Tiny houses are growing in popularity because of increasing environmental consciousness and a desire to reject unnecessary material goods. Transitioning from paper books and files to digital copies is a boon to those who want to make their life leaner, and is helping minimalist housing flourish.

(Images via tumbleweedhouses)

The Tumbleweed Tiny House Company is at the forefront of designers in the field, pumping out an amazing variety of tiny house designs. The house featured above is their Epu plan, a straightforward house design that is incredibly mobile and can comfortably house two people in a space that is 8 x 15 feet.

(Images via designboom)

This house is built primarily out of two shipping containers and can house up to 4 occupants. It’s not as small as many of the examples featured, but in terms of environmental impact, and in relation to the average home, it’s quite a step up.

(Images via tumbleweedhouses)

The Enesti is a tiny house plan that lays out a small, but permanent structure. At pricing around $60,000 for nearly 900 square feet, it is significantly less expensive than the typical home.

(Images via tinyhouseblog, tinyhouseblog, tinyhouseblog, idesignarch)

The top home is totally mobile and designed by Maximus Extreme Living Solutions to stand up to the toughest elements. This North Carolinian build was created during a tiny house workshop and has beautiful modern lines. This gypsy style buggy is the perfect place for two people to crash after a long day on the road. The final design is unusual, in that it actually opens up in the middle to give much more space to the occupants. In foul weather, it’s a simple fix to seal it up tight.

(Images via comingunmoored, tinyhousedesign, theinnovationdiaries, theatlanticcities)

These houses show the versatility of tiny house designs. With such little space to work with, creativity is a must, and builders are able to use the low cost to add deluxe features that would be prohibitively expensive in a full sized house. For example, a house shaped like a castle turret would cost a fortune, but that’s not the case when it’s this tiny. An entire house can fit in the backyard, as the perfect place for guests to spend the night. A curved house design gives the bottom right house a unique look, while the final house mixes modern elegance with cozy cabin stylings.