Lauren Nelson might be only 11 years old, but she’s already got a penchant for design.

Deciding to make her COVID summer a productive one, she spent two months creating “Camp Hygge.”

Tiny inspiration

Nelson got the idea while looking through her American Girl Doll magazine and coming across a luxury camper for dolls that cost a whopping $650.

“She showed us a $650 little VW bus that they sell, my husband was like ‘that’s ridiculous, you could buy your own camper for that price,'” her mother Aimee Nelson recalled to WKBW News.

As it happens, Lauren had an envelope full of money she had saved.

Her mom Aimee explained to NY Post:

“…it’s just a little bit here and there from things, like $5 at Easter or Tooth Fairy money. It just added up.”

Then she found her dream camper. It was $500. But she only had $400 saved up from the money she would have normally used to go to 4-H camp and some cash raised at garage sales. So she negotiated.

“It wasn’t very hard. He said $500 and I said $400 because that was the money I had in my bank account and he said sold,” she said.

And then the preteen was on her way to having her very own home.

Harder than it looks

$400 doesn’t get you a terribly glamorous camper. So the first job was deep cleaning (and mice removal). But she dove right in and enjoyed it.

“I love this, I love renovating. I was very motivated with this camper, I really wanted a place where I could hang out . . . like my own house,” said Nelson.

But it was going to take another envelope full of cash to spruce the place up.

“She has three envelopes that she puts her money in – give, save, and spend – and I think she made a really good choice. She now says she’s part of the tiny home nation,” her mom told WKBW.

The renovation cost another $400, but her Beachy Boho-themed camper is really something to behold.

An eye for design

A teal kitchen pops out among sleek white walls. The camper is now a functioning tiny house with a bathroom as well.

She found her inspiration on Pinterest and made as many frugal design choices as her creativity would allow. But her mom admits that “Lauren’s Lil Camper” – as the sign reads – was largely furnished with gifts.

“Most of the decor came from our house and potting shed though,” her mom told the NY Post.

She also broke down some costs.

“The floors cost $1.39 per square feet for 100 square feet of interior space; chalk paint (for easy clean-up and low odor) came to $75; the kitchen backslash that looks tiled is actually a $20 decal; cushion covers totaled $20; succulents and wall stickers from dollar stores were $10; and the hand sanitizer pump and bed pillows were purchased from Walmart for $20,” reported the NY Post.

Part of a community, but on her own

Lauren was inspired by HGTV’s Tiny House Hunters to create Camp Hygge, a name she got from a Simplisafe TV commercial but that also embodies the Scandinavian concept of coziness.

Her mom is proud that she’s part of the tiny home community.

Now Lauren she spends five days a week in her camper.

“If you’re looking to have some big plans in the future, you should go out and do it. Make it happen,” she said.

Lauren hopes to have a career in home renovation or forensic science someday. She’s got a while to figure it out – and a great place to daydream about the future.

Be sure to scroll down below to get a tour of her very cool tiny home.

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

Source: WKBW, YouTube – WKBW TV | Buffalo, NY, NY Post