Lien Lammar, a Belgian journalist we worked with in the past, asked us if we were willing to work with her once more on a project. This time it was about Tiny Houses. Since we had such a positive experience last time working with her, we agreed. The interview together with the picture, taken by Ann De Wulf, were published in the Standaard Magazine mid June 2016.
Read the original dutch article here: “Klein behuisd”
ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF THE INTERVIEW
Nicole and Elmer met on a flight to Chicago. He was a steward, she a passenger. Two years later Nicole (31) and Elmer (40) live in a converted Overland truck, complete with sitting area, double bed, laptop and printer on board. ‘We have worked on the truck for moths’ says Elmer. ‘ Because you’re so limited in space, you think things over 10 times longer. What do we do with our dishwater? How do you build a toilet on half a square meter? Just about everything had to be custom made.’
The urge to travel was there first, moving into a mobile tiny house the logical consequence. They already opened their doors in Germany, Italy, Slovenia and Croatia.
‘We have enough water, power and food with us for two weeks. The intent is to camp in nature as much as possible, away from civilization. Many people dream of a house by the water or in the mountains. We just take our house there.’
Elmer still works as a steward, in between traveling. Nicole was as a doctor in Psychology connected to the VUB and is now working on a career as an online therapist. They are still owners of a small apartment – as an investment for later, and for the piece of mind of Elmer’s mom – but home, that is their truck. ‘We don’t play “kampeerdertje” (people who use their camper for vacation)’, says Nicole. ‘Elmer has his suite with, and I my high heels. We have a freezer for ice cubes and drink our cocktails from real glasses. We live very normal and homey, but then on 8 square meter.’
In a few days they leave without a scheduled return date. First Romania, where the woods are still wild and intact. Afterwards, it can go into any direction, from Portugal to Canada. ‘My mom died recently, suddenly and too soon’, says Nicole. ‘We don’t want to postpone life.’