Nashville resident Kelli Hix dreamed of having a beautiful guesthouse behind her bungalow in the historic Woodbine neighborhood. She wanted it to be modern and simple—a celebration of craftsmanship, and a contemporary counterpoint to her 1937 home.

Kelli had no homebuilding experience, but she didn’t let that hold her back from bringing her dream to fruition. Acting as the project’s general contractor, she sketched a floor plan by hand, educated herself on building, got the permits, and hired the pros to bring her vision to life.

Located just off the back of her home, the 500-square-foot Flatrock House serves as a guest suite for visiting friends and family, as well as an income property with short-term rentals available on Airbnb. To ensure privacy for renters, the guest suite has a separate entrance, a private backyard, and a soundproofing barrier between the main 1,000-square-foot residence.

$65,000 Excavation & Build	$8,000 Permits & Engineers	$5,000 Flooring
$3,000 Quartz Counters	$1,500 Plywood Cabinets & Vanity	$3,000 Fixtures
$3,500 Minisplit	$1,600 Appliances	$3,000 Tile
$3,200 Paint	$2,000 Kitchen Shelves	$2,000 Stairs
$3,000 Deck	$3,000 Fence	$2,000 Landscaping
Grand Total: $108,800

A towering Virginia pine in Kelli’s backyard informed the guesthouse’s long, tall silhouette. It also played an important role in defining sight lines and window placement—an arched opening high on the side of the house frames its leaves and branches. (Kelli calls it the “24-hour tree channel.”)

She initially got pushback from the construction crew over the position and height of the window, but she held her ground. “Trust me, you’ll see what I mean when it’s installed,” she told them. “You’ve been to a church, right? That’s what we’re doing here—hang it high.” The team loved it when it was done.

While the addition’s tall silhouette contrasts with the squat, low bungalow, Kelli blended the adjoining structures by using white vinyl vertical siding that echoes the treatment at the porch of the original structure.

Kelli pulled together her own team, which consisted mostly of a group of friends who could help her stick to her budget and problem solve. “I kept the food and beer and coffee coming,” she says. “We worked hard, and had bonfires and happy hours to keep spirits high.”

To save on materials, she used marine-grade plywood and local hardwood from fallen trees, and she kept an eye out for sale items. Kelli scored engineered hardwood oak floors for half price, brass kitchen hardware off eBay for $10, and the arched window pane for $150. This left room in her budget for splurges, like a soaking tub and a compact Bosch dishwasher.

After designing furniture with a friend for fun and remodeling a bathroom in her bungalow, Kelli had a bit of design background to inform her aesthetic. She designed the furniture and storage pieces herself, with the exception of the vintage stools in the kitchen. The custom furniture and built-ins fit the tiny space to a T, and thoughtful storage helps to maximize space and create a relaxing and peaceful refuge.

Her friend, carpenter Stephen Zerne, did all the woodwork. “He is nothing short of gifted in the realm of imaginative problem solving, and is not afraid to try something that has never been done,” she says.

From start to finish, the guesthouse took a year and a half to complete. Kelli’s travels to Mexico, California, and Texas played into the design scheme, and she was also inspired by the artist Donald Judd. She eschewed froufrou in favor of simplicity.

“I chose a minimalist vibe because it’s beautiful and easy to maintain,” she says. “I decided to use mostly simple and natural materials, creamy colors, and handmade details, and to place a strong emphasis on the outdoors.”

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Project Credits:

Designer: Kelli Hix / @kellishayhix

General contractor: Kelli Hix

Landscape design: Tyler Blankenship

Interior design: Kelli Hix

Custom woodwork, cabinetry and furnishings: Stephen Zerne, designed by Kelli Hix

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Budget Breakdown: A DIY Designer Builds a Tiny Guesthouse for $109K