Houzz Tour: A Wee Home Grows in a Scottish Garden

Following the success of a project making sustainable garden furniture using a young, local workforce, home builder Jennifer Hope was keen to expand the concept. “I wanted to build on the idea of combining ecofriendly design with local skills,” she says. “I sat down with my dad, who runs a building company, and said, ‘What can we do that’s more exciting?’”

So she established The Wee House Company, with the goal of working with local teenagers in Scotland to build energy-efficient and — most important — affordable homes. Her first project was a budget-friendly home for herself and her boyfriend, one that reflected traditional Scottish architecture with a smart, timber-cabin look. It became a prototype for future Wee homes, all of which are efficient, are portable and start at about $100,000.

Houzz at a Glance
Location: Village of Drongan in East Ayrshire, Scotland
Size: 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom

After five weeks in the workshop and two weeks installing the house on its site, Hope and her boyfriend moved into the home in July 2013. Decorated with fresh colors and simple furnishings, their mini home is a mighty marvel and feels light, bright and actually spacious.

The home sits on land at the end of her parents’ garden. Thick insulation means it stays nice and warm in the winter months. “There’s a big field beyond, and we sometimes see deer walking across; it’s really lovely,” Hope says.


The house’s timber frame and walls reflect traditional Scottish architecture. “The exterior is clad in larch, which you can paint any color you like,” she says. She chose a deep blue-black shade, with crisp white window frames for contrast.


French doors from the living room lead to a spacious terrace and help light flood into the interior. There are French doors off the bedroom, too, and all this glazing really helps the rooms feel bright, Hope says.


A mudroom offers built-in storage for outdoor gear, including a bench with a lift-up lid, hooks and a shelf.


“I wanted the interior to still have a fairly traditional look, so it would work with the view outside,” she says. She pictured a bright, airy feel for the living space and chose soft cream for the walls and a pale sofa. “I was decorating in July, so that influenced me, too,” she says.


She built corner shelves to provide storage and display space that doesn’t encroach on the living room. Simple, pale drapes allow maximum light to flow in through the doors.


Wooden floors painted cream enhance the light. “We usually sell the houses with just chipboard underfoot, then buyers can lay any floor they like,” she says.


Tongue and groove paneling gives character to the walls and brings a feeling of cabin coziness to the house.


A small table and chairs sit under a kitchen window so two people can eat together. A Roman blind in striped fabric adds a dash of seaside style.


The wall above the sink was left free of cabinetry to create a more open feeling.


Hope chose white kitchen units with blue painted walls. “Once I’d chosen white, I thought it would look prettiest against blue, so I picked a shade called Blue Ribbon from the Dulux Heritage range,” she says.


She then ran the kitchen’s blue and white theme into the bedroom, but used a stronger shade — Oxford Blue from the Dulux Heritage Range. She designed the clever units by the bed, which combine wardrobe space and a bedside unit. “Ikea does something similar,” she says, “but they wouldn’t fit in here, so I just sketched these and had our carpenter make them. I have a lot of clothes, but there’s enough room for them all.”


Swedish White paint from the Dulux Heritage Range with dark blue as an accent makes the bedroom feel fresh.


The bedroom, while compact, is still big enough for handsome French doors, which give lovely views of the countryside. There’s also space for a chest of drawers from Ikea.


The bathroom is light and spacious, which shocks many guests. “This is the room people are always most surprised about,” Hope says. “They can’t believe how big it is.”


A large built-in cupboard on the landing provides yet more storage, helping Hope keep her petite home tidy. “You definitely have to be strict with how much stuff you own when you live in a small space,” she says. “You have to be prepared to throw out nonessential items, and you can’t let yourself accumulate lots of clutter, but that’s a good thing.”

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