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While the exterior of our Royal Spartanette was in considerably good shape, the interior and all of its' related functions would need to be completely re-built and re-imagined to meet the needs of a modern world. As an avid wood worker, builder and engineer, I set out to completely re-design our Spartan while still paying homage to its' roots in 1950s America. I began by removing everything inside down to the bare wall studs and aluminum. The only things that we kept inside were the original shower and vanity. 

Personally, I had always taken issue with the idea of building a tiny house the "traditional" way on a flatbed trailer. I imagined all the nails and wood bobbing up and down highways and dirt roads as problematic at best. Contrary to a traditional wood and nail tiny house, Spartans are made of high quality aircraft grade aluminum and built on an aircraft grade chassis. Another HUGE plus is that unlike Air Stream trailers, our Royal Spartanette is straight walled rather than curved which makes the interior feel much more spacious and comfortable. 

I started the renovation by first installing the 200+ planks of cedar that line the ceiling and create an incredibly cozy feel. I then rebuilt the subfloor and laid down black and white 50s style Armstrong VCT flooring. I insulated the walls and meticulously sealed every joint from floor to ceiling so that moisture, bugs and everything in between could not get in. To keep the inside open and inviting, I converted all of the original roof vents into fixed skylights with and opted for a stained glass aesthetic. To finish the cozy 1950s cabin feeling, I built all of the interior walls out of knotty pine. 

Throughout the entire build we opted for premium materials at every step. I overbuilt everything including installing 10 gauge internal wiring so that our off grid solar system would have the least resistance moving current through hundreds of feet inside the Spartan. I planned all of the energy needs for the home so that our solar panels would easily handle our power consumption. I installed ultra efficient energy star appliances throughout. I also created redundancies so that if our solar power was low in the winter then we could use our propane heater to reduce the load on our batteries. I built each area inside with specific intention so that our use of space was maximized for form, function and aesthetic appeal.

It was very important to us that our kitchen be a place where we could cook elaborate meals, converse and even host friends. I built the kitchen counters from thick teak wood and installed a large kitchen sink. For daily meals, I bought a propane range top as well as a next generation compact electric oven. In keeping true to 1950s America, we chose a pink "retro" themed refrigerator and with our ample solar power we were able to add both a 2nd refrigerator and a freezer on our outside patio. For added creature comfort, I installed a ventless bioethanol fireplace in the master bedroom, a dining nook, custom shelving and a wall mounted flat screen TV.

Living off grid

Upon completing the major phases of restoration, we moved into our Spartan. By this time we had left our rented home. Our first steps living off grid posed various challenges we had to overcome. Fortunately, we received encouragement when a friend in town offered to rent us an acre of his land to live in the Spartan on. 

As we were only just beginning to settle into our new alternative lifestyle, the Covid-19 pandemic emerged. "Wow", I thought "Could it be that we are actually prepared for the coming apocalypse?"  I was extremely grateful that I had the girls during this period as we opted to escape into movies, books and board games in our cozy tiny home. Our new routine brought us even closer together. While the daily news was truly awful, we pursued simple endeavors of daily walks, art projects and cooking meals at home. 

The perks of minimalist living

The immediate perks felt upon adopting this lifestyle are numerous. Self-reliance, independence and a touch of rebellious spirit sink in quickly.  Never paying an electric bill, having a low monthly overhead and the feeling of embracing a simpler way of life have been incredibly rewarding.  

The first notable difference in making the decision to live tiny and go effectively off the grid is that all of the sudden money isn't pouring out the way it once did. Our lower cost of living had allowed us to build up our savings again. After I got back to work, I was now saving money fast. This was when my wife and I formulated a new plan. What if we saved up and bought land of our own? 

We found ourselves in a unique position as we began to consider the idea of buying land, docking our tiny house there and then building a permanent home for our family. It was with great excitement when we were fortunate to find the perfect spot to pursue this endeavor. Living rent free on our land would allow us a unique opportunity to build a permanent home having now been unburdened of high monthly overhead. 

The day that we moved our Spartan to the land that we now owned was probably one of the greatest days of my life.  We chose the path of being Owner / Builders rather than simply hire a contractor. It would be a full year and a half of planning and permitting before we would be able to begin building our permanent home. After several revisions on our design, we settled on a modest 3 bedroom / 2 bathroom home at just under 1600 square feet. We began framing our home in January of 2024. As of Spring 2025, our home is nearing completion.

If our story has resonated with you and you are interested learning more about our Spartan tiny home, please feel free to reach out. We know that whoever buys our Spartan will find it to be a unique and rewarding experience.  Call  (760) 424-2257 for more information.