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Nowadays, many people choose to live in a tiny home over a sprawling mansion. These 400-square-foot houses are cozy, functional, and easy to clean. Many of them are also designed sustainably, which helps the environment. 

If you’re a fan of compact living, these photos from the r/TinyHouses subreddit are for you. It features miniature homes from around the globe, giving a glimpse of how people live and enjoy minimalist lives. 

Scroll through these images and see if any of them catches your eye.

#2

1917, 1 Bed 1 Bath, ~750sqft. Just Paid Off This Month!!

1917, 1 Bed 1 Bath, ~750sqft. Just Paid Off This Month!!

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Xenia Harley
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's the nice thing about a smaller house. I moved almost three years ago and went with a 780 sq ft house. I have ten acres and a barn for my horses, and really, in ten or so years, it will be paid off!

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#3

I Built A Playhouse For A Family In Oh, And Now I Want To Build It In Full Scale For My Actual House

I Built A Playhouse For A Family In Oh, And Now I Want To Build It In Full Scale For My Actual House

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The concept of tiny homes dates back to the early 1860s through the 1920s, when shotgun houses first became popular. 

These single-story dwellings are usually one room (12 feet) wide and up to four rooms deep. The first versions had a living room at the front, two bedrooms with no hallways, and a kitchen. Bathrooms and indoor plumbing weren’t part of the home at first but were eventually added at the back.

#5

I Like This Simple Tiny House..no Internet.. Just Calmness

I Like This Simple Tiny House..no Internet.. Just Calmness

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#6

I Could Spend My Whole Summer Here! Who Has Ever Stayed At/Built/Lived In A Floating Tiny House Before?

I Could Spend My Whole Summer Here! Who Has Ever Stayed At/Built/Lived In A Floating Tiny House Before?

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Shotgun homes were originally from Haiti and West Africa, but they arrived on American shores via New Orleans through immigrants and enslaved people. They became a top choice for homeowners during the population boom of the 1800s, and housing demands likewise skyrocketed. 

#7

The Exterior Of This Tiny House Is One Of The Best I've Seen In A While! So Cute

The Exterior Of This Tiny House Is One Of The Best I've Seen In A While! So Cute

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Nora12
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It is cute on the outside, but less cute inside (they are just using it as a shed) but it would be cool to see someone remodel the interior http://artofgardeningbuffalo.blogspot.com/2016/07/a-tour-inside-taj-ma-shed.html

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#8

My Tiny Home And Quarantine Oasis :)

My Tiny Home And Quarantine Oasis :)

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#9

All I Need!

All I Need!

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Because many early shotgun houses stood close to each other, it helped form tight-knit communities. People would gather outside at their porches and mingle with one another, a practice believed to have originated the friendly nature in New Orleans culture. 

Many shotgun homes still exist today, although some were destroyed during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. However, they are considered historical landmarks, and cities like Winston-Salem in North Carolina plan to make them official

#10

Location, Location, Location...this Is Crazy!

Location, Location, Location...this Is Crazy!

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#11

I Really Like These Tiny Homes

I Really Like These Tiny Homes

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Outside of the shotgun houses, there was the tiny house movement. Its origin varies depending on who you ask. Some credit artist Allan Wexler with first exploring the idea in the 1970s. 

Others may say that Jay Shafer pioneered the movement in the late 90s. He began building his 110-square-foot house in Iowa in 1997, which he completed in 1999. That same year, he founded the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, which designs and builds small homes.

#13

Thank You Humans For Cleaning My Domain

Thank You Humans For Cleaning My Domain

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#14

Things Have Really Come Together On Our Build

Things Have Really Come Together On Our Build

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#15

Felt Like This Should Go Here

Felt Like This Should Go Here

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cerinamroth
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So you sit on the sofa and watch water dripping into a sink? Oh no, it's a basket with some random white objects in!

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As Shafer revealed in a 2023 interview with Grist, his idea of building a tiny home was initially an act of rebellion and the desire to prove something that went against mainstream beliefs at the time.  

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“Once I learned it was illegal to live in a house that small, I decided I had to, just to show that it was actually a safe and efficient and reasonable thing to do.”

#16

Completed Tiny House Finally!

Completed Tiny House Finally!

