5 beautiful small house plans you won't believe are under 1000 square feet

The tiny house movement is catching on across the country and across the world. As people are looking into this phenomenon, the question arises, "What is a tiny house?" According to Tiny House Talk, a tiny house has somewhere between 65 to 400 square feet (6 to 37.2 square meters). Small houses are slightly larger. They can have 400 to 1700 square feet (37.3 to 157.9 square meters).

For those who feel that a tiny house is too small and impractical, a small house will allow them to still be ecologically friendly without feeling too cramped. Owners of small homes still enjoy the benefits of smaller monthly bills, less time spent cleaning and maintaining the home, and the cozy feeling that comes with a smaller space.

1. Nir Pearlson's vacation cottage by House Plans. 

With only 800 square feet (74.3 square meters) to work with, this cottage keeps an open floor plan in the kitchen, living room and dining room area. It has two bedrooms and one bathroom. A wraparound deck invites the occupants to sit outside and visit with one another and adds to the roomy feel of the tiny space.

Eplans' country cottage has two bedrooms and one bathroom. The kitchen and dining room are together, but the living room is a separate area in this floor plan. A utility room claims its own space in this design, and a carport is also included in the blue prints. Porch space is given up for the sake of the carport, but a small covered porch and a back patio are incorporated into the plans.

3. Victorian shingle house, by EPlans. 

Victorian homes have a unique styling all their own. This tiny home has two floors, 945 square feet (87.8 square meters) total. The bedrooms and full bath are upstairs. Downstairs is the kitchen and living room, laid out in an open floor plan. The half bathroom is tucked off of the kitchen. For those who want a place to sit and talk outside in the evening, a porch is built off of the upstairs.

This two bedroom, one bathroom cottage by House Plans is a single story, small home with 869 square feet (80.7 square meters). To keep the living room and dining room feeling spacious, the designers incorporate cathedral ceilings. Porches on almost three full sides of the house make the cottage feel even larger.

5. Country cabin by Cool House Plans. 

With 761 square feet (70.7 square meters) divided between two floors, Cool House Plans' country cabin keeps its space feeling bright and open with plenty of windows. The first floor is 604 square feet (56.1 square meters), and the second floor makes up the remaining 157 square feet (14.6 square meters). The cabin has two bedrooms and one bathroom. The main bedroom is on the first floor, and the second bedroom is called a sleeping loft and is in the upstairs space.

All of these plans offer great options for those who want a smaller space but also enjoy the freedom that comes with just a little bit more space than a tiny home. The creativity of the designers takes the limited square footage and puts the area to good use, using open floor plans and vaulted ceilings to give the feeling of space without actually taking up space.