No Rent. No Mortgage. No Loft. Her Scandinavian Tiny Home on Land

Her Links: Mollie's Instagram: Instagram: molliebradford The Little Chapel Instagram: Instagram: thelittlechapel Website: https://www.thelittlechapelnc.com/ Perch and Nest (Her Builder): https://bit.ly/4rFqesF Check out our other social media platforms! https://linktr.ee/tinyhometours Join our newsletter for all things living tiny! https://bit.ly/THT-Newsletter Take our quiz to find what tiny is right for you - https://bit.ly/tinyhomequiz Interested In Being Featured On The Channel? : https://bit.ly/THTTourApplication Check out our Podcast: https://bit.ly/tinyhometourspodcast THE DETAILS All-in cost: about $160,000 (home $150,000, plus deck $10,000) Square footage: 8.5 feet wide by 36 feet long, about 306 square feet, plus a 40 by 8 foot wraparound deck for over 600 square feet of combined living space Builder: Perch and Nest, fully custom design, built 2023 Location: Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on family owned land Lot rent: none, the cottage sits on family property Mollie spent years living in bigger cities, including New York City and Charlotte, and got used to paying big city prices for rent. She grew up on the property next door, and when she met her husband, they started looking for a more affordable way to begin their life together. Her family had already turned part of that property into a wedding venue, so when it was Mollie's turn to get married, hosting it there was a natural fit. A more peaceful, relaxed pace was what she and her husband wanted, and putting a tiny cottage on the property made that possible. The cottage sits alongside Mollie's family business, The Little Chapel at Haven Ridge, where she hosts weddings year round with her siblings. Groomsmen use the cottage to get ready on wedding days, typically once or twice a week, sharing the getting ready suite, restroom, and kitchen areas while the bedroom stays private. Mollie says it helps offset the cost of the cottage and keeps them debt free. Her husband is a photographer and has his own studio space near the home as well. Design wise, Mollie leaned into Scandinavian minimalism to match the European inspired feel of the venue. White pine covers the interior walls and ceiling, with cedar on the exterior, and transom windows plus a panoramic door bring the surrounding nature inside. She knew from the start she did not want a lofted bedroom, so the cottage is a single story, 36 feet long, the longest she felt she could do. Comfort was one thing she refused to sacrifice for space: the living room has a 7.5 foot couch long enough for her and her husband to fully stretch out. The kitchen runs in an L shape to keep the 8.5 foot wide space feeling open rather than cramped. A convection oven doubles as a microwave and a regular oven, a portable cooktop handles stovetop needs, and open shelving keeps dishware on display. There is a dedicated coffee and tea bar, a deep sink for hand washing since there is no dishwasher, and a vintage inspired fridge with a freezer below that holds everything two people need. The countertop doubles as a desk and a dinner spot with a view out toward the venue's meadow. In the bathroom, a cabinet above the washer and dryer combo handles laundry, and the shower has sliding doors, a detachable head, and green tile, Mollie's favorite color, for a spa feel. Storage in this bathroom beats what she had in previous apartments and even her last 900 square foot rental. The bedroom is intentionally smaller, so the living room and kitchen could take up more of the footprint. It holds a queen bed with storage underneath, a closet for seasonal clothes, and two TVs between the two rooms. Outside, the deck is actually longer than the cottage itself at 40 feet, with room for dinner, Adirondack chairs, and sunset views across the meadow. Mollie and her husband positioned the cottage to catch that view on purpose, and evenings out there, sometimes with a glass of wine, are her favorite part of the day. The wedding venue itself started as Mollie's father's dream of a family sanctuary, inspired by their Scottish and English heritage. Mollie was a bridal consultant at the time, over a decade ago, and working alongside her family to build it into what it is today has been one of the most rewarding parts of her life. HER ADVICE "When you're designing a tiny house, you do have to make some sacrifices, but comfort was one that we did not want to sacrifice on." VIDEOGRAPHY BY: Instagram: sagetraveling EDITED BY: Instagram: squyd_inkk TINY HOME TOURS LINKS: Business Inquiries - [email protected] Subscribe - tinyhometours Facebook - Facebook: Tinyhome.tours Instagram - Instagram: tinyhometours Newsletter : https://bit.ly/THT-Newsletter Podcast : https://bit.ly/tinyhometourspodcast Apply for a tour : https://bit.ly/THTTourApplication