Is there anything more quaint than a tiny house? With the increasing popularity of these homes, we have rounded up also our favorite tiny house plans and small houses (they’re practically tiny!) to let you ooo and ah over them and maybe even dream up your own tiny home to build or buy.
With it, the tiny home lifestyle comes with a small price, reduced environmental footprint, and simplified way of living, not to mention the many options for architecture and interior design they bring.
1. A Jewel of a Home
In 2005, Jewel Pearson began downsizing, eventually transitioning into an apartment and, now, her beautiful tiny house with wood tones and touches of red.
The 28-foot-long home has a garden path, porch, and fire pit for ample outdoor entertaining, too. View a video of the interior and learn more about Jewel’s tiny house plans here!
2. Dynamic Duo
Marek and Ko are the adorable couple behind Living Tiny with the Bushes, their YouTube channel chronicling each other’s lives in and renovations of their equally adorable tiny house.
Whether chatting about the pros and cons of tiny-house living or being featured on Good Morning America, Marek and Ko are a must follow for tiny-house enthusiasts.
3. 12 Feet Above Land
The family of Atlanta-based designer and blogger Joni Lay makes spectacular summer memories at this two-story hideaway set among towering Georgia pines.
Built by her father for his grandkids, it’s a beautiful and altogether magical place to grow up.
4. Summer Camp Vibes
Inside the camp-inspired treehouse belonging to the family of Joni Lay, there’s so much to ooh and ahh over: vintage items (horse-show ribbons, paint-by-number art, and tiny lawn chairs) are accentuated and contrasted by newer details, such as Army-style cots.
5. A Backyard Art Barn
This backyard studio is the ultimate creative retreat for one Minnesota artist and her daughter. It’s complemented by a stunning English garden and a coat of red, barn-style paint.
6. Shack by the Sea
This New England shack makes us want to kick off our sandals and head straight for the shore. A colorful exterior is contrasted beautifully by faded Cape Cod shingles.
7. Greenhouse Meets Tree House
This upstate New York picturesque perch, owned by Treehouse Masters’ Christina Salway, is constructed from roughly 75 salvaged windows.
8. Fort-uitous Window Sourcing
“I joke that the structure is a family quilt of salvaged windows, because they came from important people in our lives,” Christina says. “We got windows from my husband’s aunt, my mom, an old landlord…”
9. Quaint Little Cabin
A hand-built hideaway—short on space, tall on charm—looks right at home among the Douglas firs of Port Orchard, Washington.
10. Channel a Little Practical Magic
When square footage is tight, it helps if statement pieces are both charming and useful. An old wood-burning stove brings a vintage vibe to new construction and also heats the entire place.
11. Tip the Scales
Compact appliances and smaller-scale custom cabinetry—featuring salvaged leaded fronts and old sewing drawers—are just the right size for this tiny kitchen.
12. Embrace Off-The-Wall Ideas
Built-ins are always a welcome storage solution when space is at a premium. The homeowner implemented green drawers (a garage sale find) for the “dresser” that’s built into the wall.
13. Gorgeous Backyard Getaway
Dallas designer Paige Morse renovated two 100-year-old sheds in her backyard to create a cozy home away from home. With just two rooms and 250 square feet, her space is remarkably stylish and space-efficient.
14. Stylish Sheds
It took Paige four months to renovate the two sheds into one stunning guest house.
15. Nothing But Neutrals
By sticking to a black-and-white color scheme, Paige makes her modestly sized kitchen appear much larger than it really is.
16. Hidden Storage Spaces
Paige simply attached a piece of striped fabric to her bathroom sink—instead of installing a bulky set of drawers—to cover up her necessities. The double mirrors also create the illusion of more space.
17. Dreamy Treehouse
This treehouse-slash-guest room looks small from the outside but boasts a living room, office area, and bedroom within.
18. Airy Bedroom
Their sleeping space was so important that Emily and Sloane Southard actually designed their entire treehouse around it.
19. Luxury Farmhouse on Wheels
With authentic country character and hand-crafted, farmhouse-inspired details, Tiny Heirloom Homes makes it easy to downsize and upgrade at the same time. This 192-square-foot luxury farmhouse is outfitted with a sleeping loft, kitchen, bathroom, living space, and even a laundry machine.
