How would you like to live in your own tiny cabin? Maybe you’re the kind of person who sometimes needs to get away from people. Maybe you think you would love to escape to your own private island? What if you could accomplish all of this for less than the cost of your average, traditional single-family home?  

Believe it or not, one American young couple has managed to do all of that. Rather than save their money to purchase a traditional home, they chose to do something else. They went minimalist, then bought an unimpressive piece of property in the state of Florida and focused on making the place their own personal paradise.

Let’s look in on the people who are living large in a tiny home island escape.

1.  A Different Idea

Face it, folks, property ownership is no longer an easy goal to reach, especially for those who have never owned a home. The process is both difficult and expensive. Rather than trying to run the traditional gauntlet of household expenses and decades of mortgage payments, Sam Coser and Tim Davidson had a different idea.

They decided to downsize the dream and avoid some of the usual pitfalls. Their story started with a distinctively dinky domicile and led to erecting a little home island just off the coast of western Florida.

2.  Where It Began

The couple first went looking for a home in Florida in 2017. Coser’s lease was up and Davidson wanted to invest in a home. They had not previously considered a tiny home. They considered them impractical. Still, as the reality of the math began to sink in, their minds changed. After all, there’s nothing wrong with a more humble lifestyle, is there?

3.  A Rather Surprising Discovery

They found what was to be their first home, previously christened “Tiffany”, on Craigslist. Much to Davidson’s credit, he was skeptical. He suspected there was a catch and thought it was a scam. As it turned out, the tiny home had been built by a man named Adam from a company called A New Beginning Tiny Homes. The young couple bought the wee 270-square-foot home on wheels for $72,000 US dollars.

4.  An Old School Influence

This tiny home was named after Louis Comfort Tiffany, the well-known stained-glass artist. Its dinky distinct design is roughly based on a once-popular Craftsman-style bungalow from the 1920s. The individualistic artist’s impact is clear here, from the little light fixtures, and wall sconces to the comparably intricate woodwork and quaint colored glass windows. The morning light creates an unusual effect as it comes through the stained glass windows here.

5.  Almost Mandatory Downsizing

Of course, the couple had only four boxes of personal belongings by the time they moved in here. There’s little room for sentiment here. Davidson digitized important pictures and purchased one digital picture frame.  

He claims he sees them more now than when they still had the hard copies. Before moving, the couple turned every clothes hanger hook in one direction. Once an item was worn and washed, the hangers were turned in the other direction. All the clothing on hangers that had not been turned were thrown in the trash and presumably left for lucky local dumpster divers.

6.  Purrfecting The Place

The tiny home did come fitted out, but the couple had to make some changes. For one, they had to make a litter box for their cat Oliver. They said their cat enjoys the decor and has found places where he can pussyfoot around and check out everything in the little place.

7.  The Comfy Kitchen Area

In this tiny home, you practically walk into the little kitchen area when you enter the place. The couple says though that considering the obvious limits, it was well-planned and designed. The couple’s kitchen contains a farmhouse-like sink, a small combination refrigerator and freezer, and a propane stove.

The area they call a workspace is lit by Tiffany pendant lights. A relatively large and energy-efficient window also lets light into this rather “petite property.” As far as amenities go, the couple managed to buy and install a little washer-dryer combination. While it does take up space, they do save time when it is time to do the laundry.

8.  An Itty Bitty Bijou Bathroom

At the back of this dinky dwelling, is the bathroom. They say that what it lacks in size, it makes up for in stylishness. It is lined with attractive tumbled marble tiles from Italy. The young owners are quite proud of the walk-in rainfall shower, and the corner vanity which makes the best use of what little space is available there

9.  Are There Any Amenities At All?

One of Coser’s fave features in their small bathroom is the noteworthy Japanese soaking tub. It is mostly made out of salvaged wood. Her significant other told the press it was actually once “an old telephone pole” that was first “cut into blocks” then glued together and coated with some polyurethane. When they are not taking baths, the unique bathtub must be stored above their toilet to give them some floor space in the bathroom. (Still, it beats the heck out of trying to bathe in a gas station restroom sink!)

