Who says bigger's better? The cosy eco-friendly micro houses made from household junk for less than $200 (just don't expect a king-size bed)

Made from scavenged materials, Derek Diedricksen's tiny houses cost just $200 to make.

What the little wooden dwellings lack in space, is made up for in style thanks to plenty of decorative detail.



The 33-year-old uses parts of discarded household items to ensure each home has basic functions, the glass from the front of a washing machine is converted in a porthole-like window while a sheet of metal becomes a flip down counter.

Made from scavenged materials, Derek Diedricksen's tiny houses cost just $200 to make

The largest of his structures is the Gypsy Junker at 24 square feet with a roof height of up to 5ft 10inches

The Gypsy Junker is made out of shipping pallets, castoff storm windows and discarded kitchen cabinets Ultimate in eco-friendly: Derek Diedricksen's homes are made from household goods

Assembled in his back-yard, the carpenter has built the portable shelters ranging in size from just four to 24 square feet.



'I’ve always been obsessed with tiny architecture. For my 10th birthday, my father gave me a book, ‘Tiny Houses,’ by Lester Walker, an architect, ' he told the New York Times.

When he was growing up in Connecticut, he built a backyard shed where he played computer games along with countless forts and tree houses.

The largest of his structures is the Gypsy Junker at 24 square feet with a roof height of up to 5ft 10inches. It is made out of shipping pallets, castoff storm windows and discarded kitchen cabinets.

His smallest structure stands at just four feet tall at its highest point. It comes complete with a strained glass window, an empty jar serves as a second window

The Hickshaw, a sleeper built on a rolling cedar lounge chair is just 2 1/2 feet wide by 6 1/2 feet deep with a slanting roof between three feet and four feet 10 inches tall

The Hickshaw is meant for festivals as a tent alternative, but one that is not going to tear as easily and offers a little more security

Guests can sleep on the four-by-six-foot floor in the home where colorful wine bottle bottoms make a charming lindow in the guest area, and there is also heating unit with an exterior vent built from a frying-pan base.

'Originally, it was going to be a place to brainstorm for my book and my designs.There’s no better place than inside someplace that is unconventional and bizarre. It helps you think outside the box instead of sitting in some white-walled room. And my son’s first camp-out was here.'he told the Times.



Considerably smaller, The Hickshaw, a sleeper built on a rolling cedar lounge chair is just 2 1/2 feet wide by 6 1/2 feet deep with a slanting roof between three feet and four feet 10 inches tall.

'The Hickshaw was the first one I built.'

The size of Mr Diedricksen's construction is illustrated markedly when it is parked beside a library in Easton, MA where he gave a talk



The carpenter has built portable shelters ranging in size from just four to 24 square feet

What the little wooden dwellings lack in space, is made up for in style thanks to plenty of decorative detail

'It’s meant as secure sleeping place, a micro mobile shelter. For festivals, it’s a single sleeper: a tent alternative, but one that is not going to tear as easily and offers a little more security.'

' It’s narrow, but you have to sacrifice space if you want to make it movable by one person in wheelbarrow fashion'he told the Times.



His smallest structure stands at just four feet tall at its highest point. It comes complete with a strained glass window, an empty jar serves as a second window.

Of his smallest structure, Mr Diedricksen told the Times: 'The idea was to see if I could build a homeless shelter for under $100,'

Mr Diedricksen is the author of his own graphic instruction book, 'Humble Homes, Simple Shacks, Cozy Cottages, Ramshackle Retreats, Funky Forts'

The 33-year-old uses parts of discarded household items to ensure each home has basic functions

He added: 'Or you could make it into a tree fort.'



' The pickle-jar window allows in light, but it could be storage. Or if you capped it, a horizontal terrarium.'

Mr Diedricksen is the author of his own graphic instruction book, 'Humble Homes, Simple Shacks, Cozy Cottages, Ramshackle Retreats, Funky Forts,'.

The first edition was hand-assembled in his living room and sold 1,500 copies, it will be reissued by Lyons Press next year, according to the Times.



The father-of-two, who makes his living out of working as a carpenter, also has his own YouTube series, 'Tiny Yellow House'. The first episode, on the Hickshaw, got about 7,000 to 8,000 hits the first week, he told the Times.

The pictures above were taken by Bruce Bettis, whose other work can be viewed at www.brucebettis.com

For more on Mr Diedricksen's book visit click here



To view Mr Diedricksen's blog visit www.relaxshacks.com

