One Micro Home

View From Road

Many people I know are weary of the work required to maintain a large home and the headaches associated with coordinating that task. Although the idea of living in a very compact home isn’t for everyone, there are certainly days around my house that make me fantasize about living in a home, which due to its size, limits the amount of work required to keep it in good shape.

Luckily we are often asked to design exactly that kind of house. Sometimes these homes are meant as fully functioning guest houses, but occasionally they are a primary residence. After designing a guest or pool house, we have had the owners tell us that they spend more time in the secondary structure than their main home.

One thing is for sure, we have a lot of fun designing these micro homes, and we get a plenty of feedback about how much fun they are to live in.

Porch View

Entry and Kitchen

Living Room

Bedroom

Bedroom Detail

Bathroom Detail

By James CrispPublished On: December 6th, 2013Categories: Bathrooms, Design, Kitchen, New Homes, Porches40 CommentsTags: bathrooms, Kitchen, porch, small home

About the Author: James Crisp

James M. Crisp has been an architect for well over 30 years. His architectural firm, Crisp Architects, designs projects throughout New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts. In April of 2007, Taunton Press published 'On the Porch' by James M. Crisp and Sandra Mahoney.

40 Comments

Kaye Lewis December 12, 2013 at 8:05 am

What size defines a microhome? So nice to see a beautifully appointed small home. More, More, please.
James Crisp December 12, 2013 at 8:46 am

For me it is any very small home. This home has 650 Square feet of heated space and about 300 square feet of porch. Thanks.
Sean Foley December 13, 2013 at 5:28 am

Great work Jim!
James Crisp December 14, 2013 at 8:28 am

Thanks Sean.
melanie March 11, 2014 at 2:50 pm

I would love to see the floor plan of this house. From what I can see it would fit my family perfectly. We are trying to simplify, simplify, simplify!
melanie March 11, 2014 at 2:52 pm

And maybe floor plan isn’t really what I meant. Specifications would be great…# of bedrooms, # of baths, square footage.
James Crisp March 11, 2014 at 2:55 pm

Melanie,

I’m sorry, we do not share our client’s floor plans, but I can tell you there is 1 bedroom, 1 bath, the heated square footage is 650 sq. ft. and there is about 350 sq. ft. of porch.
James Crisp March 11, 2014 at 3:28 pm

Please give my office a call. 845-677-82567
Allison March 12, 2014 at 1:31 pm

Hello! I love everything about this house. Do you think you could tell me the name of the paint color used in the bathroom? I’m in the middle of a bathroom renovation and this color speaks to me. :) Thank you!
Donna Bell March 12, 2014 at 2:55 pm

Would you mind sharing the names of the granite, and the stove. I love both! Thanks!
Andrea March 12, 2014 at 4:46 pm

Dear Mr. Crisp,
I have seen your work on Houzz and on the recent post at Hooked on houses! I find myself completely drawn to your work. With that being said my husband (contractor) and I are building a simple new, old house in a small organic farming community in Wisconsin. It would be of great help to me if you could advise on the exterior paint color that was used on this project “One Micro Home”
James Crisp March 12, 2014 at 4:55 pm

I’m sorry, the owner picked that color, but might be Ben Moore OC 17. It is a basic exterior white.
Christine May 1, 2014 at 5:31 pm

I am completely in love with this house. Your work is beautiful. I can only dream to live in a house so thoughtfully and handsomely made… someday :)
Christy February 2, 2015 at 4:58 pm

Dear, Mr. Crisp,

We are interested in a home similar to this floor plan based on the pictures. We are currently living in a home that is too large for us and would like to downsize.

We love the open floor plan that you have displayed in this home. We called the phone number only to get a voice mail that had a list of names to be connected to., We did not know who to be connected to we hung up. Could you please refer us to someone to speak with?

Thank you,

Christy
James Crisp February 2, 2015 at 10:34 pm

Please try again and leave a message for me, Jimmy Crisp
James Crisp February 22, 2015 at 7:12 am

Please call 845-677-8256 I would love to talk to you.
Lyra Ambrose September 11, 2016 at 10:21 pm

Add a fireplace and you’ve got perfection! Nice work!
James Crisp September 11, 2016 at 10:48 pm

Thanks!
Renee Mysliwiec September 12, 2016 at 9:08 am

I really love this little home. Is it possible to purchase the floor plan?
sandra September 14, 2016 at 11:18 am

I would like to have the blueprints for this micro cottage
James Crisp September 15, 2016 at 12:16 pm

I’m sorry, I do not sell our clients plans. If you would like your own micro home designed, please call the office at 845=677-8256
James Crisp September 15, 2016 at 12:17 pm

I’m sorry, I do not sell our clients plans. If you would like your own micro home designed, please call the office at 845=677-8256
Frank Anderson September 18, 2016 at 12:48 pm

Mr Crisp,

Your work is terrific. Very well detailed and I love your style.

