12 of the Most Impressive Tiny Houses You've Ever Seen

This 196-square-foot house near Boise, Idaho, is home to Macy Miller, her partner James, their daughter Hazel, and their Great Dane, Denver. A 27-year-old architect, Macy designed the home from scratch and built it on a 24-foot flatbed with help from friends and family. Clad in siding made of recycled pallet wood, the minimalist home is flooded with light and feels spacious despite its size. Hidden storage under the bed, above the pantry, and behind the fridge are contrasted with open shelving in the kitchen to make the space feel bigger. In total, Macy spent about $11,000 on her tiny house and is now able to live rent- and mortgage-free.

Look inside Macy's tiny house.

Inspired by and built by the team responsible for the gorgeous cottages at the Canoe Bay resort in the woods of Wisconsin, the 392-square-foot Escape looks like a high-end cabin but is actually a 28- by 14-foot Park Model RV on wheels. Vaulted ceilings and a large window wall give an airy feel to the cottage, which includes a living room with fireplace and kitchen wall and a separate bedroom and bath. Large French doors open to a screened porch that can be used as an extended living room, sleeping porch, or a dining area. The red-striped chaise lounge doubles as a bed with heated coils, perfect for naps on chilly days. Escape is available to rent at Canoe Bay, or can be custom-built for buyers and delivered ready to live-in. Prices start at $79,900.

Look inside the Escape.

This 336-square-foot original WeeHouse from Alchemy Architects was built in 2003 to house a family off the grid on the Minnesota prairie near Lake Pepin. With floor-to-ceiling windows on both sides, the modern micro home is flooded with light. The interior is completely wrapped in douglas fir and features Ikea built-in cabinetry and kitchen elements.

See more of the original WeeHouse.

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Set in a wooded area, this 300-square-foot studio retreat in Chappaqua, New York, is nestled between two rock outcroppings—one is used as a backdrop and the other as a bookend to the deck. The design team at Workshop/apd chose Dark Ipe siding and decking and walnut interiors for a natural mid-century modern look that connects the structure to its wooded surroundings. Windows wrapping the western facade frame the scenery and visually enlarge the intimate space.

Find out more about the Studio Retreat.

One of 14 tiny cabins at the Blue Moon Rising ecotourism retreat in McHenry, Maryland, the 250-square foot Kaya has a rustic reclaimed metal and wood exterior. Built by the folks at Hobbitat, the quaint interior features a living space, queen-bed nook, bathroom, and kitchen with a view of nature, all under a curved, corrugated metal ceiling. Rental rates per night range from $249 to $349.

Look inside the Kaya.

This tiny beach cottage on Florida’s St. George Island is called “Our Little Secret” by its owners. Small in size, it’s mighty in design: Its coastal-cracker exterior is made of a Structured Insulated Paneling System built to withstand hurricane-force winds, while its cheery interior features beadboard walls and ceilings and bamboo floors. Including the loft space, the 325-square-foot cottage sleeps two to four people, while a generous deck expands the living space into the outdoors for a perfect vacation retreat.

Look inside Our Little Secret by the Sea.

This 400-square-foot cabin with a refined decor sits nestled among fir, cedar, and madrone trees on the East Sound of Washington state’s Orcas Island. Designed by architect David Vandervort, the cross-shaped floorplan creates distinct alcoves for the kitchen, dining room, and bathroom, while a ladder provides access to the loft bedroom above the central living room. French doors lead out to a patio of flagstone, which is also used at the cabin’s entrance. (Building plans of a prototype of this cabin are available for purchase from Vandervort.)

Look inside the Orcas Island Cabin.

Painted with six colors, The Painted Lady is an intricately designed micro farmhouse in Round Top, Texas, from Tiny Texas Houses. With a Victorian style exterior, the interior measures 12- by 26-feet and features a built-in couch, full kitchen, Murphy bed, sleeping loft, and bathroom with a glassed-in shower with a river rock floor. The home is 99 percent pure salvage, including the beams, floor joists, studs, windows, doors, and interior and exterior skins.

Look inside The Painted Lady.

The 204-square-foot “Wind River Bungalow” is the Chattanooga, Tennessee, home of tiny house enthusiasts Travis and Brittany Pyke, who started Wind River Custom Homes to help others fulfill their dreams of living simply in mini dream homes. Constructed of rain-screen cedar and hardy siding for extreme durability, the bungalow is full of custom features, including a pine and cedar interior, polymer concrete counters, and a loft ladder integrated into the shelving system.

Look inside the Wind River Bungalow.

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