Size: 170 sq. ft.

Location: Sebastopol, California

Web designer Alek Lisefski and his girlfriend fulfilled their dream of a simpler, more minimalistic life by building a smaller home. The project took about a year and cost them $30,000. In the end they wound up with a small mobile home measuring about 2,261 cubic feet.

The home doesn't feel cramped, thanks to the 13-foot ceilings, fold-away furniture, and smaller appliances with dual purposes.