Have you heard of the minimalist movement? It is an artistic and cultural trend that began in the mid-20th century. The main characteristic is to reduce the superfluous and focus on the essential, aesthetically speaking. It makes use of limited color palettes, simple geometric shapes, and no ornamentation. It also has applications in visual arts, architecture, design, and even music. This movement was one of the things that inspired the young Sophie Hilaire, who has become famous for broadcasting on her Instagram profile the renovation of her Home Depot into what is now her home.
Tired of her van life, this young woman from the United States opted for sustainable construction of a tiny house, learning construction from scratch and being able to do the work as she acquired the knowledge. On her social media, she claims that it has been a process that has provided her with a very satisfying sense of empowerment. The house includes an office space, living room, kitchen, a bathroom, and on the second floor, two bedrooms with built-in wardrobes. Not bad for being a shed, right?
Minimalist movement
It started as a trend in art and culture in the middle of the 20th century. In terms of aesthetics, the primary trait is to eliminate the unnecessary and concentrate on the essential. It uses basic geometric shapes, sparse color schemes, and no embellishment. Plus, it is often used in photography, design, architecture, and even music. In summary, it is a decorating style that brings greater clarity, light, a sense of more space, comfort, and serenity. Having only the essentials and making good use of visible and storage spaces to keep the smallest number of things possible in view.
From shed to sweet home
Sophie Hilaire (@sophiehilarie on Instagram) starred in a viral video that has received nearly a million likes on the same social network. The video shows how she converted a 640-square-foot shed that belonged to Home Depot into her home. “This project took me about 18 months to complete, with a lot of helping hands and many competing priorities in parallel,” she said. After three years immersed in a van life lifestyle, she decided to change her life and bet on this project, “I dove headfirst into this after living in my truck for 3 years. I wanted to empower myself through learning about construction and finally put down roots after being a lifelong, transient nomad”.
What is the layout of the house?
With just 640 square feet, Sophie has achieved a true work of art. Upon entering, the entire design is visible as if it were a bright room. To the right of the main door is an office space, while to the left is the fully furnished dining room. The living room is located right in the middle, with a coffee table. Attached to the living room is the kitchen, with enough space and well equipped. Next to it is the bathroom, equipped with a washer, dryer, and a pre-composting toilet.
Up the stairs are the bedrooms. Yes, two tall bedrooms with built-in wardrobes. As the young woman declares on her social media, “I have never had a house before, I have never built something so big with my own hands, and I have never experienced such tranquility in my life. This house is more than just a nice nest. It is my sanctuary, my safe haven, and my farm”.
This type of content existing on social networks can serve as inspiration for other people considering starting a project like this. It is advisable to have the necessary knowledge and help, and with a little patience and a small investment, you will be able to build your home, sweet home.