Living Small

A major trend in residential design is a shrinking house size, but with high-end amenities. It becomes about creating homes with useful space that is intelligently crafted, instead of just bigger houses with more space. The shift to smaller houses is happening for a number of reasons, including sustainability, functionality, lower costs and the realization that a supersized house isn't a better house.

Home owners are forgoing dining rooms and creating eat-in kitchens in their place. This room has the functionality and intimate feel of a dining room without the extra space.

This galley kitchen takes advantage of vertical space and extends to the outdoors, creating an efficient and comfortable space without a huge footprint.

Taking this idea to the extreme is Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, designer of the world's smallest house and other tiny houses from 65 to 874 square feet (and with tiny price tags too!).