How a tiny house couple used $35,000 to hack their 290-square-foot living space, rejecting minimalism and maximizing practicality

Hillary HoffowerSep 4, 2020, 01:53 IST

Tony and Charlie Perez live in a tiny house in California.CharpLenz Photography

Tony and Charlie Perez live in a 290-square-foot tiny house outside of Sacramento, California.
They've spent $35,000 building and designing the tiny house, which creatively maximizes space and takes on influences from their many travels.
But they say they're not minimalists. Instead, they told Business Insider, they designed their home around practicality.

Tony and Charlie Perez love the freedom and simplicity that comes with living tiny.

The couple has traveled to nearly 60 countries and lived in five, often doing volunteer work along the way. When they decided to move from Africa to California, they chose to make their new homebase a 290-square-foot tiny house.

They built the tiny house in 2019 on a budget of $30,000, they told Business Insider. Later adding a deck and awning brought that total up to $35,000.

Tiny house living is known for its minimalist lifestyle, but the Perezes wouldn't describe themselves that way. "We are practicalist... if that's a word," they said.

Instead, they thoughtfully designed their tiny house according to what they realistically needed in a home. This deliberate approach helped them create a place that maximized space. It also took on influences from their travels. Learning from other cultures, they said, has been one of their "greatest joys."

Here's how they designed their home with practicality, not minimalism, in mind.

Charlie and Tony Perez live in a 290-square-foot tiny house in northern California just outside of Sacramento.

CharpLenz Photography

They began designing their house while living in a tiny studio apartment during a volunteer assignment in Africa, where they lived for four years.

CharpLenz Photography

They said they watched every tiny house build on YouTube, listening to what people loved and hated about their home. By the time they left for America, they had their design planned.

CharpLenz Photography

They said they watched every tiny house build on YouTube, listening to what people loved and hated about their home. By the time they left for America, they had their design planned.

"We spent a long time walking through everything as we were designing to make sure it was the most efficient and natural place for something to be," they said. "We thought about every square inch."

CharpLenz Photography

"We spent a long time walking through everything as we were designing to make sure it was the most efficient and natural place for something to be," they said. "We thought about every square inch."

They focused on keeping things simple and practical, they said. They knew they wanted a large bathroom with a closet, washer and dryer, and a place to change clothes.

CharpLenz Photography

So, they created a pull out wall separating the washer and dryer from the toilet area. It houses a full-size changing mirror on the back side, while keeping the space tight.

CharpLenz Photography

So, they created a pull out wall separating the washer and dryer from the toilet area. It houses a full-size changing mirror on the back side, while keeping the space tight.

Across from that is the full-size closet with room for drawers and a hanging wardrobe.

CharpLenz Photography

They also wanted an entertaining area because they love having people over. To accommodate that, they designed a kitchen that extended to the deck so they can do just that.

CharpLenz Photography

They also wanted an entertaining area because they love having people over. To accommodate that, they designed a kitchen that extended to the deck so they can do just that.

And because they only needed one loft, they said, their tiny house feels "roomy."

CharpLenz Photography

It leaves a lot of room for storage, they said, especially under the stairs. There's also a pull-out step that houses their vacuum. "Everything we need has a spot," they added.

CharpLenz Photography

It leaves a lot of room for storage, they said, especially under the stairs. There's also a pull-out step that houses their vacuum. "Everything we need has a spot," they added.

In the kitchen, they maximized space by creating a fold-down chalkboard table.

CharpLenz Photography

They also have three taps: one for carbonated water, one for beer, and one for mixed drinks. It's one of their favorite parts of the tiny house.

CharpLenz Photography

But aesthetic is just as important as organization. Charlie and Tony built their place around a desk they brought back from Africa made by close friends.

CharpLenz Photography

The place is peppered with knick knacks from different parts of the world they've traveled to, from Egypt and Jordan to parts of Europe and southeast Asia.

CharpLenz Photography

"We love things that have a story, and your home should have a story too," they said.

CharpLenz Photography

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How a tiny house couple used $35,000 to hack their 290-square-foot living space, rejecting minimalism and maximizing practicality

Charlie and Tony Perez live in a 290-square-foot tiny house in northern California just outside of Sacramento.

They began designing their house while living in a tiny studio apartment during a volunteer assignment in Africa, where they lived for four years.

They said they watched every tiny house build on YouTube, listening to what people loved and hated about their home. By the time they left for America, they had their design planned.

"We spent a long time walking through everything as we were designing to make sure it was the most efficient and natural place for something to be," they said. "We thought about every square inch."

They focused on keeping things simple and practical, they said. They knew they wanted a large bathroom with a closet, washer and dryer, and a place to change clothes.

So, they created a pull out wall separating the washer and dryer from the toilet area. It houses a full-size changing mirror on the back side, while keeping the space tight.

Across from that is the full-size closet with room for drawers and a hanging wardrobe.

They also wanted an entertaining area because they love having people over. To accommodate that, they designed a kitchen that extended to the deck so they can do just that.

And because they only needed one loft, they said, their tiny house feels "roomy."

It leaves a lot of room for storage, they said, especially under the stairs. There's also a pull-out step that houses their vacuum. "Everything we need has a spot," they added.

In the kitchen, they maximized space by creating a fold-down chalkboard table.

They also have three taps: one for carbonated water, one for beer, and one for mixed drinks. It's one of their favorite parts of the tiny house.

But aesthetic is just as important as organization. Charlie and Tony built their place around a desk they brought back from Africa made by close friends.

The place is peppered with knick knacks from different parts of the world they've traveled to, from Egypt and Jordan to parts of Europe and southeast Asia.

"We love things that have a story, and your home should have a story too," they said.