10.  Scrounging Up Some Storage Space

These pocket-sized property owners learned quite quickly that when it comes to such a pint-sized property, every single available inch is indeed essential, even the otherwise redundant areas that traditional homeowners generally tend to take for granted. Perhaps one of the most interesting storage hacks here is the built-in drawers beneath the stair treads. That is where Davidson keeps his clothes. The small staircase also stores Oliver’s enclosed litter box, the hot water tank, and includes a special place for the pair’s toothbrushes and other assorted toiletries.

11.  A Little Loft Bedroom

The tiny home also has an upper area over the kitchen. This can be used as a guest space but it works better as a little storage loft. At the rear here is the master loft or the couple’s bedroom. Believe it or not, this admittedly snug area actually accommodates a queen-sized bed and a pair of pretty Tiffany-inspired sconces on either side of it. They added a custom headboard that is deep enough to do double-duty as cupboards to curb clutter.

12.  Being On Wheels

Soon Coser and Davidson had Tiffany pitched atop a 24-foot-long Tumbleweed trailer at an unspecified campground located near well-known Tampa Bay. For more than a year, this was what passed for “home sweet home.” Davidson looked at it optimistically.

He told people that having their itty bitty bungalow on wheels gave them a lot more flexibility. He still says that if their job situation changed they could have simply hauled it all off to another, more welcoming location like many people had to do during the Great Depression in the 1930s. (Indeed, it would work well for them in the near future when they would purchase a property.)

13.  But, What About A Really Permanent Place?

One day while online scrolling through Zillow, the traveled twosome stumbled upon what they considered an interesting investment prospect. It was a one-and-a-half-acre island located in Sarasota. There were no utilities there, and only one family had owned the island since 1918.

This isle was now nothing more than an ugly dumping ground where local contractors dropped their assorted unwanted surplus materials. Still, Coser and Davidson were road-weary and wanted a permanent place to call home. Davidson dropped by the owner’s place and negotiated with him. In 2018, Coser and Davidson bought the isle for $200,000 US Dollars.

14.  A ‘Lot’ Of Work To Do

Their island, now known as Shellmate Island, was situated in the center of a 12-acre lake. It was then home to nothing but a couple of dilapidated storage buildings. Nevertheless, it featured a few healthy fruit trees and was nestled amidst comparatively Idyllic surroundings. (Davidson later admitted the place required a real overhaul but their hard work resulted in what they consider to be something special.)

15.  Luck And The Learning Curve

Once the papers were signed, Tiffany still remained at the old campground while the youthful pair began the construction work on the newly-acquired isle that would become their second small residence. This time they wanted to start from scratch and build it on an actual foundation. Unfortunately, Davidson clashed with a reportedly “bad general contractor” and decided to do it himself. To do that, he had to learn everything from the basics of construction to regulations and planning codes. He credits the Sarasota County Planning Department for helping him keep his work up to code.

16.  Small But Strong

The two new settlers soon purchased an octagonal shell from Deltec Homes. Deltec is known for designing hurricane-enduring buildings. Coser and Davidson paid “between $30,000 and $40,000” for the shell.  

Then they “customized the layout.” They soon became the company’s “first tiny house dwellers” in that specific model. Most people buy them for use as sheds or studios. Coser and Davidson, however, were the first customers to literally “live in one.” They believe the place could actually be “the strongest tiny home ever built” due to its original design.

17.  Little Expense In Comparison

This tiny home on Shellmate Island is only 320 square feet. Still, it’s larger than their 270-square-foot Tiffany. It has a comparatively “airy interior” and is cheap too. Their monthly electric bill is only $30.00 monthly. (The US Energy Information Administration reports that the US average is $117.00.) The couple hopes to install a battery pack so they can run everything off electricity.

18.  Optimizing The Small Space 

Their current kitchen includes butcher’s block countertops, mint green cupboards, and white tiling. It’s a step up from Tiffany’s tiny culinary corner. A peninsula-like area can be folded down in order to make more space. Davidson says that they can better utilize the space in an octagon building and thus they have more cabinet and counter space than in a square structure. To complete the picture, they purchased a used Whirlpool refrigerator on Craigslist for $100.00.

