This is the Tuttle Shuttle (@tuttle.shuttle on Instagram)—my custom designed tiny house on wheels built by Minimaliste Tiny Houses in Quebec, Canada. My build began in Oct. 2018 and was completed in Jan. 2019, but this process started as just a “what if” long before that. I spent countless hours researching designs, watching YouTube videos, and making floor plans. Slowly but surely, I was making a plan to turn that “what if” into a real living thing. There were many factors that ultimately led to making this step, but more than anything, it was the dream of designing my own home and creating an inspirational, inviting space to call my own. Building a foundation home with the same attention to detail and design quality would not be possible for me at this stage in my life. Going tiny was my opportunity to dream big and think very intentionally and creatively about my space. It’s about having a functional, happy home more so than having a big home.

My main priority when creating the design was to create separate and distinct living zones. I thought a lot about how I live day to day, where I spend my time, and how I want my home to feel. For me, this meant having a dedicated work space, a large amount of easily accessible storage, an open kitchen, and an elevated living room with a large sofa and room for my drum set! Yes, I have a drum set (and two guitars) in my tiny house! Underneath the living room, there are a couple of seven-foot long drawers that store a ridiculous amount of stuff. As a full-time freelance photographer, this is where I store all my photo gear and outdoor equipment. It’s been super functional to have that amount of storage so easily available.

My Style: Clean lines, modern, bright, neutral finishes with pops of color through my decor.

Inspiration: Scandinavian design

Favorite Element: My loft. I went back and forth for a while on whether or not a loft would be too claustrophobic for me. Ultimately, I chose a loft to save on space, but designed it with a landing platform beside it so that I could fully stand up beside my bed and in front of my dresser. This has made a world of difference and I haven’t once wished I had a ground floor bedroom. Waking up in the loft has become my favorite thing.

Biggest Challenge: The biggest challenge when designing was trying to design for the future in mind, but still create a space that serves me well right now. This is particularly tough with a tiny home, but my main solution was to minimize the amount of built-in storage. That way, things can be moved around and adjusted as my life changes.

Proudest DIY: I built a foldable step so my dog would have an easier time getting in and out of the loft from the platform. It’s very simple, but I was quite proud of it!

Biggest Indulgence: Musical instruments. I have two guitars and an electric drum set in my tiny house. I really enjoy playing music, so this was a necessity!

Best Advice: My best advice for others thinking of designing their own tiny home would be to get a solid understanding of your daily flow of living. Really think about the spots you actually inhabit in your current living situation—most likely it is a small fraction of your actual square footage. Use this knowledge to then construct your floor plan, piece by piece. In conjunction with this, think hard about your most used items and make sure they are easily accessible. It’s easy to think during the design process where you may store things but not quite as easy to know how you’ll interact with said storage. Multi-functional spaces, or having to move items to get to other items that you use everyday may seem like no big deal, but these small annoyances of not having your items right where you need them can add up and will contribute to your overall living experience. Make sure your most used items have a home and make them accessible.

What’s your best home secret? Not really a secret, but I always use glass containers for my cleaning products and to store certain foods. This way I can buy in bulk, reduce my plastic waste, and save a bit of money. Putting snacks in glass containers also saves a considerable amount of pantry space and makes it easy to see everything you have at a quick glance.

• August Video Doorbell and lock

• Lewis Sofa  — Joybird
• Kanto Yu4 Record Player speakers
• Sonos Beam
• Rug from Eclectic Goods (exact rug no longer available)
• Record Stand

• Ikea NORDEN gate leg table

• Cooktop
• Dishwasher
• Steam/Convection oven
• The Citizenry Dhurrie Rug
• Otter print by Lexi May Designs

• Sleep on Latex Mattress
• Custom headboard by Dark Marquee Designs
• Sheets from Parachute

• Haier Combo Washer/Dryer
• Bath Mat