5 examples of well-planned small houses

The Dream of Homeownership and the Trend of Small Houses

Owning a home remains at the top of the list of desires for Brazilians. According to a survey by Datafolha in partnership with QuintoAndar, 87% of the population has this goal, reaching 91% among young people aged 21 to 24. But, faced with high costs, many people are looking for more affordable alternatives, and that's where small houses come into focus.

Besides being cheaper, they offer practicality and comfort without requiring a large investment. With good planning, a smaller space can be functional, modern, and cozy.

The data is part of the partnership between the Datafolha Institute and the Quintoandar platform.

1. 5 reasons to have a small house
2. 5 features to improve small spaces
3. 5 examples of small houses ArchShop

5 reasons to have a small house

🏡 Cost-benefit – Smaller properties are more affordable and reduce maintenance costs.
📐 Smart use – A good interior design project optimizes every square meter.
🌿 Sustainability – Compact spaces require fewer resources for construction and energy consumption.
🚀 Practicality – With fewer rooms, the routine becomes simpler and more organized.
🌎 Urban trend – The growth of cities drives the search for compact and efficient solutions.

Even if the space is small, a good design makes all the difference. Strategic layouts, custom furniture, and smart decoration transform any environment into a comfortable and well-utilized home.

If you are looking for your own home, consider this alternative. Less space does not mean less quality of life!

5 features to improve small spaces

Open concept and integrated areas

The open concept eliminates walls and integrates environments, making spaces larger and more functional. Ideal for living rooms, kitchens, and gourmet areas, it improves circulation and makes better use of natural light.

In small houses, this solution optimizes space, making it more versatile and cozy. Fewer barriers, more comfort!

Smart and custom furniture

Small houses demand practical and functional solutions. To achieve a pleasant project, it is important that the furniture respects the design of the house and occupies only the necessary space. Custom furniture, in this sense, is the most specific option. Each room can be thought of in a unique way, prioritizing the best formats for the house and the residents.

Custom furniture ensures that the pieces not only fit in the house but are part of it. They guarantee that daily life is optimized and the design of the entire project is cohesive. In addition, we also have smart furniture. Using technological innovations, there are countless options on the market today that promise to be the solution for the most specific situations.

Spaces that were previously forgotten become storage. Furniture that was once permanent becomes demountable and attachable. Niches in unusual places are created and the optimization of the house becomes a reality. Small properties can make extensive use of solutions like this, especially when there is effective planning in their project.

Soft colors

When working with small houses, the goal is always to reduce the feeling of confinement as much as possible. The open concept, for example, uses the absence of partitions to create larger and more spacious areas. However, it does not work alone. Other solutions can be applied simultaneously to the project to reinforce this idea. This is the case with palettes in soft tones.

Among the strategies for creating a lighter atmosphere, colors play a major role. It is through them that the lighting will be balanced and distributed throughout the house. This effect helps the property conserve light and prevents the interior of the house from appearing dark or closed. Soft tones are, naturally, a great option to convey lightness.

Prioritizing soft colors does not mean, however, completely excluding stronger tones. The secret is in the balance, distribution, and application of the palette. Stronger tones can work perfectly in furniture details or on accent walls. It all depends on the atmosphere you want to create. Investing in a decoration with imposing colors can also be an alternative.

Lighting

As we mentioned in the previous topic, the main idea of a small project is to create a sense of spaciousness. With an already limited space, the main dynamic is to play with the volumetry of the house and the available elements. For soft colors to bring lightness and space, the lighting must also be effective.

The entry of natural light, for example, is an important factor in any residential model. It helps with the feeling of well-being and improves human functioning. By adhering to large and intelligent window designs, small houses can become more pleasant. In addition to promoting natural light and ventilation, they also save on energy consumption.

As for electrical solutions for lighting, each room demands a specific type. In general, small houses tend to be more cozy and intimate. And that is the goal when we think of a lighting plan. It is recommended to bet on pieces and applications that feed this atmosphere. Yellowish lights, indirect cuts, and floor or pendant lamps are some examples.

Mirrors

A key item in interior decoration, we could not fail to mention mirrors. Practical, functional, and very accessible, they are one of the key pieces to create larger and more sophisticated rooms. When used in small properties, they help with the sense of space and help balance the lighting. Varying according to the application and size, they are useful and very visual objects. The perfect choice for elegant, dynamic, and convenient homes.

Among the more than 60 available projects in the ArchShop catalog, we have selected 5 that highlight the practicality of small houses.