The base model, similar to the one shown here, starts at $65,000 and includes delivery plus a one-time trip out to the company’s Oregon City headquarters to see its construction.
20. Fun-Sized Foyer
Michelle and Tyson Spiess used top-of-the-line materials, fixtures, and finishes to create a space that doesn’t skimp on style or quality.
21. Tiny and Tidy Kitchen
Although very small, this cooking space features a 24-inch under-counter fridge, a 20-inch four-burner gas range, and ample granite counter space.
22. Cozy Sleeping Space
The couple’s quaint bedroom is only four feet high, which is just big enough to fit a king-size bed.
23. Little Laundry Room
The Spiesses managed to fit a washer and dryer in this two-foot-wide closet, which still has another four square feet of overhead storage space to boot!
24. Charming California Bungalow
At 970 square feet, this quaint cottage is certainly on the larger side of the tiny house movement, but this little home has plenty of small-space design ideas. Built in 1890, the charming Redlands, California, property was originally the gardener’s residence on a large estate.
25. Decorated Pantry
Open shelving and beadboard paneling are both practical and attractive in this pantry.
26. Dark and Smart Paint Job
Deep navy walls make this 8-by-10-foot room feel quaint rather than claustrophobic.
27. Bathroom Swap
Janet and Larry Korff took out the bulky bathroom door and replaced it with a stylish curtain. The upgrade makes the space feel far less cramped, but it still ensures privacy.
28. Open Porch
A horizontally striped painted floor makes this narrow porch look wider.
29. Alberta Farmhouse
Although blogger Amanda Robinson and her family of four downsized their home by 1,100 (!) square feet after moving from the city to the country, they couldn’t be happier with their new place.
30. Crisp Living Room
To make tight quarters—such as the Robinsons’ living room—have more continuity, use one accent color throughout the house. Amanda chose a cool, icy blue.
31. Reclaimed Wood Cabin on Stilts
Inside this treehouse-inspired tiny cabin, you’ll find salvaged church windows, reclaimed wood, and a funky dining table set crafted from old boats.
32. Tiny House Hotel
Try scaled-down living on for size at Live a Little, a collection of three mini retreats including the Old Blue Chair, shown here, surrounding a central fire pit on a scenic mountaintop property just outside Chattanooga, Tennessee. Rates from $142 per night.
33. Adorable A-Frame Cabin
This cute 80-square-foot guest cabin was built in just three weeks for $700.
34. Pump It Up
This tiny house is a musician’s dream: It houses a giant working amp and the deck even doubles as a stage.
35. A Greenhouse and Porch Swing
With an attachable greenhouse and porch, the Elsa by Olive Nest Tiny Homes proves that you can still have it all in a small space.
36. Tiny But Mighty
In only 100 square feet, this tiny house known as the Nugget fits a kitchen, bathroom, and sleeping area.
37. Small Yet Spacious
One of Tumbleweed Tiny House Company’s newer models, the Roanoke can sleep up to six people and features a shed-style roof.
38. Quaint Little Cottage
The most popular option in Tumbleweed Tiny House Company’s fleet, the Cypress offers bay windows, a mini corner porch, and up to 269 square feet of usable space.
39. Farmhouse Chic
The Cedar Mountain Tiny House, built by Nashville-based New Frontier Tiny Homes, might look small on the outside, but inside, it’s big on farmhouse-style design.
With repurposed accessories, shiplap walls, subway tile, and rich hardwood floors, it’s the perfect combination of rustic-chic and modern simplicity.
40. Pop-Out Porch
The sleek design by New Frontier Tiny Homes features a farmhouse sink, shiplap, and subway tile squeezed into 200 square feet. Best of all, though, a sliding glass garage door reveals a deck that pops out from the home, making al fresco dining a cinch.
41. Modern Tiny Farmhouse
Dubbed the Farallon, this tiny house from Tumbleweed Tiny House Company comes in two sizes (20 feet and 26 feet) and features a stylish farmhouse-style interior.
