20 Smart Micro House Design Ideas That Maximize Space

There seems to be a trend lately in building tiny, micro houses. It’s basically all about finding a way to include as many things and functions into as little space as possible. There are some very inspiring designs out there and we made it our mission to find them. Here’s what we came up with.

1. 14 Sqm Tiny Cottage

This tiny cottage is located in Lauttasaari, Finland and it has a total surface of 14 square meters. It was designed by Verstas Architects and it’s a nice and ingenious way of getting to enjoy nature in the middle of a busy city.

The 4-person cottage was built for a family just 2 kilometers from their residence. As the owners declare, the cottage is just a place that’s easy to go to in case of urgent matters or simply to take a shower or to take a break.{found on archdaily}.

2. Rustic Backyard Micro House

Most micro houses are built in the back yard of an already existing residence. They’re a sort of extension and they serve all sorts of purposes such as office space or art studio. This particular structure was built in the backyardafter the owner has spent years creating the beautiful garden and realized there’s some spare space there. As a result, this sustainable tiny cottage was built there. It has a wood stove and it’s a cozy hangout space for the family and friends.

3. Ufogel

Sometimes tiny, compact structures are built for other purposes than personal use. For example, this is Ufogel, a vacation house located in Austria. The space can be rented and it sits in a very beautiful region with wonderful views. It has a very unusual geometric shape and this makes it stand out. The irregular lines make it resemble all sorts of things depending on the angle you’re seeing it from. The structure is made of larch wood and it has a sculptural form and this makes it quite unique.

4. Minim House

This is the Minim House, a 235 square foot cottage designed by Foundry Architects and Minim Homes. The tiny house is efficient in every sens of the word. It has a tiny floor plan which makes great use of space and has an organized and space-saving design. The exterior of the house is modern and simple, very sleek and with no overhangs. The hidden rain gutters are integrated into the roof. The interior is modern, simple and inviting.{found on minimhomes}

5. Vina’s House

Because of their reduced dimensions, tiny houses such as the ones presented here could very well be mobile. This allows the owner to take the house wherever he goes and makes vacations very simple. Such a design can be seen on this structure. This is a tiny house on wheels. It has a very small interior but it has the basic elements. It has a kitchen area, a cozy bedroom, a bathroom and even a workspace.{found on tinyhousegiantjourney}.

6. The $200 Microhouse

The Gypsy Junker is a tiny 24 sq ft house made mainly of shipping pallets and things other people discarded. I guess it’s true what they say… one man’s junk is another man’s treasure. This tiny house was built by Derek Diedricksen and it’s not the only one of its kind. He also built the Hickshaw on a rolling cedar lounge chair and the Boxy Lady, the smallest one which is 4 ft tall.{found on nytimes}.

7. Innermost House – 12 Feet Square

What’s wonderful about these tiny houses is that they appear to be small and unforgiving but, when you step inside, they’re surprisingly spacious and they often include all the necessities. This is the Innermost House, a 12 sq ft structure in Northern California. It has an open porch and five separate rooms: a kitchen, a study, a bathroom and a the sleeping areas above, accessible via a ladder stored against the wall.{found on tinyhouseblog}.

8. Melissa Perfect Retreat – 170 Square Feet

Located in Snohomish, WA, this house occupies an area of 170 square feet so it’s not as tiny as most of the other structures presented here. Still, it’s considerably smaller than any home we would normally consider comfortable. Nevertheless, smaller often means cozier. The house is occupies by its two owners and their two cats and it’s very comfortable, inviting and cozy and it was built to meet their needs.{found on apartmenttherapy}.

9. Sandy Beach Tiny House

The Whangapoua Sled House is located near the shores of the Coromandel Peninsula in New Zeeland. It was built by Ken Crosson of Crosson Clarke Carnachan Architects. The house has large glass doors, a retractable folding door which exposes the second floor and lots of shelving on the walls. On the first floor there’s a small dining area and a kitchen and a separate room features three bunk beds.