5 examples of small housess

Kyoto Project: ready-made plan for a small half-lot house with 2 bedrooms

The Kyoto Project was designed on a 5x25 lot with 59.97m² of built area. Its plan includes 2 bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a garage for one car. This is a simple house plan, designed to facilitate the daily life of the residents. Its layout prioritizes space and avoids a cramped feeling. The open concept in the social rooms ensures spaciousness in the project.

The laundry room was designed in a strategic point of the house. It can be accessed both from the side corridor and from the kitchen. The bedrooms are flexible and can adopt other layouts, varying according to the residents' demands. Our team assumes the measurements of the lot and prevents the planning of the plant from becoming uncomfortable.

The facade design has neutral tones that emit a sober and discreet atmosphere. The stone finish in the central part creates an organic look. The wood of the door helps the visual and reinforces the cozy and inviting idea. The Kyoto Project presents modern architectural features designed for your routine.

Check out the full project here!

Guatemala Project: house plan with 69 m² and integrated environments

The Guatemala Project was designed on a 6.05x25.1 lot with 68.23m² of built area. Its plan includes 2 bedrooms, one of which is a suite, a living room, a dining room, a kitchen, 2 bathrooms, and an uncovered parking space for one car. The house plan presents familiar elements and a traditional distribution. The addition of the dining table was the fundamental detail to connect the social rooms.

We access the laundry room through the grassy side corridor. The project design allows for the preservation of a green area that starts at the facade and ends at the back of the house. This detail brings harmony to the plan and makes the lot more homogeneous.

Its facade is composed of straight and modern lines. The shades of gray reproduce sophistication and highlight the warm personality of the wood. The pergola was chosen to make the facade even more charming. It not only contributes aesthetically to the project but also helps with solar incidence and protection against rain. The Guatemala Project is a compact house ready for the functionalities of daily life.

Check out the full project here!

Quebec Project: small house plan with an American kitchen and 2 bedrooms

The Quebec Project was designed on an 11x30 lot with 87.22m² of built area. Its plan includes 2 bedrooms, one of which is a suite, a living room, a kitchen, 2 bathrooms, and a garage for one car. The house plan creates dynamism between the rooms and subtly separates the social areas from the private areas. The integration of the environments is also very well applied, creating fluidity between the living room and kitchen and speeding up circulation to the bedrooms.

The project also provides a service area found at the back of the plan. Its access is through a glass door designed in the kitchen, which expands the internal social spaces. The green areas also play an important role and affirm a connection with nature.

For the facade, the main highlight is the play of volumetrics and straight lines. Colors and textures that generate contrast were also chosen. The tones are neutral and its design is modern. Expanding the sense of space, the social areas were developed with a double-height ceiling. The Quebec Project transformed a small house model into a compact, functional, and very stylish environment.

Check out the full project here!

Bangkok Project: house project with an open concept and gourmet area

The Bangkok Project was designed on a 7.15x20 lot with 70.23m² of built area. Its plan includes 2 bedrooms, a living room, a dining room, a kitchen, 1 bathroom, a gourmet area, a pool, and a garage for one car. The house plan conveys a familiar and very cozy environment. The integration of the social areas produced a dynamic L-shaped space, ideal for the daily life of the residents.

The service area was designed for the side of the project. The corridor was closed to ensure the privacy that the environment requires. Its access can be through the kitchen or the gourmet area. The deck applied at the back establishes an inviting atmosphere and matches the personality of the area. Despite being small, the project achieves comfort and creates the ideal space for gatherings.

Its uniqueness appears from the facade. The gray tones highlight the side garden that guides residents to the entrance. Its main highlight is the imposing wooden pergola, which dialogues with the landscaping and acts as a cover for the garage. The Bangkok Project is a prime example of the best space management on a small lot.

Check out the full project here!

Amsterdam Project: small two-story house project with a winter garden and gourmet area

The Amsterdam Project was designed on a 6x25 lot with 151.5m² of built area. Its plan includes 2 bedrooms, one of which is a suite and the other a master suite, a living room, a dining room, a kitchen, 3 bathrooms, a light well, a gourmet area, an office, and a garage for one car. The house plan allows for the planning of an upper floor, ensuring maximum use of the lot.

The social areas were on the ground floor in an integrated way, while the private areas occupied the second floor. The laundry room can be found at the back of the project, through the gourmet area. Its point is strategic as it contributes to the privacy of the space. The winter garden is an exquisite detail that optimizes natural lighting and brings the landscaping closer to the project.

As for the facade, the house adopts modern and very friendly features. It has an imposing personality and at the same time is inviting. We highlight the application of pergolas that protect the entrance and maintain its natural lighting. The Amsterdam Project was a challenge for the ArchShop team, which achieved an extremely functional and refined result.

Check out the full project here!