My family has been cooperatively working on building a tiny house for my sister over the past five years. I know it sounds like a long time but we could only do 4-5 weekends of work every year due to how far away I live. And then covid. The trailer and frame (with roof installed and sub siding, but no windows or anything else installed) came from Tumbleweed back when they sold the Barn Raiser unfinished tiny homes. We took on all of the labor ourselves though we did hire an electrician and then a spray-foam installer. My mom even made the cushions and drapes! All in all my sister is super pleased with how it came out and will be towing it to it's new home this fall. My cat (the black one in the photos) is going to be sad to see it go.

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xolitaire
Community Member
4 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love that you also show the landlord in the pictures

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#17

Since You All Like To See "Lived In" Spaces - Clutter For Karma

Since You All Like To See "Lived In" Spaces - Clutter For Karma

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#18

Self-Built, No Experience, 2 Yrs Almost Done!

Self-Built, No Experience, 2 Yrs Almost Done!

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Tiny homes are popular on Airbnb, trending up by 112% in 2019 and 85% in 2020. Listings also jumped from 14,000 to 24,000 between both years. For real estate developer Zach Millburn, the appeal to consumers is threefold: 

“They’re Instagrammable, and the cute-cozy aspect is attractive to people as well,” Millburn told Grist. “And especially after the birth of these shows like Tiny House Nation, I think a lot of people want to try it out and are willing to pay a decent amount for a unique experience.”

#19

My Tiny House I Started Building Exactly A Year Ago! Moved In Last August

My Tiny House I Started Building Exactly A Year Ago! Moved In Last August

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#20

Still A Heap To Finish But I Love My Kitchen

Still A Heap To Finish But I Love My Kitchen

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Ashara Love
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Love the counters. I'm going to go with all bamboo, unless the wood is reclaimed. But yours is GORGEOUS. I love the shape and curve.

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But with the boom of tiny vacation homes, other experts believe that the cultural connection with shotgun houses could be fading. 

“It used to be something that was an extreme enough lifestyle that it was more exciting to get a window into how someone did it, why they chose to go that route, and how it was panning out or impacting their daily life,” said Merete Mueller, who directed the 2013 film TINY: A Story About Small Living. 

“But when you could book one for the weekend and stay in it as a vacation house, it just became more and more normal. It became less exciting.”

#22

I Built My Tiny House For Less Than $20k

I Built My Tiny House For Less Than $20k

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#23

Gorgeous Tiny House In Mexico That I Found On Airbnb!

Gorgeous Tiny House In Mexico That I Found On Airbnb!

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Nora12
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think this is beautiful. Here is a website that tells you more about it. https://stuccco.com/blog/tour-the-mexican-tiny-house-set-by-the-sea-photos

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#24

Chateau At Treehouse Utopia

Chateau At Treehouse Utopia

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Nora12
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There are more pictures and a video of this treehouse here https://nelsontreehouse.com/blog/chateau-treehouse-utopia/

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#25

I Love The Kitchen In This Tiny House

I Love The Kitchen In This Tiny House

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xolitaire
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah, it looks nice. But practicality is 0. My mother lives in a very small house that was built for one person - and her kitchen is similar to this one. The way these tiny kitchens are designed is terrible, there is literally not enough free work surface for anything because the appliances eat up all the space.

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#26

Who Needs A Big House When You Can Have This

Who Needs A Big House When You Can Have This

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OneWithRatsAndKefir
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Step one, be too scared to use it despite trusting the supports, because you know your luck. Step two, get tempted and start using it. Step three, get complacent.

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#27

The Other Half Of My House

The Other Half Of My House

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Atom Bohr
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The potted plant on the edge of the stairs *looks* nice, but one way or another, I don't think it's going to last long...

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#28

3 Years Later - 1 Man DIY Build - Done!

3 Years Later - 1 Man DIY Build - Done!

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#29

A Few Photos Of My Tiny House!

A Few Photos Of My Tiny House!

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#30

Been Living In My Tiny House Almost A Year Now, No Regrets!

Been Living In My Tiny House Almost A Year Now, No Regrets!

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Robin DJW
Community Member
4 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well done. Wish I could see the rest of it. D'oh! Scrolled down, there it was!

Note: this post originally had 87 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.