- Sung Yoo began dividing her time between a one-bed in NYC and a tiny home in Santa Monica in 2020.
- Fiber cement panels mean no heat or air conditioning is needed in her tiny home.
Sung Yoo began splitting her time between a one-bedroom apartment in New York City and her tiny home in Santa Monica, California, in 2020, she told Insider.
"Living bi-coastal had its appeal, but soon, realigning with my personal values became my priority," Yoo, a children's product company owner from Korea, told Insider.
Yoo moved to the US at 3 years old and grew up in Maryland, before moving to New York City for college where she stayed there for the next 18 years, she said.
After spending two years traveling back and forth from the East to the West Coast, she told Insider that she realized she didn't need as many belongings and also wanted to downsize.
"I sold or donated most of my belongings, put five boxes of cold-weather items in a storage unit, and left New York City," Yoo said.
"Now, the 143-square-foot tiny home in Santa Monica is my primary home," she told Insider.
Yoo added that the small but mighty home was built by Minarc Design Studio, which, according to its website, focuses on "creative minimalism."
Though small, no corner has been cut, and the space is completely comfortably livable, she said.
The main living area is entered through a sliding glass door. "You also see the kitchenette — a sink and counter space and wall-mounted cabinets for storage. Since the house doesn't have a full kitchen, I put a double-propane burner outdoors," Yoo said.
Off to the left side is a cozy bedroom cove with a full-size mattress and under-bed storage. Yoo added that around the corner in the bathroom sits one of her favorite features of the house; the sink, which is made of recycled rubber.
Not only is the overall space small, Yoo told Insider it was designed to be energy efficient.
"The exterior and bathroom of the tiny house are built of fiber cement panels that are weatherproof, non-combustible, and water resistant. This also keeps the house temperature controlled with no heat or air conditioning needed," Yoo added.
Yoo's initial decision to move across the country was purely for a lifestyle change. Living in a tiny house, and in California, seemed to be the best way to satisfy this, she told Insider.
"As a designer, I solve problems, and I noticed the challenge of parents owning too many products for their children; my essentialist lifestyle also sparked the launch of my brand, Big Little Universe," Yoo told Insider.
While she doesn't miss living in a larger space, Yoo said she does sometimes miss being able to host large groups of people for dinner.
And though living in a tiny house might not be practical for everyone, Yoo shared a key takeaway from her experience — considering their values will likely help people realize their life is already filled with the things they need.