Romantic Tiny Forest Home Built in 6 Weeks for $4,000

Moments of eye-opening insight can come into our lives unexpectedly like a clap of thunder, and when they do, we are usually not the same person, enabling us to go forth on new paths. Carpenter Dave Herrle of Westbrook, Connecticut is one of these people; suddenly emboldened by a walk down an unfamiliar path in the woods:

For the longest time I had a hard time not being "normal." I graduated from a small liberal arts college, got a desk job, and hated every minute of it. In 2007 my life changed dramatically after hiking the entirity of the Appalachian Trail. It was a gut check in life and I'm lucky it happened when I was 27 and not 67. My time in the woods gave me a perspective on the benefits of simplicity. It was in the woods that I promised myself that I wouldn't spend a lifetime doing a job I didn't enjoy.

Bravely plunging into the unknown, Herrle decided to build the house of his dreams, hoping to lead a more Waldenesque self-sufficient life of simplicity. Best of all, his beloved fiancée also was of the same mind, so Herrle set about building their future home, keeping the footprint small but functional, and using salvaged materials whenever he could.

Amazingly, Herrle was able to construct this tiny cabin of 11 by 14 feet in the woods for only $4,000 and in only six short weeks. The rustic interior is lovely (we love the colourful Mexican ceramic sink), and the house itself is sited on a hillside porch that wraps around some trees and juts out 12 feet high off the ground on one side.

Another great example of how following your dreams may come with unexpected blessings; Herrle is now well on his way to building more tiny houses for other clients and other projects that he's passionate about.