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15 Clever Small House Ideas (Under 1000 sq ft)
Small house ideas are gaining popularity as people seek to free themselves from high mortgage payments, embrace simple living, and reduce home maintenance time and costs.
Many small house plans are available, ranging from tiny to 1,000 square feet. Choose from multiple styles and layouts. Here are 15 of the best small home ideas from around the world.
Use them as inspiration whether you’re building or ready to buy.
90 Square Meters/970 Square Feet Small House Ideas
For those who prefer a slightly larger small house, here are five unique homes, all around 970 square feet or 90 square meters.
1. Small Modern, Flat-Roof House
Located in Fukaya, Japan, this house designed by Nobuo Araki measures 90 square meters (970 square feet) and is one of our top favorite small house plans under 1000 sq ft. The design features a flat roof with 5-foot eaves extending on all four sides. The interior is open concept, with only the bedroom and bathroom partitioned.
Located in José Ignacio, Uruguay, this prefab home is designed by MAPA. The home shell is factory-built and assembled on-site by contractors.
This small prefab home has a simple, box-like structure measuring 90 square meters. The living area is centrally positioned, receiving ample natural light through tall windows and glass doors. Flanking the living room are two bedrooms.
3. Small House Idea: Modern Mountain Home
Not all small house plans have a simple structure. This retreat in Hijuelas, Chile has a 90-square-meter floor plan and serves as a secondary residence. It was designed and built by Estudio 111 Arquitectos in 2017.
The exterior decks are integrated into the floor plan and framed by metal panels, creating an indoor/outdoor connection.
If you’re searching for unique small house ideas, this might be it. This small home has two stories, with one on top of the other.
The upper floor has all the private spaces and a gable slate roof with small scattered windows. The lower area contains the common spaces.
5. Sloped 970 Square Foot Home
Located in Santa María, Chile, this small home by Etcheberrigaray + Matuschka is a single volume divided into two zones. One zone has variable height and houses social functions and service areas, while the other contains the bedrooms.
The house is situated on an old farm with many fruit trees, and its front-facing windows provide constant views of the farm landscape.
If 970 square feet seems too large, here are some examples of small homes measuring only 860 square feet or 80 square meters:
6. Small Modern Cottage
Designed by CoLab Architecture for a family in Christchurch, New Zealand, this house replaces small cottage-style structures in the area. It serves as a stand-alone house and is oriented towards the North, integrating the outdoors into its design.
The site is 20 meters long and 10 meters wide. The house has a square floor plan split into two zones and rotated to form a rectilinear layout. It also includes outdoor extensions like a car parking space and deck, which function as an outdoor living room.
The ARTELABO architecture-designed house in Saint-André-de-Sangonis, France, stands out from its neighbors. Its interior space features a triangular main area with a small rectangular addition. The architect enclosed the home on three sides and used glass for the front to take advantage of the views.
This A-Frame cabin offers a modern interior in a rustic setting.
Another example of small house plans under 1000 sq ft is the modular housing prototype by architect Felipe Assadi. It has an 80 square meter floor plan and took 45 days to build. The team then moved it to its site in Pichicuy, Chile in just four hours and assembled it in six days.
The house consists of four identical modules and includes three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a pantry, and a combined living, dining, and cooking area.
9. Unique Small House Idea Made of Brick
Inspiration can come from anywhere, and in this case, it came from a termite’s nest. This small brick home in the Thanh Khê District of Vietnam, designed by Tropical Space, drew inspiration from the natural world.
Inside the house, there’s a spacious common area, with the rest of the rooms connected by a lobby. The mezzanine level contains a bedroom and a small library.
10. Small Bungalow with Large Windows
The house Cadaval & Solà-Morales built in Tepoztlán, Morelos, is the latest addition to a project by the same studio. They constructed a minimal and quiet house with beautiful views, lots of natural light, and nature all around. Since it’s not a permanent residence, both the social and private areas were prioritized, and the floor plans include two volumes that highlight a clear separation between the areas.
Now, let’s explore some small house ideas limited to 70 square meters or 750 square feet. While it’s not a lot of space, some architects maximize it, making these small homes feel larger than they are.
Four-Floor 750 Square Foot Home: A Tiny House Idea.
Take, for example, this tall and narrow house in Abeno Ward, Japan. It was designed by Fujiwaramuro Architects / Shintaro Fujiwara and Yoshio Muro.
The house is squeezed between two buildings and consists of a basement and three additional floors.
12. Tiny Wooden Home Plan
Speaking of tiny house plans, let’s take a look at this project by Studio Abarca+palma in Lampa, Chile. Completed in 2016, this home features wooden construction and a slightly raised design for a floating effect. With an angled roof and a row of windows below the ceiling, this structure maximizes natural sunlight and creates an open, spacious, and welcoming interior.
The Tinhouse project showcases how to maximize tiny homes. Completed in 2016, this small house, located on the island of Skye in Highland, UK, is a charming example of contemporary design by Rural Design. Using corrugated aluminum cladding for the walls and roof, the house stands out, while the interior is composed of timber, concrete, and plywood.
Speaking of cool house plans, check out this project from Larvik, Norway, designed by Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter. The client wanted a cabin with space divisions, so the architect created three separate cabins, combining them into one home. The two side cabins offer privacy to the family members.
Located in Los Molinos, Argentina, and designed by BLOS Arquitectos, this small brick home provides ample space for a family. It has an unconventional, unfinished look on the outside with exposed brick walls and metal sheets.
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I’m Kevin Brown, a dedicated home master and the creative mind behind rentcheck.me. My journey began with a passion for ensuring homes are not just structures but sanctuaries that reflect comfort, safety, and happiness.
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