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“One of the most critical changes we are seeing in residential living is the fact that costs are going up while our spaces are shrinking,” says architect Antonin Yuji Maeno. “We kept asking ourselves: How can we design a habitat that addresses our increasing need to do more in less space?”

A pathway winds between a pair of Japanese maples and a myrtle tree that dates to the home’s original construction. The floor-to-ceiling windows and sliders are by Fleetwood.

Ground Floor Layout

Basement Layout

Glazed surfaces reflect the surrounding greenery, helping the tiny home blend in with its site.

After finding paradise on a Hawaiian papaya farm, filmmaker Jess Bianchi and jewelry designer Malia Grace Mau tapped San Francisco artist Jay Nelson to design and build their dream home in just five weeks. Located just one block from the beach, the home takes inspiration from laid-back surf shacks and is mainly built with reclaimed wood.

The Nook exterior features shiplap cypress siding, a reclaimed oak deck, and an entranceway of oak blackened in the traditional Japanese method.

The micro home in Warsaw that architect Adam Pszczolkowski designed for his family and friends features expansive windows framed by plywood and white-painted HPL panels. "I chose white because of its modern and timeless character," the architect says.