A trip to Sweden 3 years ago was when it all started.
At that time, Marion Kara made the decision to live a more minimalistic life. Together with her daughter, she spent some time on a husky farm and realised how little space and things you actually need for a happy life.
The doctor lived in Vienna and runs a practice in the countryside. She wanted to move out of the big city so she was closer to her work. Two weeks after the assembly of her beautiful house, we visited her in a small village north of Vienna for the final check.
Why a modular home?
Building a traditional house on her own was never an option for Mrs. Kara. Due to her busy work schedule, she lacks time, but also know-how in the building sector. These are her (good) reasons for a modular house made of timber:
“I wanted to have something pretty, fast and without having to deal with it too much.”
“Working 60-hours a week, I have little time for research and site visits.”
“I’m single and don’t have the relevant building expertise myself, so I have to rely on a team that I have full trust in.”
1.5 years from googling to moving in
From first googling the terms “Tiny house – modular house” to moving in, Mrs Kara’s house building process took about 1.5 years. Due to COVID there was a little delay, otherwise it might have taken only a year. It’s unbelievable how fast it went in the end, she says herself – even though she admits “I was a pretty impatient customer.
How much time did she actually have to invest herself? “It really wasn’t very time-consuming. Every now and then we coordinated with each other. I got suggestions and then we brainstormed together about where to put sockets, etc. I had the feeling that COMMOD had a terrific handle on the project.”
Your house just arrived.
“At 5.30 a.m. I received a text message from my neighbours saying: ‘Your house just arrived.’. From then on there was nothing but excitement in the air! You get excited like a little kid for Christmas! The delivery was a bit complicated at the beginning because the access was only possible via a neighbour’s car park. I was very nervous then. Will it all function well? Has the car park really been cleared? Has the car park really been cleared? It was so thrilling for me. I had a pulse of 120, I think.” But then all worked out flawlessly! ” They know their stuff. I was just a fence sitter! That was very relaxing, though. And then I was just so happy!”
Brilliant!
That was the enthusiastic response to our question about how Mrs Kara is feeling about her new home. “I think it’s simply beautiful,” she adds with a smile. We saw her incredibly happy and relieved that the house has turned out as nice as she had imagined and that everything also fits together well. After all, she already had a small box on her property. It is now used as a guest room and the colour matches the anthracite doors and windows perfectly. She has definitely fulfilled her dream of living in a more minimalist, reduced and sustainable way – and in style. From 110m² old building with high built-in cupboards – to 75m² wooden modular house within walking distance of her office.
Incidentally, she finds the central area between the kitchen and the terrace particularly well done, which scores with innovative seating and wardrobe furniture and definitely invites you to linger with its special character. Thanks to the mini walkway, the vegetable garden (yet to be created) is also only a stone’s throw away. Our highlight is the beautiful wooden terrace. You can certainly enjoy yourself here. Maybe we’ll come by for a barbecue sometime.
