When we think of tiny homes, we picture cozy, efficient spaces that reflect our unique style and make us feel truly at home. The Aspen model, designed by Erin Card, is the perfect embodiment of this vision—combining charm with modern tiny home design. But what many don’t know is that this stunning tiny home is actually the fifth iteration of a design that first made its debut back in 2009. Join me as we explore the evolution of this tiny home, tracing its journey from humble beginnings to the sophisticated, modern marvel it has become today.

Modern tiny house with a black and yellow exterior, large windows, and steps leading to the front door, situated in a natural setting with trees and grass.

Going Back to 2009: The “New Popomo”

The story begins in 2009 with a tiny home called the “New Popomo.” This model was different from all our others in several ways:

  1. It had a door on the long side instead of the short side.
  2. It featured a downstairs bedroom, which was rare since most tiny homes at the time only had sleeping lofts.
  3. It had a flat roof with no loft, and the trailer it was built on didn’t allow for a loft option.
  4. The exterior was made of rusted hot rolled steel.
A small, rust-colored tiny house on wheels is parked by the coastline with a kayak leaning against it. In the background, the ocean and sky are visible.
A living room with white chairs, a red pillow, and a colorful rug overlooks a beach scene through a glass door. A surfboard is propped up against rocks near the water.
A small bedroom with green walls, a white bed, and green and blue cushions. There is a window showing a beach view with rocks. There are wall cabinets with white doors above the bed.

While it was a bold tiny house design, the “New Popomo” didn’t quite hit the mark. Customers weren’t thrilled with its boxy look and flat roof. Even when we rebranded it as the “Popomo” and later the “Mica,” it still didn’t catch on. The handful of customers who did choose this model often requested a pitched roof and wood siding, which completely changed its look and feel. In the end, people wanted a tiny home with a door on the long side—they just didn’t want the “New Popomo.”

A small wooden tiny house on wheels with a metal roof and blue-trimmed windows is parked on a paved surface.

Customers often modified the Popomo/Mica

A Successful Redevelopment: The Roanoke

Seven years later, we knew it was time to rethink the Popomo/Mica. We had learned that some customers were looking for a modern tiny home with a door on the long side, a downstairs bedroom, and a sleeping loft. So, we started from scratch with a lower trailer, allowing for a loft and repositioning the door to the left or right side of the long wall to accommodate the wheels in the middle.

This led to the birth of the Roanoke. It had a rectangular shape that maximized the trailer’s proportions, and we added a shed roof—a popular request among DIY builders. To make this Tumbleweed tiny home stand out, the Roanoke featured a waterfall metal roof down the backside, with horizontal siding on the main level and vertical accent siding on the loft.

Pictured below are two Roanoke models, followed by Wes’ DIY tiny home built on the Tumbleweed trailer and predates the Roanoke.

Tumbleweed Roanoke
A man in an orange shirt stands in front of a blue tiny house with multiple windows and a white front door.

Popular, But Not Perfect: Roanoke 2.0

People loved the Roanoke’s aesthetic, but the loft presented some challenges. The shed-style roof made one end of the loft too low, and the middle didn’t offer enough height. To solve this, we introduced Roanoke 2.0, which used the same roof as our Farallon model. The loft problem was fixed, but in truth, the Roanoke was now almost identical to the Farallon, just with a door on the side.

Pictured below: The shed roof loft in Roanoke 1.0, a full dormer loft in the Roanoke 2.0, and the exterior of Roanoke 2.0

A gray Tumbleweed tiny house on wheels is parked on a grassy area with steps leading to a red door. The background includes mountains and pine trees under a partly cloudy sky.
A cozy tiny house attic bedroom with wooden walls and ceiling, a bed with red and white bedding, soft lighting, a checkered rug, and a small window.
A cozy loft bedroom in this Tumbleweed tiny house boasts wooden walls and ceiling, a bed with gray bedding, accented pillows, wall-mounted lights, framed pictures, and a small plant on the side.

Developing Something New: Enter Erin Card

Erin Card’s passion for tiny homes began during her undergraduate studies at the University of Minnesota, where she grew up. When she moved to Colorado, Erin, with her flip flop sandals, half-shaved head, and wild rainbow-colored hair, applied for a sales position at Tumbleweed. Though she didn’t get the job, Erin’s determination was unshakable. She kept applying until she finally landed a junior design position in 2017. Known for her ever-changing hair color and a knack for showing up to work in extravagant costumes, Erin’s creativity and unique style quickly made an impact. Within a year, she became the lead designer, infusing every project with her distinctive flair and vision.