42. Cabin in the Woods
This 550-square-foot Maine cottage has solar panels on the southeast-facing porch to collect energy (auxiliary batteries can store at least a week’s worth) to power the refrigerator and heat shower water. A wood stove, anchored by a hearth made of local beach stones, radiates enough warmth for the entire building.
43. Pequod House
The Pequod, named for the ship in Moby Dick, is a marvel of modern amenities and upscale materials, all cleverly maneuvered into one tight squeeze. It measures 26 feet long and weighs 11,500 pounds.
44. Eclectically Colorful
The owner of this Austin abode turned two mobile trailers into one 400-square-foot home that’s connected only by a deck.
45. Mobile Farmhouse
As soon as you walk inside this tiny 250-square-foot home, a tidy and warm escape full of country character greets you.
Natural light swims throughout the space, and farmhouse-inspired wood accents (most of which are made from salvaged and reclaimed wood) give it a rustic yet modern touch.
46. Bright Colors
Just one of the homes in Oregon’s Mt. Hood Tiny House Village, “Savannah” features yellow cedar plank siding with red shutters and white trim. So welcoming!
47. Bold Design
This 280-square-foot tiny house is here to prove anyone who claims you can’t use dark colors in a small room wrong.
Instead of going light and airy, the Indigo Tiny Home by Driftwood Homes USA is decorated with pops of dark, moody colors.
48. Minimalist Living
This 196-square-foot house near Boise, Idaho, is home to Macy Miller, her partner James, their daughter Hazel, and their Great Dane, Denver. A 27-year-old architect, Macy designed the home from scratch and built it on a 24-foot flatbed with help from friends and family.
Clad in siding made of recycled pallet wood, the minimalist home is flooded with light and feels spacious despite its size. Hidden storage under the bed, above the pantry, and behind the fridge are contrasted with open shelving in the kitchen to make the space feel bigger. In total, Macy spent about $11,000 on her tiny house and is now able to live rent- and mortgage-free.
49. Enviresponsible Shelter
Designed by Broadhurst Architects, this prefab corn crib-inspired structure takes its basic form from traditional American corn cribs, which were common farm buildings that served to store and dry corn. The chic, modern 250-square-foot structure is delivered and assembled on-site and includes a sleeping loft, an expandable kitchen wall, a bathroom, and living room.
An insulated glass garage door opens to a small deck, connecting the interior space to the landscape beyond. Made of sustainable and recyclable materials, the structure can be dismantled and relocated to another site.
50. Transforming A-Frame
Designed by Derek “Deek” Diedricksen of RelaxShacks.com and built by Joe Everson of Tennessee Tiny Homes, this transforming micro A-frame cost only $1,200 to construct. One roof/wall is made of Tuftex polycarbonate roofing: Not only is it translucent to allow in natural light, but the lightweight material is attached to the structure with hinges so it easily can be raised and propped on legs to expand the space from 80 square feet to 110.
On the other side of the A, the purlins supporting the roof sheathing are placed horizontally to serve double duty as shelves. Two daybeds offer additional storage, a kitchen wall features a sink and space for a mini fridge, and a micro loft has a hinged “sunroof” for ventilation. Architect duo David and Jeanie Stiles drafted the build-it-yourself plans for this A-frame.
51. Dream Bungalow
The 204-square-foot “Wind River Bungalow” is the Chattanooga, Tennessee, home of tiny house enthusiasts Travis and Brittany Pyke, who started Wind River Custom Homes to help others fulfill their dreams of living simply in mini dream homes.
Constructed of rain-screen cedar and hardy siding for extreme durability, the bungalow is full of custom features, including a pine and cedar interior, polymer concrete counters, and a loft ladder integrated into the shelving system.
52. Tiny Farmhouse
The Elm features a fully functional tiny porch and can sleep up to three people.
53. Living Large With Less
This is the Olympia, Washington home of tiny house pioneer Dee Williams, author of The Big Tiny, a memoir that details her decision to downsize to an 84-square-foot house that she built from the ground up after a near-death experience. Constructed atop a metal truck trailer, the super-small pine-and-cedar bungalow houses a kitchen counter with a propane one-burner, a sleeping loft, solar-powered lights, a composting toilet, and a sink (but no running water).
