Tiny house living has several appeals: It is environmentally friendly and cost-effective. Smaller spaces are easier to customize, and if your house has wheels, you can move it anywhere you want to live.
But it certainly comes with its fair share of challenges, one of which is obvious: finding space for all of your stuff—and most of all, just making space! After all, you do not want odds and ends everywhere. That creates an appearance of clutter. Instead, you want plenty of open room to move around in so you feel like you can breathe.
Just because your house is small doesn’t mean you can’t live largely.
01. Keep your window-to-wall ratio high.
Large panes of glass open up this 136 sq ft DIY Colorado Mountain Home. Bonus: Tucked under the built-in desk are two stools that double as storage.
02. Install floor-to-ceiling bookshelves.
A tiny little cottage with ample storage.
03. Use semi-opaque materials to allow light into windowless rooms.
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This panelite kitchen backsplash doubles as a bathroom wall.
04. Create outdoor living space to add the feeling of square footage without the cost.
This 8-foot wrap-around porch provides a spot to lounge in the summer and protects against snow in the winter.
05. Opt for fewer walls and more multipurpose rooms.
Go ahead. Smash that wall out. This open floor plan from BlueSky MOD makes the most of its tiny footprint.
06. Add a loft over your kitchen.
This tiny house utilizes high ceilings to free up floor space. Bonus: You can rent it!
07. Actually, add a loft anywhere.
Sleeping and reading nooks maximize your space and provide privacy in shared areas. Snag space above your kitchen, bathroom, and living room — there’s no end to those versatile vertical spaces.
08. Utilize the space under the stairs.
So many things to hide, so little time.
09. Install prefab windows to brighten old-school architecture.
This cob house juxtaposes earthen building materials with modern prefab windows.
10. Replace doors with sliding walls to let your space breathe.
This Brooklyn apartment feels much more extensive than its 500 square feet, thanks to large sliding doors with wide doorways.
11. Use glass walls to separate spaces without visually dividing a room.
12. Get creative with mirrors.
Mirrors can instantly double the appearance of a room, but there’s no reason you have to go the traditional route! Metallic subway tile adds a layer of texture to this tiny WC.
13. Pick your favorite room in the house and go big.
This gourmet kitchen sits inside a tiny New Zealand home, using a reflective island and translucent cabinets to keep things feeling open and bright.
14. Put a shelf on it.
Got a spare wall? Floor-to-ceiling storage works for more than just books!
15. Use room dividers in place of walls.
These industrial metal rods give the illusion of a wall.
16. Curtains can also step in where privacy is needed.
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Got one wide-open room? Make it into two without committing!
17. Decorate with light.
The diogene prototype micro-house takes skylights to new heights.
18. Use open storage to draw the eye upward.
Need some accountability for your clutter? Open storage will force you to live organized (or put your mess on display).
19. Create the illusion of vertical space by selecting low-sitting furniture.
If you’re a fan of tiny homes, this $9K dome home that only took six weeks to construct is not to be missed.
20. Repurpose the closet.
Display your best fashion finds in the open to save space and show off your style.
21. Add a pop of color!
Or two. A little pop goes a long way.
22. Utilize retractable pantry drawers for small appliances.
This 192-square-foot home makes up in clever storage what it lacks in footprint.
23. Keep lines and materials simple.
This tiny L.A. home returned to basics with cement walls and stainless steel countertops.
24. On the flip side, you can embrace the quaint.
An eclectic home doesn’t have to be a cluttered home. This cob home proves you can still live simply in an exciting space.
25. Discover unexpected storage.
Like under the stairs, there are often plenty of unused crawl spaces and nooks in a home that can be creatively turned into organized storage.
26. Build a bookshelf door.
There’s that pop of color going a long way again.
27. Another use for lofted bedrooms? You can fit a walk-in closet underneath.
This Stockholm apartment leaves no opportunity un-seized.
28. Create storage out of load-bearing elements and lose those pesky walls.
Japanese architect Shigeru Ban is pioneering this ingenious hack on the traditional post-and-beam home.
29. Install a breakfast bar.
Who needs a kitchen table when you’ve got a built-in coffee bar? (Instructions HERE.)
30. Think you don’t have space for a tub? Try a three-fourths tub!
Excellent for bathing kids if you’ve got a standing room only.
31. Do a whole room in white.
Whites make everything appear bigger and brighter.
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