The Most Creative Tiny House Ever Built
Last Updated: Apr 13, 2025On a national level, Americans now collectively carry $13.29 trillion dollars in debt. That figure most likely results in a lot of sleepless nights and premature graying. In terms of homeownership, the average American household owes well over $180,000 in mortgage debt, while the average household yearly income sits at just under $60,000. While home ownership is widely seen as a solid investment, one analysis finds that foreclosure filings were reported on one out of every 215 homes last year.
Opting for homes with a smaller square footage can not only reduce a home's environmental impact and carbon footprint; it can also radically diminish (or even eliminate) the burden of mortgage debt. A recent survey by the National Association of Home Builders finds that more than half of all Americans would consider living in a home less than 600 square feet. Among Millennials, the percentage increases to 63 percent.
It’s no surprise that tiny home communities are popping up in nearly every state in the U.S., helping people interested in tiny home living deal with its sometimes complex zoning and building code regulations. In economic terms, tiny house homeowners experience about 55 percent more savings in the bank than the average homeowner. While more than two out of every three tiny house homeowners have absolutely no mortgage debt, the increase in popularity of tiny homes has led to a rising number of financing options and alternatives.
With tiny homes continuing their ascendant as a housing alternative for everyone from young families to retirees, Greg and Stephanie Parham, owners of Rocky Mountain Tiny Houses, are seeing a boost in business. Their Colorado-based company has a philosophy built on the notion that shelter should be a place of pride and comfort, yet one of simplicity and affordability.
The San Juan
Greg Parham says he caught wind of the Tiny House Movement in 2011. After he and Stephanie moved to Colorado, they started their own tiny house company, building each home from scratch. Unlike the owners of other tiny home construction companies, Greg says, he and Stephanie actually live tiny as well.
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At first, Greg, Stephanie, and their two dogs lived in a 16-square-foot model they built in the spring of 2013. “Although it met basic living needs and was dirt cheap for our first two years together,” Greg says, “it was a little cramped for that many occupants. We knew at some point we would design and build a larger tiny house. In between build #1 and #62, we learned a thing or two about tiny house design, and attempted to integrate as many of these lessons into the design goals as possible.”
The result was the San Juan, Greg and Stephanie´s personal tiny house which has traveled more than 5,000 miles to different tiny house festivals across the country. Besides serving as their personal living quarters, the San Juan is a model house they use to showcase their building talent. We asked them a few questions about their home.
What can you tell us about that beautiful roof?
Stephanie: A curved roof line was appealing to us because we had the time [to create it]. Many people love the idea, but creating a curved roof is labor intensive and expensive. A lot of tiny houses these days are "boxy," and that didn’t suit our taste.
What reclaimed/recycled materials were incorporated into your home?
Stephanie: Most of the reclaimed materials were used on the exterior siding: the local reclaimed corrugated metal and the barn wood. Even the shakes were left over from older projects, so we were able to put those to use. On the interior, the flooring was milled from 200-plus-year-old elm barn beams, and we also used some antique fixtures.
Tobias Roberts
Tobias runs an agroecology farm and a natural building collective in the mountains of El Salvador. He specializes in earthen construction methods and uses permaculture design methods to integrate structures into the sustainability of the landscape.
