Website
- Tiny Nest on Instagram
- SketchUp Tutorial
Our big thanks to Mat and Danielle of Exploring Alternatives/YouTube for sharing!🙏
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I absolutely love how the kitchen was designed, specifically the sink location. Bathroom is quite small. The computer monitor…oh my goodness, now that’s a monitor!
Me too! Especially the wood and the stainless steel. So cooooool… ooh la la
Really nice! Seems to have a lot of living space, and the kitchen is very nice; I like the bathroom, too. Great job!
Look great. Please be honest with us. Do you really like the corner sink in the kitchen? I had one in a house and it was miserable to work around.