When it comes to houses, we’ve all been duped into thinking that bigger is better. Yet what could be more clever and enticing than a home that perfectly meets your needs without wasting a single inch of space? From a floating micro-home that can be located anywhere in the world, to a state-of-the-art apartment slotted into 140 square feet, we take a look at the world’s best tiny homes that don’t compromise on a single thing! Click or scroll through for more…
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Movable modular cabin
The Space of Mind modular cabin was initially developed in response to the on-going coronavirus crisis. With people spending more time at home, the architects at Studio Puisto in Finland wanted to create a movable cabin that would redefine the idea of a home away from home. The team wanted the property to be adaptable, practical and suitable for almost any location, whether installed in a backyard or in a forest clearing.
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Movable modular cabin
The designers decided to keep the exterior of Space of Mind a blank canvas, while offering the occupier the chance to transform the interior to suit their individual needs. The compact cabin boasts custom-made furniture, which is attached to the structure of the house via rungs, giving the resident the freedom to tailor the space as they desire. This also makes the modern cabin timeless, meaning it can be modified now, or in 20 years’ time.
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Movable modular cabin
Covering just under 107 square feet, the micro dwelling is compact but space-efficient. A pitched ceiling enhances the impression of space, while a large picture window draws plenty of sunlight inside. Designed to be transported to any position by crane or helicopter, the house is also entirely sustainable. Formed from ecologically sourced Finnish wood, the cabin can withstand even the harshest of Arctic winters, without the need for insulation.
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Award-winning Hamptons beach house
The Hamptons is renowned for being one of America’s most expensive places to buy a house. Usually reserved for enormous beach-front mansions and glamorous country piles, this part of the States doesn’t usually do things by halves. Yet this inspiring tiny home can be found in the Amagansett Dunes area of East Hampton, just a stone’s throw from the sand…
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Award-winning Hamptons beach house
The owners of the property purchased the quarter-of-an-acre plot more than 40 years ago and due to local building regulations, were only able to install a 600-square-foot house. So they approached Bates Masi + Architects to design a functional and beautiful coastal home that not only met planning restraints, but their individual needs, too. The award-winning residence boasts two bedrooms, a living room, a dining nook, a kitchen and floor-to-ceiling windows.
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Award-winning Hamptons beach house
Other amenities include zoned air conditioning, a Sonos sound system, a utility area and an outdoor deck. Don’t be fooled into thinking this Hamptons home might come with a tiny price tag, though. In fact, it’s thought this beautiful building could be the world’s most expensive micro dwelling and recently sold for a staggering $1.7 million.
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High-tech tiny home
Known as The Breezeway, this high-tech tiny home is kitted out with all the latest gadgets, making it beautiful and entirely state-of-the-art. Designed by micro-home building company, Tiny Heirloom, the property is just 32 feet long and its unique angular structure was inspired by the mountains and valleys of Texas, USA. The vehicle is also on wheels, which means it can be moved and set up just about anywhere.
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High-tech tiny home
While the exterior is made from 100% recycled steel and cedarwood, the inside of the house is decked out with everything you could possibly need for modern living. There’s a sleek kitchen with a Belfast sink, mixer faucet, marble countertops, oven and cooktop, as well as a large garage-style door that slides up into the ceiling, opening up the interior to the great outdoors. The Breezeway is also equipped with a Bose sound system and an LED-illuminated wine rack.
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High-tech tiny home
Full of clever gadgets, the kitchen contains a TV lift, which raises the screen on command. There’s even touch-activated storage embedded within the structure. The bedroom, located in the loft, features a swivel TV so you can watch your favorite shows in bed, or in the kitchen below, while the bathroom is finished with marble-style walls, a porcelain tiled shower and a washer and dryer, all in just 30 square feet of space.
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140-square-foot apartment
Designed by Studiomama in 2016, 13m2 House proves that less is definitely more. Thought to be London’s smallest house, the dwelling was once a mini-cab office, which the company’s co-founders, Nina Tolstrup and Jack Mama, bought at auction. The pair challenged themselves to turn the tiny space into a livable house and the result is simply incredible. Measuring just 140 square feet, Tolstrup and Mama were inspired by caravans and boats, developing a scheme that didn’t waste an inch of space.
