When it comes to real estate, 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 pod that's as sustainable as it is smart, click or scroll to take a look at the world's best tiny homes, that don't compromise on anything...
This award-winning tiny home in Canterbury, New Zealand, is 100% off-grid and just as beautiful. Designed by the team at Studio Well Architecture, the property incorporates locally sourced materials and simplistic design, but that doesn't stop it from being utterly dreamy.
Known as the Kererū Retreat, the remote holiday home spans less than 190 square feet and was built entirely from salvaged materials, including timber and galvanised iron. Self-sufficient, it boasts solar panels on its roof, a rainwater collection tank and a composting toilet. A small exterior deck is the perfect spot for stargazing and soaking up the surrounding scenery.
Inside, the home's rustic theme continues, with beautiful untreated wood covering the walls, ceiling and floor. As for spaces, there's a hand-crafted kitchen, a dining nook, a sitting area and an elevated bed platform, located right next to a huge picture window.
Despite its tiny interior, the house also offers a hidden bathroom and a sleeping loft, meaning it can accommodate up to four people at a time. Recently, the property was recognised, being named a DINZ Best Awards Silver Winner.
Known as Riversdale Retreat, this architecturally designed tiny home was a finalist in Airbnb’s 2023 Host Awards – and it isn't a surprise. The home is surrounded by native bushland in the Australian town of Chewton, but it's its design and green credentials that make it truly remarkable.
Designed by Insite, the unique property is both eco-friendly and innovative. Imbued with Japanese influences, it features a bold, cantilevered design that allows it to "sit off the land yet be immersed within it", the architects explain. Crafted with bushfire and ESD (Ecologically Sustainable Development) principles in mind, it boasts solar hot water, a rainwater tank and super insulation.
What's more, it benefits from a gorgeous, modern interior with chic furnishings, wood-burning stoves, high ceilings and giant sliding screens that allow the occupant to control the interior climate. Large windows and portholes frame lovely landscape views, while its "floating decks" allow for unobstructed panorama.
The pad was also shortlisted at the World Architecture Festival Awards 2009, the High Commendation Houses Awards 2011 and the Commendation Interior Design Awards 2010.
The Greek capital of Athens is a densely populated city, with almost 3.2 million residents living in 39 square kilometres. Here, the average apartment ranges from between 376 and 1,044 square feet, so space is in short supply.
So when a young family of three moved to the city, they turned to the architects at KN Group to help them transform their compact flat in this former office building, into a practical and beautiful family home.
Measuring just over 1,000 square feet, the micro home needed to provide space for two adults and a child to relax, cook, dine and sleep, all without compromising on comfort or privacy.
The former office space had a basic layout, so KN Group opted to redesign the floorplan, creating a partition in the middle of the apartment that smartly separates the public spaces from the quiet, private areas.
There's a small entrance lobby, which flows through to a hallway. From here, there's a luxurious kitchen with a dining area, a family bathroom, a lounge and a master bedroom.
Tucked into a cosy nook is the second bedroom. Created using functional, built-in furniture, the bed can be turned into a sofa, while the shelving unit above acts as a mini library. What's more, ample windows draw plenty of light inside and even provide views of the Acropolis.
Featured in Vogue Living and Architectural Digest, this woodland retreat is also award-winning, having been named the Best Guest House or Artist Residence at the 2016 New York Design Awards. Designed by Steven Holl Architects, the impressive cabin is known as Ex of In House and lies in Rhinebeck, New York, on 30 private acres.
The project aimed to create a unique vacation retreat that preserves the natural landscape and habitats around it. "Instead of building today’s typical 'McMansion' of several thousand square feet", the architects instead opted to create a single house of just 918 square feet, with three spherical voids at its centre, resulting in a truly unusual interior.
Available to rent on Airbnb, the property boasts a kitchen and living space on the ground floor, with a staircase leading to the main bedroom. Huge windows and roof lights allow the woodland to merge with the interior, drawing ample light inside. Instead of fossil fuels, the house is heated geothermally while solar panels provide its power.
The Space of Mind modular cabin was initially developed in response to the 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 a forest clearing.
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 residents 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.
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.
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 254 square feet of inside space and comes with various interior design options.
Prices start from just £33,100 ($42k) and 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.
Smart as well as eco-friendly, the pod comes with built-in electric blinds, smart locks, water filter systems and motion sensor lighting.
Formed from 90% recyclable construction materials, Cube One is pollution and emission-free. Plus, thanks to its design, it’s also termite resistant. Rooftop solar panels power the home, while its foundation-free construction means it will have minimal impact on the environment.
All units are built-to-order so can be made compliable with any local regulations and can be delivered anywhere in the world.
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...
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.
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 last sold in late 2020 for £1.3 million ($1.6m).
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.
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.
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.
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.
Taking just 24 hours to print, the pad was created by ICON, Bandd Design and New Story, a not-for-profit organisation that aims to provide affordable housing solutions for displaced people around the world.
The home's design was inspired by the colours of the desert and everywhere you look you can see unique textures and beautiful materials. A warm timber ceiling and plenty of glazing add warmth to this stripped-back pad.
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 £7,900 ($10k) to construct, this revolutionary tiny home could change residential construction as we know it.
Beautiful and inspirational in equal measure, this custom-made miniature mansion proves that you don't need bucket-loads of space 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.
Designed by Chris Freeburn of Ironbark Architecture, 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 to finance a tiny self-build project.
The couple followed a less-is-more approach to the scheme, buying sparingly but investing in premium materials to create a high-quality finish. The 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.
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 £78,800 ($100k), Christoph created a truly genius tiny home that perfectly suits his lifestyle.
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 garden.
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 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.
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 harbour, on a private lake or an urban canal. When a change of scenery is in order, the home can simply be towed to a new location.
Covering just 269 square feet, the floating home boasts a living space, sleeping area, kitchen and bathroom. The well-organised 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 harbour-side café, an artist’s studio, or anything else the purchaser might desire.
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 cosy and ultra-stylish.
Entirely customisable, 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.
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.
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 £169,400 ($215k), 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 colour palette of crisp white, vibrant teal and exposed timber.
Boasting a living room, a beautiful kitchen, a utility area, a stunning bathroom and a bedroom mezzanine, 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.
Named one of the best tiny homes of 2019 by Dwell, this stunning property can be installed in a backyard in just two weeks. Tiny home manufacturers, Abodu, designed the pad in collaboration with Dwell and Norm Architects, to create more housing in dense urban areas in a very short space of time.
Known as Dwell House, the 540-square-foot residence features an easy, open-plan layout with built-in storage, a full-size kitchen with premium appliances, custom-made Nanawall bifold glass doors and durable engineered oak floors. Stylish and filled with natural light, the property also has dimmable lighting.
There's also one bedroom and a full bathroom, while a heat pump will power your air conditioning unit, heater and hot water. Fully customisable, the exterior can be finished with vertical cedar siding in either a natural or black finish, while the interior can be altered to meet your design needs.
High-end and highly sought-after, Dwell House can be delivered across the United States but will set you back a cool £346,000 ($439k). If this is what living tiny looks like, then we don't want to live big!
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