You might know Laura LaVoie as the recognizable name and primary blogger behind Life In 120 Square Feet.
She writes about the quaint, mountainside tiny house she and her partner Matt built.
Together since just after high school, the dynamic duo have a fascinating story.
They lived a very typical life in metro Atlanta in a large home but decided to transition to a much more simple existence in the mountains of western North Carolina.
Since 2009 when they began their tiny house journey, Laura has quit corporate America, created a thriving freelance writing occupation for herself, wrote two books, been featured at multiple tiny house workshops and conferences (most recently the Raleigh Home Show in early September), and co-hosted a very popular tiny house podcast called the r(E)vo Convo.
Laura LaVoie and Matthew Belitsos
In contrast to most tiny home builders who use a utility trailer for a foundation, Laura and Matt chose to build their house on a concrete pier foundation, partly for long-term integrity but also to blend their house into the natural grade of the land.
It Pays to Do Your Homework
Laura and Matt built the tiny house with their own four hands (and a few volunteer ones as well) after researching several types of alternative building techniques, including cordwood masonry and Earthships.
They decided on a small house because the tiny house movement matched their values and lifestyle perfectly.
Construction took three years as they lived and worked in Atlanta and had to travel back and forth to western Carolina to build.
Because their homesite is literally on a mountain and they chose not to run power or water, the build took longer than most. They had to haul their tools and materials (as well as potable water) by 4-wheeler for each work session.
Laura, Matt, and their Sphinx cat Piglet live and work in their tiny house full time as of publication.
Laura and Matthew’s tiny house
Andrew Odom: When did you build your tiny house and is there one reason in particular that you did so?
Laura LaVoie: We started building in 2009 and finished in 2012. There were really two primary reasons. The first was reducing our expenses so we could change the way we live and the second was fulfilling Matt’s lifelong dream of building his own house.
AO: What are the size specs of your tiny house (size of trailer if applicable, square feet, number of stories, number of occupants, etc)
LL: Our house is 8’ x 16’ on a concrete pier foundation – so just a little over 120 square feet! It does have a sleeping loft, which stays occupied by two adults and a cat.
Matthew doing some framing
AO: How do you feel about the tiny house movement and being such an instrumental part of it?
LL: I love the idea that people are changing their lives and, in turn, challenging others to think about the way they live. A tiny house is not right for everyone but it can provide needed inspiration for living more deliberately.
AO: How long do you expect to live in your tiny house?
LL: We have no idea. I honestly believe this is the strangest question tiny house people are ever asked.
It seems to imply that if we ever dare move out of our tiny homes that we have somehow failed.
People are always expecting us to give it up and go back to something more “normal.” We plan to stay in our tiny house for as long as it makes sense.
When we bought conventional homes no one ever asked us this question. Circumstances change for everyone and we are not immune, but that doesn’t mean we did something wrong.
AO: What is the one thing in your tiny house you couldn’t live without?
LL: Each other.
Framed out and ready to be brought to life
And a great after shot. Wow that wood pops.
photo by Giant Dream Photography
The green countertops work well with the natural wood
photo by Giant Dream Photography
Looking in from the front door
photo by Giant Dream Photography
AO: What one thing would you do differently or do you wish wasn’t part of your tiny house?
LL: I really wouldn’t change much.
There may be some minor design decisions that we would consider – like bump outs in the loft.
There are also some things we do have the power to change – like getting a new sofa one day. But we were very deliberate with the things we included in our tiny home and don’t feel like we were excessive with anything.
You can read the Life In 120 Square Feet blog online or LIKE them on Facebook.