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140-square-foot apartment
The apartment needed to be flexible and multi-functional, so the pair set about creating custom-made plywood furniture that could slot around the edge of the interior. Thanks to clever construction, the space has been subtly divided into five zones and boasts a double bed, a work space, a lounge area, a dining table, a kitchen and a private bathroom.
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140-square-foot apartment
The architects used mirrors to enhance the sense of space, while large windows draw natural light inside. The apartment’s walls also harbor hidden storage, which can be closed off to create a neat finish. A sofa is integrated into an alcove in the wall, while the Murphy bed can be tucked away when not in use, freeing up floor space for other activities. When it comes to clever design, this micro-apartment is as good as it gets!
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Contemporary glass treehouse
Designed by Cape Town-based architecture studio, Malan Vorster, this spectacular treehouse is the ultimate wilderness retreat. Formed from glass and four cylindrical towers of untreated red cedar, the one-of-a-kind tiny home merges into its woodland setting. Built on a steep sloping plot, the house is elevated off the ground by stilts, in a bid to preserve the surrounding environment.
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Contemporary glass treehouse
Offering a unique “pin-wheel plan layout”, the treehouse gains support from columns, arms and rings constructed from laser-cut and folded Corten steel plates, which are connected to the natural timber floors by brass bolts. A spectacular living area and kitchen occupy the first floor of the house. A neutral palette allows the warmth of the cedar, and the stunning treetop views, to do all the talking, while the black lines of the furnishings echo the industrial beams that frame the windows.
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Contemporary glass treehouse
Enclosed by a glass balustrade, the master bedroom can be found on a snug mezzanine level above the main living zone. Designed to double as a lookout platform, the suite boasts stunning vistas across the exterior landscape. The bed frame and side table were cleverly built into the wall, creating a minimal, seamless finish that makes the most of every inch of space, while a compact but practical ensuite bathroom is tucked away in a nook behind the bed.
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America’s first 3D-printed house
This beautiful tiny home can be found in Austin, Texas, and is far more than it first appears. Known as Chicon House, the award-winning property was the first 3D-printed home to be built in America, making it ground-breaking as well as stunning! Quick to assemble, affordable and resilient, it’s hoped that the 3D-printed home will offer a solution to the world’s homelessness crisis.
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America’s first 3D-printed house
Taking just 24 hours to print, the pad was created by ICON, Bandd Design and New Story, a not-for-profit organization that aims to provide affordable housing solutions for displaced people around the world. The home’s design was inspired by the colors of the desert and everywhere you look you can see unique textures and beautiful materials. A warm timber ceiling and plenty of glazing adds warmth to this stripped-back pad.
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America’s first 3D-printed house
In 2018 Chicon House was named one of the best inventions of the year by TIME magazine, and it’s really no wonder. Spanning just 350 square feet, the compact cabin is made from a concrete composite known as lavacrete, which can withstand extreme weather conditions and even natural disasters. Costing just $10,000 to construct, this revolutionary tiny home could change residential construction as we know it.
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Custom-made crib
Beautiful and inspirational in equal measure, this custom-made miniature mansion proves that you don’t need bucket-loads of space in order to live well. Home to Dan and Marnie Prowse, the ultra-modern tiny home lies in a leafy suburb of Sydney, Australia, and was designed to perfectly suit the needs of a family of four.
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Custom-made crib
Designed by Chris Freeburn of Ironbark Architects, the property stands at just 340 square feet and offers two separate bedrooms, a spacious living area, a full-sized kitchen and plenty of outdoor space. The house came about when Dan and Marnie decided they wanted to live more simply. They had a spacious backyard at their disposal, so opted to rent out their house in order to finance a tiny self-build project.
