Living tiny is alluring for many reasons: freedom from debt, personalized space, and mobility are a few reasons to explore the lifestyle. For us, we were attracted to tiny houses because we wanted both freedom, and a sense of home. We want to be able to nest and fly at the same time. Living tiny has actually taught us a lot about happiness too. We ended up living tiny in a micro-RV, but we still fantasize about living in a tiny house. Check out the 25 photos to make you love tiny house design below!

For years of obsessing over tiny house shows on TV, we still always wondered: could anyone actually live in those spaces? Sure they were cute in theory, but were they realistic? How would we get rid of all of our stuff? (more on downsizing tips here)

Surprisingly, in a state where “everything is bigger in Texas,” there are a number of tiny house communities popping up. So while we were Texas, we visited one to see what tiny houses were actually like. Each home we toured was incredibly different. The homes we liked best shared some themes that made them very livable: like great light, artful homey details, and thoughtful, personalized design.

We learned that the details and creativity of the spaces made them very livable places, particularly for a single person or couple. Here are 3o photos to fall in love with tiny houses.

25 photos to make you love tiny house design

Tiny House Tours

We walked in multiple homes and were stunned by the a mount of creativity and uniqueness of each home. When all we watched tiny house shows we always wondered how livable the spaces actually were. But what we learned by visiting a few: we could totally live in a tiny house!

Some aspects of tiny houses are still a little awkward, but the ones with really intelligent design transformed a small space into a comfortable human centered home. Here are a few design details that really made the spaces livable:

1. Big Windows

The number one feature we liked were the homes with large windows that really opened the space up. The larger the windows, the larger the space felt for us. Even small lofts felt comfortable if they had nice lighting.

2. bright interiors

Perhaps this is just personal taste, but the homes with white or light walls really called to us. They felt breezy and spacious, even in very small spaces.

3. Details that feel like “home”

One of our favorite aspects of tiny houses is the design touches. Little details that feel like home really make the spaces. From lamps, to kitchens, to creative couches, every detail made each home feel like a quiet sanctuary for their owner.

4. Creative solutions

Another inspiring aspect of the tiny house movement, and the tiny houses we saw on this tour, was the level of creativity that went into each corner of the house. Not only were the details homey, but the constraints of space inspired makers to be really clever. Bathrooms were small but useful. Stairways to lofts were creatively accessible. Bookcases and storage were built into walls in resourceful ways.

5. Spaces designed for you

One thing that we learn from living in a teardrop, is that your body can literally only take up one room at a time. If there are only 1 or 2 people, a house only needs to be big enough to have your body feel comfortable in it, one space at a time. If your house only has one room, but is incredibly comfortable in that room, then it has everything you need. What we learned looking at at least 10 different self-made homes, was that each one was different and was designed specifically around the inhabitant. There was no “perfect design” because all houses had some feature(s) that felt luxurious, but often had to sacrifice the space somewhere else.

One couple had a fantastic TV / living room, with a big full size couch and a huge TV. It was amazingly cozy, and I could just imagine wanting to stay in that space all day, getting into my favorite game or movie series. Because their living room took up about half the house, the other half held the kitchen and bathroom on the first floor, and the bed and library on the second. One half felt expansive, and the other cozy. They prioritized the space around the types of activities that were important to them.

Another woman had a full sized bathroom with a tub, and grand open living room /kitchen/ dining area. But she needed to convert her couch to a bed every night. Without a loft, the whole place felt simple yet spacious. But with the clean elegant lines, big windows, and full bath, it was probably our favorite design.

Would you live in a tiny house?

After touring a tiny house village, we could easily live in them comfortably! For us, living extra tiny has been relatively a dream come true. Ever considered living in a tiny house yourself? Ever thought “those people are crazy?” Yeah- us too. That is, until we tried it. You don’t know what you don’t know! If you’ve ever considered going tiny, what’s stopping you? We’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment with any and all of your thoughts on the tiny house movement below.

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