Additional Coverage:
- They met in Bali, fell in love, and built 2 tiny houses among the rice fields for $30,000 (businessinsider.com)
Bali Couple Ditches Villa for Tiny House Paradise
A couple traded their spacious three-bedroom villa near Bali’s bustling Canggu district for a simpler life in the tranquil surroundings of Ubud. Olivia Purba and her husband, Dirkjan Tijs, found their villa, complete with a private pool, to be excessive for their needs. The increasing crowds and desire for more privacy prompted them to seek a more sustainable and minimalist lifestyle.
Purba, a sustainability consultant, and Tijs, a software engineer, met and fell in love in Bali. Though they enjoyed traveling, Bali always felt like home.
Their initial villa became a hub for visiting friends and family, with spare rooms often rented out. However, the couple longed for a change.
The move to Ubud, known for its lush rainforests and rice paddies, offered the perfect escape. Inspired by the tiny house movement, they decided to build not one, but two tiny houses on a leased plot of land.
The cost-effective decision allowed for simultaneous construction and provided an additional space for guests or potential rental income. Purba, drawing on Japanese and Scandinavian aesthetics, designed the homes herself, working with local contractors to bring her vision to life.
The project totaled $30,000 for both houses.
Construction presented challenges, particularly transporting materials to the remote site accessible only by a narrow path. Undeterred, the couple rented a nearby plot to store materials, which were then transported using bikes and carts.
Now settled in their Ubud oasis, Purba and Tijs are embracing the minimalist lifestyle. The smaller space encourages decluttering and mindful consumption. They are also cultivating a permaculture garden, growing herbs and fruits, and hope to eventually become more self-sufficient with food.
The couple’s tiny house journey reflects a global trend towards affordable and sustainable living. For Purba and Tijs, the move has brought them closer to nature, enhancing their mental well-being.
Falling asleep to the sounds of nature and tending their garden provides a sense of peace and fulfillment. They feel they are living more authentically, a testament to the transformative power of downsizing and embracing a simpler life.