Manon, a young woman from France, lives in one of the self-built tiny homes on land owned by a tiny house manufacturer, together with her two cats and, on sometimes, her boyfriend. “Since I was 18, I moved around a lot, initially for school and subsequently because I enjoyed it. “I’ve never spent more than a year in the same place in the last 15 years,” Manon stated.
She initially chose a nomadic existence, living in a van for two years before deciding to build a tiny house for more comfort, especially in the winter. Manon had 10 years of experience as a cabinet maker, so creating a wooden frame house on wheels came naturally to her. The difficult part was finding a shed to rent, but fortunately, she discovered land owned by a company that specializes in tiny houses.
They even hold workshops for self-builders. Manon built her modest house in one of these sheds, which took nine months. Learning plumbing, electricity, and roofing was difficult, but having some expertise and nearby aid made things easier. Manon did not want her house to look like a basic box from the outside. She varied up the cladding by placing it in different directions and heights, making the house appear larger.
Her self-built tiny house measures 6 meters long, 2.5 meters wide, and 4.3 meters tall. Even though she can connect to the grid, she primarily uses solar panels for power. Inside the house, Manon spent over six months planning, drafting, and reworking her construction plans. She wanted the interior to be light and airy, with plenty of windows to view outdoors, a huge living room for her friends, and a spacious library for her books.
She opted against collapsible furniture since she wanted everything to be ready to go. The majority of the items she utilized were secondhand, including windows and furniture such as her desk and coffee table. This is consistent with her principles of repurposing and making old stuff valuable again. Manon enjoys her living room the best. She reads, practices yoga, and spends time with her pals playing board games.
She picked a large window over a door to enjoy the best view from her couch. Tour inside Manon’s house in a park with other self-built tiny dwellings in the video below.