One couple spent one year building this 133-square-foot home

To get a rustic look for the home, Christopher and Merete shopped at salvage yards and second-hand shops, and when it was necessary, shelled-out on new materials from hardware stores like Loews and Home Depot. One of the priciest expenses was the soy-based spray foam insulation, which also works as a fire retardant and minimizes moisture.

The interior and exterior walls are made from beetle-kill pine and the flooring is made of recycled timber. In total, seven windows offer a wide view of the surrounding land. The living area features a mini library wall, a couch, and a tiny propane-fueler stove, which provides heat. The rest of the house is powered by solar panels.

The kitchen features a beautiful wood-block countertop from Ikea, a two-burner stove, and built-in shelves to store spices, tea and other small pantry items. Since there’s no well on the land, they had to truck in jugs of water. The bathroom is located behind that patterned curtain, which we admit, doesn’t offer much privacy!

Here’s the composting toilet. On the other side of the bathroom is skinny shower stall.

On the other side of the house is a small desk, which Merete made using leftover wood from the flooring. The stools under the desk actually open up and become storage containers.

The upstairs bedroom is so tight, there’s only room for a mattress. A tiny shelf atop of the window pane holds essential bedside table items. Since finishing the house in 2012, Merete and Christopher are no longer a couple. Merete now lives in New York City and Christopher is in Los Angeles, where they’re both pursuing careers in film. As for the house, it’s now located in Boulder, where Merete and Christopher can both visit it when they’re back in Colorado.