To help others realize their tiny house dreams, Dee also founded Portland Alternative Dwellings, a tiny house education, resource, and consulting company.
54. Oceanside Retreat
This darling red-roofed cottage sits in a grove of leafy trees near the water’s edge in Freeport, Maine.
Designed by Mac Lloyd of Creative Cottages, the environmentally sensitive abode packs in a full kitchen, bathroom, living space, sleeping quarters, gas fireplace, laundry, and a loft space, while still managing to seem airy and spacious.
55. Floating Tiny House
This floating 240-square-foot cabin is an off-the-grid summer escape for Maine couple Foy and Louisa Brown. Assembled onshore, a foundation of plastic floatation tubs, Styrofoam, and pontoons was then towed to sea, and the cottage was built above it, using mostly pine shiplap.
Louisa carries water out daily via canoe for a tank that fills the shower and kitchen; at night, candles, oil lamps, and solar lights illuminate the home.
56. Tiny Texas Lakehouse
Talk about a picture-perfect country getaway: This custom-built 336-square-foot cabin sits on 24 sprawling acres in West Point, Texas—just steps from its own four-acre constant flow lake, tiny lake house, and wooden pier.
The rustic wood-paneled interior features a living space, full kitchen, bathroom, and two lofted bedrooms, all housed under a corrugated metal roof.
57. Rolling Luxury Cabin
At first glance, the 400-square-foot Wedge, designed by Wheelhaus, appears to be a tiny luxury cabin but it’s actually a mobile Park Model RV. Lofty 17-foot ceilings and a large sliding glass window at the front give an open feel to the rustic yet modern dwelling, which features a bedroom, bathroom, and combined kitchen/living room area.
A 100-square-foot deck offers additional entertaining space. The Wedge is one of six turn-key models offered by Wheelhaus that start from $82,000. Not looking to buy? The Wedge is also available to rent at Fireside Resort at Jackson Hole Campground.
58. Cozy Chicago Cottage
It’s hard to believe this cute-as-a-button 780-square-foot historic cottage sits in the middle of a bustling metropolis. The house, owned by David Hawkanson, the executive director of Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theater Company, was built a few years after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, when the Chicago Relief and Aid Society began offering so-called fire-relief cottage kits that included pre-cut wood, a door, a chimney, and a room partition.
While historians believe more of these tiny cottages exist in Chicago, all but a couple of examples (like Hawkanson’s) have become unrecognizable thanks to extensive renovations over the years.
59. Mobile Ski Chalet
This 112-square-foot mobile cabin belongs to extreme skier Zac Giffin, the host of FYI’s Tiny House Nation, a show that features people from across the country who are living the tiny house lifestyle. The tiny abode is home to Giffin and his girlfriend, skier Molly Baker.
Built on a trailer, the house features a little wood stove, living space, and a lofted guest bedroom and storage area accessed by a floating staircase. Built by Giffin for almost $25,000, the structure took seven weeks to complete.
60. Quaint Cabin
One of 14 tiny cabins at the Blue Moon Rising ecotourism retreat in McHenry, Maryland, the 250-square-foot Kaya has a rustic reclaimed metal and wood exterior.
Built by the folks at Hobbitat, the quaint interior features a living space, queen-bed nook, bathroom, and kitchen with a view of nature, all under a curved, corrugated metal ceiling. Rental rates per night range from $249 to $349.
61. Mid-Century Retreat
Set in a wooded area, this 300-square-foot studio retreat in Chappaqua, New York, is nestled between two rock outcroppings—one is used as a backdrop and the other as a bookend to the deck.
The design team at Workshop/APD chose Dark Ipe siding and decking and walnut interiors for a natural mid-century modern look that connects the structure to its wooded surroundings. Windows wrapping the western facade frame the scenery and visually enlarge the intimate space.
62. Country Shack
Designed by Broadhurst Architects as a weekend retreat for a family from the suburbs of Washington, D.C., The Shack at Hinkle Farm sits on the southern slope of South Fork Mountain in West Virginia. With no electricity, the family relies on oil lamps for light and a small wood stove for heat; rainwater is collected from the roof for the outdoor shower.
