WHEN builders told Leanne McKenzie a new bathroom for her Beaconsfield cottage was impossible in the tiny space available she took on the job herself.

As a civil engineer, she knew what she wanted, and enlisted a swag of tradies to make it happen.

The result is a cute bathroom with a stand-alone shower, and a claw foot bath.

Passionate about small houses, she’s appearing at Fremantle’s upcoming Living Tiny forum on March 2, speaking about innovative ways of dealing with the high cost of housing in Fremantle, which is forcing out lower income residents.

• Leanne McKenzie worked wonders with a tiny bathroom and a big idea. Photo supplied

“We can’t continue to live the way we have been living, it’s completely unsustainable,” she says pointing the finger at massive McMansions.

“Our trees are disappearing…smaller homes are the way we need to go.

“Fremantle is what it is because of passionate, community-minded people, so if this type of person wants to live here they should have access.”

She set up Urban Aesthetics to advise home owners on sourcing architects, builders and tradesmen when it comes to extending and renovating: “Equipping them with the knowledge up-front to make well-informed and good decisions that don’t become expensive mistakes further down the track,” she says.

Living Tiny is on at Fremantle library, Thursday March 2, 6pm.

For more info on Urban Aesthetics phone Leanne McKenzie on 0419 041 467.

by JENNY D’ANGER