Micro Living: 40 Innovative Tiny Houses Equipped for Full-time Living, in 400 Square Feet or Less

Derek “Deek” Diedricksen

Storey Publishing (OCTOBER) Softcover $18.95 (256pp), 978-1-61212-876-4

Forty eclectic examples of living large with less are brought to the fore in Micro Living, Derek Diedricksen’s latest pioneering lifestyle work.

The book spans the gap between veterans of the sustainability movement and those who are just beginning to discover the simplicity of micro living. The homes highlighted are inspiring alternatives to consumerist trends. The book openly acknowledges that houses of four hundred square feet or less won’t work for everyone. In honest snippets, homeowners remark on what they would change in hindsight. Diedricksen also provides thoughtful commentary, allowing the work to expand beyond coffee-table voyeurism into a handy guide.

An HGTV host and designer, Diedricksen strikes an egalitarian note. He is no purist, and his book invites readers to consider everything from rustic outposts that stretch his own definition of tiny homes to sleek, color-coordinated spaces by fellow designers. Whether featuring a converted school bus, shipping container, or traditional cottage, each spread reveals a mixture of familiar space-saving tricks—such as galley kitchens and bedroom lofts—with flair, including a wall of reclaimed factory windows. The question of how creativity thrives when it’s bound by space morphs into a fascinating tour of varied personalities.

The owners are variously motivated by minimalism, debt reduction, retirement, nomadic tendencies, and fond recollections of childhood retreats. All share a willingness to make do. Builds that honor the past through salvaged materials appear alongside new, luxury designs. The result is a crisply organized portfolio of floor plans, tips, and color photos that offer a practical overview. Intentionality resounds, as does a sense of fun.

Micro Living perplexes and charms, revealing a lifestyle that challenges the mainstream. KAREN RIGBY