A look at the small house movement and its effects.

Don’t mistake these charming, under 500 square feet pint-sized pads for decorative playhouses. They may look like something shrunk for an Alice in Wonderland theme park, but rest assured these are consciously crafted, sustainable and fully functional homes.

Ubiquitous over sized cars, houses and meal portions are enough to nauseate the eco-minded consumer. In contrast, many crave the simplicity and freedom of a minimal lifestyle. Sometimes thinking big means living small. Choosing a small house means drastically lessening your ecological footprint, often eliminating a mortgage payment, and spending far less time on maintenance than a large home. An added bonus—many are mobile! That’s right. If you need to move, simply take your home with you.

The concept isn’t new. Frank Lloyd Wright, arguably America’s greatest architect of all time, was obsessed with small houses and promoted organic architecture. Author and architect Sarah Susanka originated the “Not So Big” philosophy of architecture stressing, “build better, not bigger.” Since then, several companies and organizations have popped up such as the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company and the Small House Society.

Interiors are thoughtfully designed to maximize the space so that it feels larger. Efficient layout and customization combined with clever reuse and compact appliance features make the home comfy and, well–fun! If you’re handy and up to the challenge, you can even build your own.

They may not be for everyone, but do some investigating. You may find their simplicity liberating. And admit it, who knew sustainable design could look so irresistibly cute!

Images via flickr

Tags: architecture, design, eco, Green, minimal, Organic, small house movement, sustainable, tiny