19.  Shedding A Little Light On The Subject

Davidson, a wholesale lighting representative, really likes the adaptable overhead lights. He has many different color options and can even select different color temperatures. He can match the light to the natural lighting outside which he says aids in energy levels and sleep patterns.

20.  They Appreciate The Privacy

The couple notes that one of the big differences between living in tiny Tiffany and living in their tiny house on Shellmate Island is a sliding pocket door and a partition wall between their sleeping area and living room. Having that solid physical separation between the two offers them newfound privacy.  

21.  A Bright Bedroom 

Speaking of their boudoir, it includes a large picture window that offers views across the isle and provides them with a feeling of spaciousness. In Tiffany, they were required to fully make use of every inch of space. This new home does not mandate as many space-saving solutions. The couple’s complete wardrobe fit under their queen-sized storage bed.

22.  Buying Second-Hand 

They scored a free toilet, with wave-activated flush, free from Craigslist. Habitat for Humanity sold them a mirrored bathroom door for $15.00. For some unexplained reason, they had a leftover butcher’s block countertop from their kitchen which Davidson used to make a folding counter on top of their used washer-dryer as well.

23.  Do-It-Yourself Tiling  

Being willing to learn how to do some things yourself is a big help and perhaps even required when one does not wish or is unable to commit to purchasing a traditional home. Indeed, this tiny octagonal building presented them with a number of different challenges. The shower space, for example, was an unusual shape.  

A standard insert simply would not work. Davidson persevered and did all the tilework by himself. He looks back on it as a “good learning experience” and admits to its imperfections. He confessed: “I know where all the mistakes are!”

24.  Living Little In Covid Times 

Prior to the Covid-19 Pandemic, Coser, a health coach and personal trainer, worked from home. When the government restrictions began, Davidson also soon found himself working out of their little home. She worked in the bedroom with a foldable table, and he sat on their couch and worked on the coffee table. They generally felt lucky to be able to keep working from their dinky domicile although admit that fewer trips to the grocery store meant struggling with figuring out how to store their food for longer periods of time.

25.  A Bargain Makeover

As previously noted, when Coser and Davidson purchased the unimpressive property, the isle they christened Shellmate Island was home to nothing more than a couple of shoddy storage sheds and a decidedly dilapidated little boat port. Despite having their hands full fixing up their tiny home, the young hopeful couple also decided they should probably figure out a way to somehow give the rather rickety boat port a real facelift. Davidson eventually figured out just how to add some structural support to the port.  

He also added a door, sealed its roof, added a couple of wood beams, siding, and mosquito nets. He also gave it a fresh coat of paint. Today, it is really more of an outdoor living area where they can entertain friends and family. It was a real “bargain backyard makeover.”

26.  Entertaining Outdoors  

This recently renovated boat port is now said to be “the perfect hangout spot.” Inside visitors will find a couple of armchairs, a cooler, a couch, fairy lights, a pair of hammocks, and even giant Jenga. By now it should be obvious that it is difficult for the couple to actually host guests inside their small residence, but this additional outside area makes a big difference. Davidson confirms that this space is nice because now they have someplace where they “can entertain.”

27.  They Don’t Have To Stress Over A Long-Term Mortgage

A month or so after it was complete, the pair finally was able to move Tiffany to Shellmate Island as well although as this goes to press, the mortgage on Tiffany had not quite been paid off in full. It should be though before the new year begins. Davidson stated that their chosen lifestyle is the result of a desire for financial freedom, an unwillingness to stress over a decades-long mortgage, and a desire to concentrate on “the right things” in life. Coser and Davidson have opened a consulting business to assist other people hoping to live in a time home too.  

28.  They’re Living Tiny, Not Large

Living large in a tiny home offers one emotional and financial freedom. This couple can’t imagine selling their isle for an actual traditional home, not in the near future anyway. They are considering other options though. The twosome might add a third tiny home that they can lease to others for both the short and long term. They look at this tiny home island escape as “a cool experiment” that they have no intention of letting stagnate. Readers interested in learning more about this couple should seek them out on Facebook or Instagram.