10. Holiday Prefabricate House

This tiny house was designed to serve as a holiday home. It’s practically the equivalent of a hotel room but without the neighbors and the whole huge building. This one is just for you. It has a minimalist design with clean lines and a harmonious interior. It was designed without a kitchen so the users can fully enjoy their vacation without having to lift a finger. The windows are placed at the perfect angle to let natural light infuse the interior.{found on site}.

11. Mighty Micro House

This micro house is a mobile home and it has a very welcoming interior. Although it’s very small, it has a kitchen with a tiny dining area, a window bench/ reading corner and a cozy sleeping area which you can access via a ladder. It’s a great use of space and it could serve as a wonderful mobile home for trips and vacations.{found ontinyhouseswoon}.

12. Student Tiny House

This tiny house is a student unit designed by Tengbom Architects. It was designed specifically for students and it’s eco-friendly, smart and functional. The unit measures only 10 square meters so it’s very compact but it doesn’t look crowded with furniture. The interior design is minimalist and the unit offers the basic things such as a kitchen, a bathroom and a sleeping area. It even has a patio. If you’re not convinced of its great design, you can go see it at the Virserum Art Museum in Sweden.

13. Finnish Woods- 96 Sq.ft.

In the Finnish woods there’s a small but very interesting micro cabin. Because it’s so small, the cabin doesn’t exist on papers as building regulations say you only need a permit if you build something larger than 96-128 square feet. The cabin has exactly 96 square feet. It has a small ground floor with a living area, kitchen and bathroom and the upper floor features a sleeping area and a storage space. The cabin also has a deck.

14. Vacation Home

This is a transportable home designed by Abaton Architects. It’s basically a house you can take with you on vacations and trips and it offers you everything you need. It’s like taking a smaller version of your home with you. Inside, the house is bright and airy. It has a glass wall so that you can admire the views and the landscape and also so that the light can get inside. What’s also nice is that the structure is actually shaped like a house.

15. Tiny Tack House -13 Square Meter

The Tiny Tack house is a versatile living space and the perfect micro home for its owners. It includes a cozy living area, a raised loft bedroom, a kitchen and a bathroom. It has 11 windows which flood the house with natural light. The house was built almost entirely by its owners with some help from a few friends. Together, they created this lovely wooden home which is also sustainable and quite good-looking.{found on gizmag}.

16. Japanese Forest House

This Japanese Forest House was designed by Brian Schultz and it’s a soothing and beautiful escape where you can relax and meditate. Moreover, the house is also sustainable. It was built on a budget of $11,000 and using locally found and salvaged materials. It features a beautiful oriental theme and it sits on a 200 square meter concrete pad. It was crafted using salvaged wooden logs and the windows and door come from the local dump.{found ondecoist}.

17. Leaf House

Built by Leaf House, this tiny house is located in Yukon, Canada. It’s the second structure of this kind that the architects build so they named it Version.2. It has a total of about 215 square feet of living space and it’s a wheels house. Inside you can find a full kitchen, a full bathroom, a dining area and a sleeping area. The house is insulated and was built with cedar siding, a composting toilet, tankless water heating and triple-pane windows.{found on jetsongreen}.

18. Mini Mod House – 27 Square Meters

This black compact building is a micro house with a modern and very sleek design. Its black exterior makes it seem even smaller. The interior is bright and airy and surprisingly spacious. The glass walls offer magnificent views, especially if you take this tiny house in the middle of nature. The minimalist design suits it well. One of most beautiful things about it is the green roof.{found on behance}.

19. Eco-Friendly

This micro home can be found in France and it was built using renewable materials. It was designed by Paris-based firm Studio 1984 and the whole structure is organized around a rectangular inner volume with walls made of farm straw. A wood-plank frame keeps the straw in place and wooden boards give the house a cohesive look on the inside. The interior is clean, simple and airy, typical to modern homes.

20. Duck Chalet

This is the Duck Chalet, a tiny house with a green design. It was built by its owners in 4 months although the design process took a year and a half.They built it using a trailer as a starting point. The trailer was modified and every little inch of space was smartly used, after all, these wasn’t much to spare. Inside there’s custom-made cabinetry and a warm décor with wood accents.{found on tinyhouseblog}.