Unable to pay an architect or even a general contractor, Michelle involved herself in almost all aspects of the renovation. She stripped and painted an old bath and gave it new wooden legs, laid bamboo flooring, made or fixed up old lighting fixtures, hauled debris to the dump and repurposed industrial furnishings to fit into a comfortable and inspiring new domestic setting.
The original garage was raised four feet and a small amount of square footage was added to accommodate a nicely-sized, 82 square foot bathroom, and although it’s tiny, the home sleeps three. There is an upstairs loft bedroom (a tranquil space illuminated by soft natural light) and the living room day bed folds out as well. Michelle says that most people who visit are floored by how un-cramped they feel and become inspired to use their own space more efficiently too. In fact, this happened so frequently that Michelle has made it possible for anyone to purchase her plans, streamline the permitting process, and build their own little haven of recycled goodness.
+ Michelle de la Vega
Photo credit: Ira Lippke
