Lola the Tiny House Is a $12,000 DIY Dream Come True

That’s not to say that the results will be equally disheartening. Lola, a gorgeous tiny set up in San Diego, U.S., and shortlisted for Best Small Space of 2020 with trade publication Dwell, is a good example in this sense. It’s both a cautionary tale against buying into the whole vanlife social media frenzy, and a good motivator for those determined to stick it out.

Lola is designed and built by self-taught (designer and constructor) Mariah Hoffman, and part of her series Built by Mariah of Micro Modula. It took her five full years – but just $12,000 – to build, and was a challenge at every stage. Mariah set out to turn a disused utility trailer into a livable home, and to do so on a budget, so the first and biggest challenge was doing it paycheck to paycheck.

The other, she would later tell Dwell, was adjusting her ideas to the ever-changing reality. The finished Lola differs from the design-stage Lola, starting from the fact that it doesn’t move. It could if Hoffman wanted it to, but she would rather she stayed in one place. Then there was the need to teach herself every skill needed for the project. “It was hard, it really was,” Hoffman admitted. “Every phase tested me.”

Lola was a work in progress between 2015 and 2019, but when it was completed, it was an elegant, very comfortable 156 square-foot (14.5 square-meter) home that could easily sleep two adults. It’s very compact, but it has everything you need: a large and comfy bed on a raised platform, a small working space, a tiny dining nook, a kitchen area, and a bathroom with shower and toilet.

Unlike most tinies placed on a two-axle trailer, Lola doesn’t have a loft for the bedroom area. Instead, Hoffman chose to have the bed on a raised platform at the rear, with some shelving up top for storage. Large boxes under the bed also serve for storage. The bathroom is another rarity: it’s located in a triangular extension to the trailer, clad in wood, and offering very rustic vibes.

The exterior siding to Lola is plywood, but Hoffman charred it herself to make the panels bug-, water- and fire-resistant. The technique is called shou sugi ban, which is a famous Japanese method to char the wood to improve resistance and get that gorgeous dark coloring. Hoffman offset it on the interior with warm tones for the birch panels and black accents from steel structural framing. The idea was to create a space that was inspired by nature but serves as refuge. A most elegant refuge, if you will. Hoffman describes Lola’s styling as desert modernism.

The middle of the trailer is occupied by a small office on one side, with a desk and two chairs, and the dining nook opposite it. To save space in an already compact footprint, Hoffman used fold-down tables both for the dinette and the office, and hidden storage. The kitchen is bare-bones, but enough for one or two non-fussy residents. There’s a sink, a small fridge, a single-burner gas cooker, and storage space, and that’s about it. Behind a curtain is the triangular bathroom with opening skylight, black floor and contrasting white walls, and a matching black shower. Photos don’t show the toilet, but we’re guessing it’s a composting one.

Lola has solar panels, and is positioned and built in such a way as to make the most of the sunlight. It’s not self-sufficient, but it gets plenty of electricity from solar and is always basked in natural light, which makes the cramped space feel less so.

In the tiny house community, Lola is a good example for the challenges of downsizing and DIY projects of this kind, but at the same time, an inspiration for those determined to see them through. Hoffman has been making the most of her inspirational story, branching out with future projects. Here is a short documentary into the making of Lola, including how Hoffman got a personal loan for the trailer and then spent the next five years freaking out before finally getting the home she never had growing up.