A woman with blonde hair wearing glasses and a denim jacket stands indoors, leaning on a wooden surface, reflecting her keen interest in tiny house design.

Although she was eager to introduce her own tiny house designs, Erin had to wait. Tumbleweed had just launched the Roanoke and Farallon models, and there wasn’t a need for something new. Instead, she  focused on improving plans and the build process, adding detail to construction plans, and working with the construction team to enhance efficiency.

Eventually, the need for something new arose. The Roanoke 2.0 was too similar to the Farallon, and it was time for a fresh start.

“I really like clerestory windows,” Erin explains, referring to her first concept for the Aspen, built in 2023 for two customers. “It’s a personal preference, reminiscent of mountain architecture.” For those unfamiliar with the term, it’s an old English term describing high cathedral windows between the stone columns and pillars. “I like them, they bring light into a space without sacrificing usable wall space below.”

Pictured below: The Aspen 1.0 exterior, view inside the ceiling, and the loft.

A blue tiny house on wheels with wooden accents, white trim, and multiple windows, parked on an outdoor lot with trees in the background.
Tiny house interior with light wood paneling, large window with curtains, small staircase, skylight, and recessed lighting. Bright, natural light fills the space.
A cozy attic bedroom with wooden walls and ceiling, a bed with striped bedding, a wicker basket, a small side table, and a patterned rug under a window.

Pushing the Envelope: The Aspen Model

The first Aspen was simply a roof redesign of the Roanoke, capturing the clerestory windows Erin loved. But it didn’t push the boundaries far enough. Erin wanted to return to the shed roof, but this time, she wanted to do it right, ensuring there was enough room for a comfortable sleeping loft. After researching roof options, she found a nearby vendor that could create roof panels for a less steep angle. By pushing the clerestory windows back, the short wall wasn’t so short anymore.

To meet the heavy snow load requirements, Erin engineered a beam to span the living room. “One thing I really like about the Aspen is the larger exposed beam in the living room. And we use the anodized black tie plates that tie it all together for that timber frame look,” she says.

This is really Aspen 1.5, Erin explains, since the first Aspen never officially launched. It’s a complex engineering masterpiece, with opposing rooflines and a combination of materials that truly set it apart. Like the original Roanoke, the Aspen continues the tradition of the waterfall roof down the backside, while the rest of the home features a mix of board and batten siding and horizontal lap siding.

Pictured below: The Aspen 2.0 exterior, view inside with engineered beam, and the loft.

Modern tiny house with a black and yellow exterior, large windows, and steps leading to the front door, situated in a natural setting with trees and grass.
A compact kitchen in an Aspen tiny home features wooden paneling, bar stools, a built-in microwave, cabinets, and a small breakfast bar. Wall art and a basket adorn the left side, while large windows flood the space with natural light from outside.
A small Aspen tiny home loft with wood-paneled walls and ceiling, a low bed with green and white bedding, a rug on the floor, and a window allowing natural light. A small skylight is above the bed.

A Testament to Innovation and Perseverance

What began as a bold experiment with the “New Popomo” has evolved into a modern masterpiece that captures both form and function in perfect harmony. Erin Card’s journey from junior designer to lead architectural designer mirrors the evolution of this tiny home itself—an ongoing process of learning, refining, and striving for something greater. The Aspen is more than just a beautiful tiny home; it’s a reflection of our commitment to pushing boundaries and creating spaces that truly resonate with those who seek simplicity and elegance. As we look forward, the Aspen is a reminder that great design isn’t just about the final product—it’s about the journey that leads us there.

Pictured below: 5 steps of transformation from the New Popomo to the Aspen

A small, rust-colored tiny house on wheels is parked by the coastline with a kayak leaning against it. In the background, the ocean and sky are visible.
A gray Tumbleweed tiny house on wheels is parked on a grassy area with steps leading to a red door. The background includes mountains and pine trees under a partly cloudy sky.
A blue tiny house on wheels with wooden accents, white trim, and multiple windows, parked on an outdoor lot with trees in the background.
Modern tiny house with a black and yellow exterior, large windows, and steps leading to the front door, situated in a natural setting with trees and grass.