There’s nothing more charming than a tiny house! These homes aren’t just adorable—they’re budget-friendly, eco-conscious, and perfect for embracing a simpler lifestyle. With endless design possibilities, it’s amazing how much style can fit into less than 1,000 square feet.
We’ve gathered a collection of our favorite tiny and small homes to inspire your dreams. Whether you want to build or buy, many of these homes offer plans or ready-to-assemble kits. Perfect for downsizing, creating a cozy vacation retreat, or adding a backyard guest house, these tiny homes are packed with big ideas.
Not ready to commit to tiny living full-time? No problem! Some of these gems are available as vacation rentals, so you can test out the lifestyle before making the leap. Start exploring your tiny home dreams today!
6 Awesome Tiny Houses
1. Converted Schoolhouse
Designers John Loecke and Jason Oliver Nixon of Madcap Cottage looked outside the “home box” for their upstate New York tiny home. In just 858 square feet, their happy converted 1840s schoolhouse features at least a dozen paint colors, just as many patterned fabrics and wallpapers, and ample antiques behind its No. 2 pencil-colored door.
2. Converted Boathouse
When building a house with a small footprint, you have some unique “lot” options, like this converted boathouse of designer Gary McBournie. To make the most of the 880 square feet, Gary used clever space-saving design ideas like wall sconces instead of lamps and a built-in banquette for seating.
3. Cozy Lake House
Abby and Joe Albers turned their 800-square-foot Michigan lake cottage into a this nostalgia-rich retreat filled with vintage collections. Inside, all white walls keep the small space feeling open and airy, while also serving as a clean backdrop for all of Abby’s camp-style collections.
4. Antiques-Filled Bungalow
Nestled in a valley surrounded by towering sycamore trees, Bambi and Frank Costanzo’s tiny (996 square feet!) 1920s bungalow stands tall thanks to its handsome dark exterior. The front porch originally extended all the way across the house, but Bambi co-opted one half to get extra room for a new library inside.
5. Grain Silo Guest House
Antiques dealer Amy Kleinwachter transformed a 14-foot-round grain silo into this quirky one-of-a-kind 1,000-square-foot guesthouse. Besides the silo itself, the home feature numerous other salvaged materials such as weathered beadboard, sheet metal, window frames, and even an old metal awning.
6. Coastal Cottage
Saltboxes and Cape Cod-style cottages have historically been small in size and offer lots of information on how to live big in a compact space. Seasoned with coastal character, this historic home of designer Jennifer Vaughn-Miller and her family packs ample seaside charm into its tiny 1,000-square-foot footprint. A highlight of the tiny home is the narrow 28-foot-wide hearth perfectly sized for the cozy living room.
I want to build a tiny house as a guest house in my backyard
I love tiny houses but can’t rent or get land with fighting the county
Love them all. Would love to see the inside and plans.