This Black Woman Lives in a Beautiful, Boho Tiny Home | Jewel Pearson is the true definition of a Care Free Black Girl.
For Jewel Pearson, a tiny house dweller, designer, consultant, and advocate, tiny house living is not only a way of life, but a passion and a commitment to redefining the notion of home. In this exclusive interview with Home & Texture, Pearson’s expertise on the realities and joys of compact living might just inspire you to reconsider your own relationship with space, possessions, and priorities. As she sheds light on the nuances of navigating tiny spaces and embracing a lifestyle defined by simplicity and intentionality, this firsthand understanding of tiny home living can bring you one step closer to deciding whether it’s truly right for you.
A Small Sanctuary
Though aptly described as tiny, Jewel Pearson's home is nothing short of grand. Resplendent in shades of black, white and red, the residence, located 45 minutes outside of Charlotte, North Carolina, includes panoramic windows that open to views of nature; a cozy office that doubles as a lounge: a galley kitchen: a full-size bathroom; and Afro-bohemian artwork throughout. Pearson has managed to create a dream home: an oasis designed to provide ease and restoration.
This was always her goal.
The Big Benefits of Living Small
The idea of being tied down to an oversized house and spending thousands on a mortgage each month never appealed to Jewel D. Pearson. The 55-year-old single mom had always told herself she would live in an RV and travel the world once her daughter was grown and left the nest. When that day arrived, Pearson came across a story of a woman who had built a tiny house on a tiny budget. The idea resonated with her because it would allow her to spend her money on traveling and other things she wanted to do, rather than work feverishly to maintain living expenses.
Tour This Tiny Home in Charlotte, NC | Handmade Home
Jewel Pearson designed her picturesque, tiny home on graph paper. Now, it’s her sanctuary. Originally, the home was designed to travel on wheels, but now that she’s located on her friend’s farm, she’s home. She’s since expanded the space, adding more permanent designs and features.
Tour her home with us as she takes us through her unique space.
Luxury Living in a Tiny House
An updated tour of my tiny house with video of the changes made over the last couple of years. The new sunroom space was completed in June, 2021 and is an additional ~200 square feet of interior space and the screened-in porch was added in June, 2022.
You really don’t have to give up luxury to go tiny!
More Than That w/Gia Peppers | House Hacking Ingenuity
When we want to make a space our own, we make a way. Listen as Carmeon Hamilton and Jewel Pearson talk about how DIYing and tiny homes let us reimagine where we live and transform our homes into spaces we love.
Luxury Living in a Tiny House
The popularity of tiny homes has exploded over the years. But when Jewel Pearson built her luxury tiny house, she was one of the first Black faces in the movement!
Tiny House Living for Black Women
We’ll chat with Jewel Pearson to talk about her gorgeous tiny house and whether she thinks it's a good choice for women who need a home base while they bop around as a digital nomad.
The Tiny House Movement Needs More Inclusion, Diversity, and Representation
From the outside, the tiny house movement seems like it represents the best of what people can do when they think creatively outside of the box so they can live more freely and simply, and with less "stuff." There are now hundreds, if not thousands, of websites, podcasts, and social media accounts dedicated to the tiny house ethos of how small can indeed be beautiful.
Meet Jewel Pearson, a Black Woman Inspiring Others to Live Tiny
For years, Jewel Pearson had a dream. When she retired, she would buy an RV and live freely on the road. In 2015, she realized her dream of living freely when she bucked conventional norms and built herself a 480-square-foot tiny house on a 28-foot trailer (originally 360 square feet before her latest renovation) and settled in North Carolina with her dog, Nina Simone.
The New Homesmiths | I Live in a Tiny House
Apartment Therapy’s new six-part series, showcasing people changing how they live and redefining the meaning of "home" in the process.
Apartment Therapy |
One of the Most Personal, Custom (and Stylish) Tiny Houses Ever
Jewel Pearson—the self-proclaimed Ms. Bohemian Soul—has built one of the most personal, custom tiny houses we’ve ever seen.
SIMPLIFY YOUR SPACE
After her daughter left for college, Jewel Pearson sold her four-bedroom house in Atlanta and rented a condo. But that was just the start of her downsizing journey. By 2015, Pearson had built a 360-square-foot house (on wheels!). Now a consultant on so-called tiny living, she helps others learn to thrive in compact quarters.
“I believe in the power of community. I believe there is strength within us as a collective.”
- Bev Gooden, Social Activist & Speaker