An aluminum and glass garage door opens to a cantilevered wooden deck, where a removable canvas awning offers shade and shelter.
63. Well-Appointed Cottage
Inspired by and built by the team responsible for the gorgeous cottages at the Canoe Bay resort in the woods of Wisconsin, the 392-square-foot Escape looks like a high-end cabin but is actually a 28-by-14-foot Park Model RV on wheels. Vaulted ceilings and a large window wall give an airy feel to the cottage, which includes a living room with fireplace and kitchen wall and a separate bedroom and bath.
Large French doors open to a screened porch that can be used as an extended living room, sleeping porch, or dining area. The red-striped chaise lounge doubles as a bed with heated coils, perfect for naps on chilly days. Escape is available to rent at Canoe Bay or can be custom-built for buyers and delivered ready to live in (from $79,900).
64. Tiny House Hotel
One of six tiny houses—each built on wheels and outfitted with a bathroom, kitchen, and sleeping loft—at Caravan Tiny House Hotel in Portland, Oregon, the Skyline cabin is one of the newest additions to the hotel.
The 160-square-foot structure is constructed of mostly salvaged materials and houses two queen beds.
65. Wild West Wagon
Located near Watergate Bay in Cornwall, England, the Sundance, a Wild West-themed wagon-style dwelling, is available to rent through Unique Homestays. Decorated with a “saloon chic” aesthetic (think wagon wheel art and sheepskin throws), the quaint interior features a wood-clad master bedroom, a bathroom with a walk-in rain shower, and a full kitchen.
After a day riding horses on the nearby beach, relax with a glass of wine while sitting in a rocking chair on the lantern-lit front porch. Rental rates are about $800 for a three-night stay.
66. Rural Retreat
This serene tiny house in rural California is home to web designer Alek Lisefski, his girlfriend, Anjali, and their dog, Anya. Built on an 8- by 20-foot trailer, with three feet added for the back porch, the house features 10 windows and an all-glass door to open up the small interior space to the outdoors, making it feel less claustrophobic and more connected to the surroundings.
Designed and built by Alek himself for about $30,000, he is now selling construction plans so others can build a house of their own to the same specs.
67. Colorful Beach Cottage
This tiny beach cottage on Florida’s St. George Island is called “Our Little Secret” by its owners. Small in size, it’s mighty in design: Its coastal-cracker exterior is made of a Structured Insulated Paneling System built to withstand hurricane-force winds, while its cheery interior features beadboard walls and ceilings and bamboo floors.
Including the loft space, the 325-square-foot cottage sleeps two to four people, while a generous deck expands the living space into the outdoors for a perfect vacation retreat.
68. Clothesline Tiny Homes
Carrie and Shane Caverly built their 200-square-foot house in the spring of 2012 after growing tired of paying mortgages and rent. Built on a trailer, the house features a low-maintenance steel roof, an on-demand hot water heater, an incinerating toilet, and a passive solar design.
Carrie, an architectural designer, and Shane, a custom builder, now run Clothesline Tiny Homes, offering downloadable tiny house plans, design consulting, and custom building. After living in their tiny house for 20 months in New Mexico, the couple has now moved to Colorado, where they’re building a 1,000-square-foot home. (Their tiny house will serve as a guest cottage.)
69. Northern California Cottage
Though it clocks in at just 260 square feet, this cottage’s bright and colorful design exudes a cheery atmosphere from all corners. Designed by Richardson Architects, the tiny structure is situated on a dairy farm near the Northern California coastline and was constructed using non-corrosive and wear-resistant materials.
The exterior features a large wraparound porch, a chalkboard, and ample seating, while the interior is filled with bright red and yellow hues.
70. Luxury Treehouse
With its 1920s cabins and vintage Boy Scout tents, Camp Wandawega, located in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, evokes the set of Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom. But the camp’s most charming feature is its three-level treehouse, built around a massive elm tree and outfitted with Pendleton blankets, tree swings, and Mason jar light fixtures.
Used as a common space, guests can read a book in the treehouse’s library on a rainy day or spend a lazy afternoon on the bottom-level hammock.
