650 Sq. Ft. Urban Micro Home Is a Small House for Outdoorsy Couple

Outfitted with smart home tech and lots of storage space for outdoor gear, this small home feels 'just right.'

Often coming in at 400 square feet or less, tiny houses won't necessarily suit everyone. Fortunately, there's a happy middle between the ultra-tiny and the monster McMansion and its trendy but muddled cousin, the McModern. Yes, we are talking about the small house.

The 650-square-foot Urban Micro Home by Tennessee's Wind River Tiny Homes is one example of a well-conceived small dwelling that combines modernist and industrial details. Located in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the home was created for an athletic couple who are big fans of the outdoors, and who love to entertain.

In response, a large, roll-up, double-paned glass door was added to allow the interior to blend with the outdoor spaces, which include a deck and an outdoor area, delineated with pea gravel. If you look closely in the carport, there's a custom-made pulley system that allows the clients to load gear easily onto the roof of their car.

Built on top of a permanent foundation, the cedar- and metal-clad home incorporates an open plan layout for the living room and the kitchen. The high ceilings here make it seem quite spacious, in addition to offering interesting places to stores and display outdoor gear like a paddleboard. There's also a small office past beside the living room.

Bike Gear Details

The clients love biking, so eye-catching details like these bike gears were cast into the concrete counters. The big sink has a built-in sliding drying rack and cutting boards to generate extra counter space, and the overhead fan uses energy-saving motion sensors, so it turns on only when there's someone around.

Understair Storage

Similar to other small spaces, the stairs here are a great place to add extra storage, as seen with these polygonal roll-out shoe racks.

The bathroom is hidden under the stairs too -- it's tiny, but adequate.

Bedroom with En Suite Bathroom

Going up the stairs, we come into the bedroom, which also has its own small bathroom.

Goldilocks Size and Smart Tech

In addition to having some smart home tech integrated into the home for automated temperature control, surveillance, and fire safety, the home is also outfitted with flexible adhesive Miasole solar panels on its roof. This is a great little house that's neither too big nor too small -- and if you want to build your own version of it, the plans are available for purchase here. To see more, visit Wind River Tiny Homes.