I hope to employ your services to design my micro home someday!

Thank you,
Frank
Debbie October 4, 2016 at 1:38 pm

I love this home but I was wondering if there is a laundry space? Do you think that in the future you will design something similar where the floor plans could be purchased?

Thank you,

Debbie.
Pamela October 16, 2016 at 11:11 am

I absolute love this house! PERFECT for empty nesters. CAN you give an estimed price on this model? We would build on our lot. So just est. price on house.
Mary October 21, 2016 at 8:52 am

Beautiful! I am looking for a small home with this kind of light and air. Add a fireplace,
a walk-in closet and a small laundry room and I am sold. All on one floor for retirement.
Jennifer St. Jude November 13, 2016 at 6:43 am

You are a brilliant architect!! Your architectural choices that you have made and the individual decor and design really accentuate the spaciousness illusion. I am extremely impressed. While some people have the ability to get a few details correct when trying to achieve what you’ve done, only you got all the details correct. This home is so beautiful I want to move out of my 2000 square-foot home into this one. Are the plans for this home available for duplication? I am personally not in the position to build my own home but I hope that others are and do. I live with autism and have a very critical eye when it comes to things that people claim to be exceptional. But this design truly is exceptional and quite lovely. Between the vaulted ceiling’s, beautiful hardwood floors, kitchen island and painted wall color choices, it is simply a masterpiece. It is rare that I go out of my way to find the individuals website in order to comment. Congratulations on creating such a magnificent place to call home. (((Hugs)))
Kris Steen January 25, 2017 at 2:00 pm

I am completely in LOVE with this design!! It looks larger than 650 sq ft! If I may ask, what is the estimated cost of building? Very interested
James Crisp January 25, 2017 at 4:19 pm

Dear Kris,

I don’t know if my previous comment went through, but if not, what I said is that the house is 1000 square feet including the porch, and the cost was $275,000. Let me know if you have any more questions.

Jimmy Crisp
DANA MCCUTCHEN July 18, 2017 at 1:05 pm

Is it possible to find the plans for this house? Im planning to build in about a year, so I’m collecting house plans that are less than 800 sq ft. Thanks.
Steven Thompson October 29, 2017 at 11:46 am

My wife and I live out west. We would like to build a house like that on 1/2 acre we own … for retirement. We have a limited budget, which plays in our decision. However, we are ALL for small homes like that. I remember growing up as a kid nearly everyone had small houses like your design … often with several kids. Yet, they all seemed to get along well and enjoy family dinners, holidays, and entertaining family and friends, too. Why live in a house big enough to serve as a European Hotel just to be ahead or keep up with the “Jones’ “?
James Crisp March 18, 2018 at 8:43 am

I’m sorry, we do not sell our clients plans, please call the office if you like.
Elizabeth Berndt June 27, 2018 at 9:48 pm

I love everything about this little house. I plan to love in one like this someday. Can I get plans from you if I live in Illinois?
Allie Meszaros August 3, 2018 at 8:27 pm

Great job! I love the house! How could I see a floor plan?
James Crisp August 3, 2018 at 11:31 pm

I’m sorry, we do not share our previous clients’ plans. Please call the office at 845-677-8256 if you would like to discuss an original design of your own. Sincerely, Jimmy Crisp
James Crisp August 3, 2018 at 11:32 pm

I’m sorry, we do not share our previous clients’ plans. Please call the office at 845-677-8256 if you would like to discuss an original design of your own. Sincerely, Jimmy Crisp
James Crisp August 3, 2018 at 11:33 pm

I’m sorry, we do not share our previous clients’ plans. Please call the office at 845-677-8256 if you would like to discuss an original design of your own. Sincerely, Jimmy Crisp
tammie nestor August 27, 2018 at 8:20 am

I love this home. how much did this home cost to build?
James Crisp August 27, 2018 at 9:11 am

Thank you. $275,000.
Debrah Cambra February 12, 2019 at 1:50 pm

I need this house!