71. Hidden Storage
The “Writer’s Block” cabin designed by Cheng + Snyder features storage for a canoe under its bed and workbench space.
Located in Westport, Maine, on the banks of the Sheepscott River, the 190-square-foot hideaway features windows arranged to maximize views and allow for passive heating and cooling.
72. Countryside Hideaway
Surrounded by peaceful, bucolic farmland in Somerset, England, the Shepherds Hut Retreat is comprised of four tiny “huts” available for rent.
Each structure overlooks a nearby pond and includes its own private deck and fire pit. Inside the 20- by eight-foot huts, you’ll find a fully functioning kitchen, a bathroom, a dining area, and a built-in bed. Rental rates start from around $243 per weekend.
73. Tropical Treehouse
Set in a lush tropical paradise, the 250-square-foot Sunset Beach Treehouse Bungalow in Haleiwa, Hawaii, overlooks one of the North Shore’s most famous surf spots. Renters climb a 100-step stone path to reach the structure, nestled among black lava rocks and a leafy canopy of banana, avocado, and mango trees.
Featuring a full-size bed as well as a lofted sleeping area, the treehouse sleeps as many as three people and includes a kitchenette and bathroom. Rental rates start from $1,200 per week.
74. Agricultural Architecture
The Yolo County Cabin, designed by Butler Armsden Architects, sits on a 400-acre farm in the rural Northern California town of Winters.
With a structure inspired by the local water towers and lean-to sheds that dot the area’s surrounding agricultural landscape, the home’s elevated viewing terrace offers a 360-degree view of the land.
75. Gingerbread Cottage
The historic community of Wesleyan Grove in the town of Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard is well known for its hundreds of adorable, colorful gingerbread cottages. The community began as a Methodist Church campground in the 1860s, where open-air revival meetings were held during the warmer months.
Church members eventually began building summer cottages, many of which feature ornate Victorian details and colorful trim. Wesleyan Grove is now designated as a National Historic Landmark District. While the cottages are privately owned, several are available to rent.
76. Charming Florida Cottage
Nearly every surface in author Fifi O’Neill’s Sarasota, Florida, home displays some sort of collection: weathered accessories, antique linens, white pottery, vintage enamelware, more pottery—you get the picture.
And yet, at only 1,375 square feet, the two-bedroom, two-bath cottage feels cheerful and open, not cluttered or overcrowded. Her secret? Putting her favorite finds to work, not just up on a shelf to be admired.
77. Victorian Farmhouse
Painted with six colors, The Painted Lady is an intricately designed micro farmhouse in Round Top, Texas, from Tiny Texas Houses. With a Victorian-style exterior, the interior measures 12 by 26 feet and features a built-in couch, full kitchen, Murphy bed, sleeping loft, and bathroom with a glassed-in shower and a river rock floor.
The home is 99 percent pure salvage, including the beams, floor joists, studs, windows, doors, and interior and exterior skins.
78. Rustic Salvaged Cottage
Made from 95 percent salvaged materials, the Arched Zebu is a tiny prairie house from Tiny Texas Houses. Measuring 12 by 18 feet, the house is built from materials that are close to 200 years old.
Featuring beautiful arched windows, the cottage includes a lofted sleeping area, kitchen, and shabby chic details.
79. Tumbleweed Tiny House Company
One of the first tiny house manufacturers, Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, now offers travel trailers and prefab cottages starting at 117 square feet.
The model pictured here features a bump-out in the front that can be used as a sitting or sleeping area.
80. Quaint Bungalow
Armed with plenty of curb appeal, the Loring is a prefab small bungalow from Tumbleweed Tiny House Company.
With a ceiling measuring almost 17 feet tall, the model comes in 261-square-foot and 356-square-foot versions.
81. Micro Farmhouse
Tumbleweed Tiny House Company’s Bodega model features a fireplace, a full bath, and a kitchen, with the optional addition of a bedroom that would take the space to 356 square feet.
Designed to keep construction costs low, the plans cost $759.
82. Katrina Cottages
Designed as an affordable solution to the housing crisis after Hurricane Katrina, Katrina Cottages start at 308 square feet.
