Megan Lea decided it was time to improve an 11′x14′ patch of ground in her backyard. And what could be better than to grab the opportunity to create a charmingly small getaway, that is also useful and comfortable, and most importantly, environmentally responsible.

Sometimes a change in perspective makes all the difference in the world. Which was exactly what MVRDV did in designing two private houses in Borneo-Sporenburg Amsterdam – the most compact new housing district in The Netherlands.

This former harbor area, located east of the wonderful city of Amsterdam, was inspired by the city’s canal houses. The developers were looking to turn it into a kind of an old fashioned neighborhood like ‘De Jordaan’. The result was 60 terraced houses, each having its own plot, with a 6cm gap separating each unit.

Remember we told you about Derek Diedricksen, aka Deek – the mad scientist with too much lumber on his hands? Well, here’s another one of his tiny creations of a home. It’s called the GottaGiddaWay Micro-Hut Cabin, and it’s indeed a one-of-a-kind, micro prototype of a homeless shelter.

As people grow older they prefer a home that would allow for easy mobility and minimal level changes, in other words, open spaces and no stairs. This was exactly the request of a retired couple, who own this lovely house in the hills above St. Helena.

This small house is only 640 sq. ft., serving as the architect’s family retreat in Sonoma County. Nestled among vineyards, this charming cottage was inspired by Charles Keeler’s definition of California architecture as “landscape design with occasional rooms in case of rain.” – Spot on!

Period style architecture is not easy to come by – either you got it or you dont. This beautiful, top floor apartment has loads of charm, big time. Built in 1898, this small 110 sq. meters home boasts lovely features, such as art nouveau ceiling centerpieces, stucco decorations, well-maintained window mirrors, high ceilings, a working tiled stove, and oak parquet floors.

This conversion has been done beautifully, creating a useful, modern space for living, working, and sleeping. The exterior is painted dark blue, while inside walls are painted white combined with a dark wooden floor. This small house has a series of windows flooding the space with natural light. A cozy retreat, indeed.

This small house is only 800 sq. ft., and is nestled on a green patch of land, among large trees, in Chilmark, Massachusetts. The roof lines and walls are beautifully curved, giving this home a unique feel – the architects have done a wonderful job in keeping the effect subdued and refined – an elegant sensitivity in architecture design.

This modern compact house touches the earth lightly, and as its name points out, it is designed as a narrow bridge connecting two rocky banks above a billabong (a small lake formed by a change in the watercourse).

I love the fact that the house has such a small footprint; supported by steel trusses and anchored by four small concrete piers, the structure hovers above the watercourse, amongst the trees in an almost untouched beautiful setting.

With a limited budget of $150,000, this small, box-like house consists of approx. 1,000 sq. ft. The owner asked for lots of light, and to feel like she’s outside even if she’s inside. The result is a cube home, 24 feet on each side, with a clever layout, which makes it feel a lot more spacious.