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Custom-made crib
The couple followed a less-is-more approach to the scheme, buying sparingly but investing in premium materials in order to create a high-quality finish. The end result is a magnificent miniature crib that offers each family member their own private space. Generous high ceilings enhance the sense of space, while the lounge is multifunctional thanks to custom-built joinery and movable furnishings. The kitchen also boasts a glass hatch, which opens up to a poolside dining area.
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Multifunctional studio space
This ultra-clever design by Robert M. Gurney Architects was created as a barrier between a public alleyway and a pretty landscaped yard. The homeowners requested a versatile garage-come-studio space that could be used for various things. The simple yet stylish 560-square-foot abode sits neatly at the far side of this yard in the heart of Washington DC, USA.
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Multifunctional studio space
The studio was wrapped in corrugated zinc siding, oriented horizontally in order to emphasize the length of the building, while a tall chimney accommodates the roofing elements and provides natural and mechanical ventilation. The interior space is versatile and compact, offering a bathroom, a changing room for swimmers and a garage space that doubles as a lounge. The homeowners’ son now lives in the compact studio full time – and we really don’t blame him!
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Multifunctional studio space
Large glazing elements allow plenty of natural light to filter inside the property, while a strategically placed skylight draws sunlight down into the studio’s most used space. Built-in storage, a dining area and a small kitchenette also make this compact yet functional yard retreat entirely livable. Nicknamed Studio 6420, the multi-award-winning project proves that sometimes less really is more!
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Clever micro-apartment
When it comes to clever space-saving ideas, this inspiring apartment in Taipei, Taiwan, truly excels. The city is home to over 2.6 million people and for several years there has been an extreme shortage of affordable housing. So, local architecture firm A Little Design came up with a genius solution to help city dwellers take their first steps on to the property ladder…
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Clever micro-apartment
Located inside a former piano studio, the attractive apartment covers an area of just 189 square feet. With 11-foot ceilings, every inch of space has been utilized, thanks to innovative multifunctional furnishings and secret storage spaces. The home’s cozy living room doubles as a dining and work space, while a practical kitchen has been designed to neatly fit in the home’s narrow entranceway.
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Clever micro-apartment
The flat’s small bathroom boasts alcove shelving and a sliding mirrored door, which makes the space feel much larger than it actually is. The room also offers excellent ventilation and a small window that floods it with natural light. From the lounge, steps lead up to the mezzanine bedroom, which comes complete with a queen-sized bed, while hidden closet space can be found in the framework of the loft level.
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Converted grain silo
When Christoph Kaiser spotted a flat-pack grain silo from the 1950s for sale on Craigslist, he thought his storage problems were over. But a quick Google search for similar projects led him down an entirely different path. With a whole lot of hard work, and a budget of around $100,000, Christoph created a truly genius tiny home that perfectly suits his lifestyle.
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Converted grain silo
With a background in residential design, Christoph meticulously planned every inch of the silo’s 26-foot-high frame. He wanted the interior to reflect the elegant curves of the silo’s shell, which meant designing and building bespoke cabinetry and furniture that would hug the walls. He even constructed the home’s ultra-cool sliding door himself, using a material usually reserved for greenhouses, Polygal. The custom-made door opens the interior up to a small private yard.
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Converted grain silo
With just 340 square feet to work with, every space needed a purpose, so Christoph opted to use the full height and volume of the silo, creating an arc of units against one wall of the silo to free up the remaining floor area. A space-saving spiral staircase leads to the mezzanine bedroom, which offers standing room at either side of the bespoke bed, while the home’s bijou bathroom includes a shower, a basin and a toilet.
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Prefab floating home
The architects at Kodasema OÜ in Estonia know a thing or two about innovative housing solutions. In an attempt to tackle the country’s affordable housing crisis, the team set about designing a movable tiny home that wasn’t reliant on land. The KODA Float sits on pontoons that are attached to the shore, enabling people to live in a harbor, on a private lake or on an urban canal. When a change of scenery is in order, the floating abode can simply be towed to a new location.
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Prefab floating home
Covering just 269 square feet, the home boasts a living space, sleeping area, kitchen and bathroom. The well organized interior means every inch of space is put to good use, while high ceilings and full-width windows allow for light-filled and airy spaces. As well as being designed as the ultimate tiny home for everyday living, this versatile modular cabin can also be set up as a harbor-side café, an artist’s studio, or anything else the purchaser might desire.
