Tiny House, Big Living

Husband-and-wife carpenter team Ana and Jacob White are building a tiny lakefront cabin in Alaska to take advantage of the gorgeous view of Mount Hayes. The vacation home will sleep up to six and offers lots of multi-functionality, such as attached desks that double as a dining table and a bookshelf that hides a ladder to the children's loft. The Whites are used to building in Alaska's harsh weather, but the warm winter has sped up their timeline, since they must tow the tiny cabin across the frozen lake before the ice melts.

Margaret is a young artist who wants to create the ultimate expression of herself in a tiny house. She gets help from her mother and grandmother, who assist Margaret in bringing her artistic vision to life. The original design features a piano-shaped couch, a round door and a wine barrel bathtub.

The Williams family of Venice, Louisiana, works together to convert an old school bus into a tiny home for 21-year-old son, Avery. The young outdoorsman wants to create the ultimate man cave while incorporating the culture of the Bayou. His tiny bus will feature a fish-cleaning table, a cypress wood bar with hidden storage and an indoor hammock for enjoying the Southern breezes.

Maryam and her husband Vladimir want to leave their stressful lives in New York and build a tiny house that lets them live life on their terms. These DIYers are learning as they go, building an idyllic 130-square-foot home that doubles as a mobile office paradise. Their home features an inviting workspace with a massive window, a loft hammock and a hanging garden with air-filtering plants.

North Dakota builder Jim Nelson lives for a challenge, so he and his team are building a game-changing two-story tiny house that they can tilt from horizontal to vertical. Key features in this snug 140-square-foot engineering feat include a front patio, furniture that can be locked down when the house tilts and an observation deck with panoramic views.

Matthew and Meghan Tanner are growing their family but downsizing their house. You could say they're "thinking outside the box" when it comes to cutting their budget to make room for their second child. They've contracted a tiny house builder to create the shell of their 220-square-foot home, while they plan to complete most of the unique interior. Key features include double lofts separated by a catwalk, a floating baby carrier, a couch that transforms into a dining room and a custom family-size walk-in closet.

Design-obsessed couple Zane and Katherine have already constructed one home together and are now ready to try building 'tinies' as a business. Firm believers in 'walking the walk,' they plan to live in their tiny house to test it out before they build more. Zane and Katherine's tiny house design will be efficient and precise thanks to computer-controlled construction equipment like CNC machines, plasma cutters and 3D printers.

Traveling circus performer Lilly has been couch surfing for three years and has decided a tiny house-on-wheels is the perfect solution for her nomadic lifestyle. She's designed the 130-square-foot layout that she, her dad and circus friends will help build. Original features include a hidden storage compartment for her heavy circus equipment, a sunken bathtub to soak in after performances, and a specially-designed staircase that allows her pets to maneuver freely from loft to living room.

Tiny house enthusiast David wants his home to succeed where other wee homes fail. His one-of-a-kind design features a garage door on one side, a jacuzzi and a fold-out deck on the other permitting fresh air to flow right through. David and girlfriend Peggie-Sue love to host dinner parties and this tricked-out house is the perfect solution.

A young craftsman's unconventional design clashes with his father's building sense, but upcycled old family items become new pieces.

A young couple wants their tiny house to be full of clever storage solutions for their botany experiments, books and supplies.

A world-traveling artisan wants to convert a school bus into her dream home, complete with a sewing workshop and special storage.

Outdoor adventurers Erik and Sarah spend half the year guiding arctic expeditions and the other half chasing their other adrenaline fixes: skiing, kayaking, surfing and more. Traditional housing has proven cumbersome for their nomadic lifestyle, so they're ready to go tiny. With the help of builder and friend Rob Sickler, Erik and Sarah are building their very own expedition tiny house-on-wheels. Their 230-square-foot design includes a bicycle generator for off-the-grid power, a climbing wall to get to the second loft, plenty of storage for all of their adventure gear and outdoor adventure accents throughout!

Shaun and Ally's busy work schedules are perfectly suited for the low maintenance lifestyle of tiny living. Their family and their Virgin Island community step up to help the young couple complete their dream home perfectly situated on a hillside overlooking Coral Bay. In order to enjoy the island scenery and tropical ocean breezes, Shaun and Ally incorporate a wrap-around porch and open living room walls. At 350-square-feet with no height restrictions, Shaun Brian and Ally can have a spacious master bedroom loft, a fancy gourmet kitchen, an outdoor shower under the stars and a deck with spectacular views.