photography by Nicole Catherine

A long wall of shiplap bounces natural light throughout the family room, with beautiful pops of color that challenge you to feel anything less than blissfully happy. Hand-painted art and custom woodworking add gorgeous detail against a clean design that makes you want to sit down and get cozy. For an easy night in, there's a 42-inch mounted TV with streaming capabilities for Hulu, Amazon, Netflix and more. And for those evenings that are too gorgeous to eat inside, the private gated patio is spacious and magical underneath string lights and a California sky.
Big dreams come in small packages, and there's nothing dreamier than this bright and cheery tiny home custom-built by the Heter Family in Castaic. "The Magic Mountain Bungalow was designed and constructed especially for short-term rental guests," says Brendie Heter of the year-long construction and design. "We tried to create the perfect space for visitors to the Santa Clarita Valley." Along the way, they used creative design to make the space feel as open as possible - including 13-foot ceilings, lots of windows and even two skylights.

photography by Nicole Catherine

The fully-stocked kitchen includes staples like oil, seasoning, pans and even a new Bosch speed oven. Aprons and recipe books are on hand for an extra dose of creative vacation cooking, and beautiful pastel countertop appliances make meal time even brighter. Plus Superhost Brendie Heter always puts together a little something special to treat upon arrival.

It all starts with the absolutely charming canary yellow Dutch door that invites guests in with a smile and a breath of relief ... "Ahhh, you've arrived." The full kitchen complete with a washer, dryer and brand new kitchen appliances is any tiny home traveler's dream, making the space extremely flexible. Guests can either go out and travel lightly, or families can use the Magic Mountain Bungalow as their crash pad for affordable summer adventures, saving money by cooking and doing a load of laundry right in their very own tiny home.

photography by Nicole Catherine

The bungalow's master loft is a stunning space of wall-to-wall shiplap, a color-coordinated bookshelf, vibrant throw blankets and a skylight that gives sleeping under the stars a whole new meaning. And it may be a tiny home - but the bathroom is full-size and luxurious. A rain showerhead and complimentary vegan, paraben- free and cruelty-free soaps create a true spa-like experience - so you can wake up to a beautiful day in a beautiful space.

While traveling or on vacation, sleep is king - and the Heters have made sure it feels that way. A new King-sized bed - a rare Airbnb find - offers guests a gorgeous mountain view and a reason to trade early-morning alarms for breakfast in bed. Need more room? Downstairs, a custom couch built to fit the tiny home folds out into a 5-inches-thick Queen mattress, and there's an additional twin upon request.

photography by Nicole Catherine

With all such care and attention to every detail, you can probably guess that this custom-designed tiny home was built by the Heter family's very own hands. Noah Heter did all of the interior woodworking, cabinetry and custom bed. "Our contractor gave us the permitted 'empty shell,' and my husband did everything inside," Brendie explains. And the result is a one-of-a-kind, custom tiny home you have to see to believe.

Design by 1 Chic Retreat