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Prefab floating home
The prefabricated house is formed from timber, glass, mineral wool and steel, making it a light and movable option. Finished with a plywood interior, KODA Float offers a modern, minimalist finish that is both cozy and ultra-stylish. Entirely customizable, the exterior of the house can be changed to a variety of materials, including timber and zinc cladding, and the home takes just three months to be produced and delivered.
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Oasis model tiny home
We don’t know about you but we think this is one of the most beautiful tiny homes in the world. Designed by brother-and-sister duo, Ellie and Dan Madsen of Paradise Tiny Homes, the Oasis exemplifies the joys of the tiny house movement. Based in Keaau, Hawaii, the Madsens joined forces to design and build micro homes that truly aligned with the way their clients live. Not just practical, their tiny creations offer both freedom and happiness, without the need for compromise.
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Oasis model tiny home
Every inch of the Oasis was designed with purpose, making the most of space by incorporating more of what matters and less of what doesn’t. Starting from $112,000, the Oasis covers 260 square feet and boasts a soaring 14-foot ceiling, thanks to its clever curved roofline that was inspired by a skateboarding half-pipe. The interior is functional and stylish, with a chic color palette of crisp white, vibrant teal and exposed timber.
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Oasis model tiny home
Boasting a living room, a beautiful kitchen, a utility area, a stunning bathroom, a bedroom mezzanine and an outdoor bar, this petite pad has all the makings of a dream home. There’s plenty of hidden storage and an abundance of glazing to allow lots of natural light inside – including two huge awning windows in the kitchen, which open up fully to create a seamless flow between inside and out. Picture-perfect and genuinely stunning, this micro-home is anything but ordinary.
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Green smart home
Functional, environmentally-friendly and integrated with smart technology, this living pod is perhaps the world’s most sophisticated tiny home. Designed by Nestron in Singapore, the Cube One blends futuristic design with sustainable ideas, adding some sci-fi fun to the world of prefabricated architecture. Designed for dense urban areas where low-cost housing is in high demand, the green home features just 156 square feet of space and comes with various interior design options.
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Green smart home
Starting from just $30,000, the Cube One arrives fully furnished and ready for use, but customers can choose add-ons and finishes to make their new home perfectly suited to their needs. Built-in furniture subtly zones areas off for sleeping, cooking and dining, while everything from the TV to the lighting and plumbing comes ready installed upon delivery.
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Green smart home
Formed from 90% recyclable construction materials, Cube One is pollution and emission-free. Rooftop solar panels power the home, while its foundation-free construction means it will have minimal impact on the environment where it’s placed. Smart as well as eco-friendly, the pod also comes with integrated appliances, making it truly state-of-the-art. Designed to suit all locations, it can be shipped anywhere in the world.
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Cantilevered coastal retreat
If there was a prize for the tiny home with the best view, then Fall House would easily win. Positioned on an incredible coastal plot in Big Sur, California, the petite retreat cantilevers over the landscape and benefits from sweeping ocean views. Designed by the team at Fougeron Architecture, the contemporary dwelling was embedded within the land, resulting in a structure that is inseparable from its surroundings.
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Cantilevered coastal retreat
Located on a bluff with a 250-foot drop to the Pacific Ocean, the tiny home is formed from two long, thin volumes that follow the natural contours of the land on which they sit. The house is set back twelve feet from the cliff drop, both to protect the landscape and to ensure the structure’s integrity. One side of the retreat offers expanses of glass, while the other is clad in shimmering copper.
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Cantilevered coastal retreat
Inside, the house offers two levels, one with an open-plan kitchen, living and dining room and the other with three bedrooms. There’s also an all-glass den, a green roof, and a spectacular exterior patio that affords unobstructed coastal vistas. Unsurprisingly, this remarkable property has been recognized with numerous accolades, including an AIA Small Project Award. If this is what living tiny looks like, then we don’t want to live big!
