12 Micro Houses That Let You Live Big In A Tiny Shell
Bigger is always better…or is it? When it comes to houses and apartments there’s no general rule. Great comfort and beauty can be achieved even in a microhouse. Similarly, a lot of studio apartments are ingeniously designed and adapted to offer all the necessary features using minimal floor space. The tiny house movement is actually becoming increasingly popular by the day. On that idea, it’s now time to have a look at some great examples of tiny house designs. We’ll start with the smallest one of all.
First off, let’s have a look at a tiny house built out of scavanged household materials. It’s a wooden structure put together using things like the front glass section of a washing machine, discarded kitchen cabinets and pallets. The washing machine section became a window and a set of storm windows were turned into the roof of the house. It measures 2.2 square meters and other versions can be made according to each client’s requirements. In case you’re interested, this is the Gypsy Junker and was made of carpenter Derek Diedricksen in his own backyard for only $200.
The Transforming A-frame Cabin is a rather different story. First of all, it costs $1200 to build this structure and those interested can download the plans and start making their own versions. The main idea behind this design was to make something that was easy and quick to build and which could serve a variety of purposes. The original design features 7.4 square meters of floor space. One end of the microhouse drops down and can be transformed into a porch with mosquito nets, thus increasing the floor space. there’s enough room inside for a bed, a kitchen and plenty of storage.
Nicknamed “Nido”, this tiny house was built in Finland by Robin Falck. It overlooks a beautiful lake and the surroundings are marvelous. Although it measures only 8.9 square meters, the house is not as cramped and tiny as it may seem. It was built using a lot of recycled materials and the whole project cost around $10,500. The sleeping area is placed upstairs while the ground floor is dedicated to a social space with a small sofa and a pair of chairs. The deck is a great extension, perfect for enjoying the views and the outdoors.
Tiny houses like the ones described so far are usually designed to serve as extensions, temporary shelters or vacation retreats. Designer Hristina Hristova chose to create a stylish vacation house on wheels which would allow the user to bring their own suite and to choose the location instead of choosing pricey resorts. This modern micro house offers 9 square meters of space and sits on wheels. It can be extended with a roof and, even though it has a tiny house interior, it doesn’t look that small and manages to incorporate all the basic necessities.
Projects like the one created by Tengbom Architects show that tiny house living is actually not that bad, especially when you’re a student on a tight budget and under a lot of pressure to find a place to stay in the city. The architects came up with a concept specifically for students. The microhouse they designed offers 10 square meters of living space, is affordable and highly functional in addition to also being eco-friendly. Inside this cute structure there’s a kitchen, a table which can also be used as a desk, a bathroom, a sleeping area and even a relaxation nook with a hanging chair by the window.
Next on our list of tiny houses is this 12 square meter mini studio which used to be an empty room that was to small to serve any purpose. it’s now a cozy mini studio in Paris and it has a bathroom hidden behind a perforated screen, a small kitchen with storage and a comfortable sleeping area. The bed can be hidden under the platform when not needed and the space becomes a living area with a small sofa. The interior is roomy despite the reduced size and with lots of clever features such as the staircase drawers or the geometric shelves.
In Wroclaw, Poland there’s this tiny apartment that measures only 13 square meters. It’s not nearly enough floor space for most people but designer Szymon Hanczar wasn’t discouraged and took this as a challenge. This became a space which proves 13 is not an unlucky number if you’re the one living here. The apartment has all the important features and even some quirky ones. there’s a small kitchen area, a dining table/ desk, a sleeping loft space accessible via a ladder, a spacious closet, a bathroom and even a comfortable hammock and a bike rack.
This is Vista, one of the so called personal homes designed by Escape Homes. they’re named like that because they are indeed personal spaces designed to be adapted to each person’s needs and preferences. This particular model measures 14.8 square meters and is build with cedar wood and steel panels on the exterior. The interior is bright and fresh, with a sleeping area framed by three windows, a small kitchen, a bathroom with shower, a small dining space and plenty of storage throughout. So if you’re searching for a tiny house for sale, this would be one of the loveliest options.
14.8 square meters is also the amount of space offered by this tiny house on wheels built as part of the “tiny project less house more life”. This mobile house has a modern look and a passive solar design. It has 10 windows and a glass door and all are designed to let natural light in and to connect the inhabitants to their surroundings. Inside there’s a workspace with a desk, a fold-down table and built-in storage, a loft bed with storage for clothes, a tiny kitchen nook, a bathroom and a seating space. There’s plenty of room for customization since the design is simple, modern and also quite flexible.
This tiny apartment in Seattle has been customized by engineer Steve Sauer who perfected a subterranean storage unit. The apartment measures 16.9 square meters and was named the “pico dwelling” because of its small size. The design focuses on ways to stack functions into layered spaces. there’s a covered hole in the floor which conceals a soaking tub which is quite the unusual feature for an apartment this small. The space also integrates a kitchen with all necessary amenities, a custom table for six, a bathroom and a sleeping area formed of a mattress and a tabletop platform.
The biggest size we included for all the tiny houses and apartments is 17 square meters and is featured by two projects. The first one is the Gulf Islands Cabin found in Canada. it’s a single-room structure that lets the user or users enjoy and experience their surroundings without having to worry about maintenance. A large weathered steel panel covers the window and glass door, securing the structure. The interior is very welcoming and cozy, with wooden floor and ceiling, textured area rugs, stylish furniture and a clean and modern décor throughout.
The second project that measures 17 square meters is the Pod Idladla. it’s a prefab tiny house designed to be flexible and adaptable to a variety of needs. Each space is designed to serve two or more functions. The standard model has a front deck which emphasizes a very smooth indoor-outdoor connection and transition. The sleeping area is a loft space which can be accessed via a ladder and downstairs there’s a kitchen and plenty of storage for everything.