Tiny homes are nothing new, but the densely packed cities of Japan, particularly Tokyo, sparked the trend of truly slim properties. Today, these innovative, ultra-compact buildings are slotting in everywhere, from the Netherlands to Australia, as a clever solution to urban space shortages.
Scroll or click through to explore our curated selection of the most extraordinary skinny homes from across the globe...
While property pages these days can offer up some shockingly tiny homes, not many are as narrow as this particular skinny property in Conwy, Wales. Squeezed in at the end of a terrace of houses on the North Welsh quayside, Britain’s smallest house is painted a rich red and sits 72 inches wide and just 122 inches high.
Now a tourist attraction,drawing around 55,000 visitors each year, according to British newspaper The Metro, 'The Smallest House in Great Britain' was home to residents from the 16th century until 1900. As housing became scarce the home was built to fill a gap in the walls of the town. Let's head inside...
The 1841 UK census listed a painter, a widow, and later (and surprisingly) a family of six as residents of 'Quay House' as it has come to be known. Visitors today are shocked by its tiny size and lack of amenities, with some doubting it was ever a home.
The Borrowers-sized bedroom (pictured) on the first floor is visible via ladder but closed due to structural instability. With no kitchen or bathroom, some visitors have even voiced their outrage over the size of the property on review sites like TripAdvisor.
Featuring dark-wooden beams throughout, the miniature home was bought in 1891 for £20 ($24) by landowner and fisherman Robert Jones, according to its website. It came with a local resident in situ, another local fisherman also named Robert Jones who, at 6 foot 3 inches tall, was almost as tall as the tiny property was wide. At least he could lie down widthways!
Fisherman Jones was said to have entertained guests outside, as the two-storey house is just 122 inches high. Alongside several other properties, Robert's skinny home was deemed unfit for human habitation by the council in 1900 and he was forced to move out.
Squeezed into a quiet, residential street just around the corner from Buckingham Palace, this five-bedroom home offers a thin slice of the royal life.
Measuring a mere 13 feet (4m) wide, the Westminster-based abode spans the minuscule girth of a Mini Cooper. Despite its size, property records show the slim home last sold in February 2023 for an impressive £3.4 million ($4.3m).
The Georgian property on Catherine Place may be narrow, but with plentiful windows, crisp white walls stretching across five floors and 3,552-square-foot (330sqm) of living space, it doesn’t feel quite so small on the inside.
The ground floor hosts open-plan living with a modern kitchen and dining room awash with glossy cream floors and cabinetry that sparkle under recessed spot lighting. Patio doors provide access to a private, westward-facing garden beyond.
The living room comes complete with handsome wood flooring and copious space for lounge furniture. Also on the ground floor you’ll find a private garage connected to the street, a utility room and a central hallway.
The property has a lift, leading to the basement which houses its own surprise: a fully fitted private spa complete with sauna, hot tub and large shower. A home fit for (tiny) royalty!
This skinny house captures the sunshine of Portugal in its warm interiors, which spread out across two floors. It is currently available to rent on Airbnb, and is situated in the historical centre of Belém in Lisbon.
The hosue has been fully renovated, but still captures the romantic, hisoric essence of its surroundings.
There are two bedrooms, decorated in a mixture of golds and browns to make guests feel as though they’re already at the beach. Minimalistic accessories and trinkets complete the look.
While the home is a cosy 1,076 square feet (100sqm), it's clever layout and light colour palette help it feel far more spacious.
The bathroom amenities are also surprisingly spacious and feature tiling that's a nod to the traditional Portuguese décor found around the city. With fabulous modern finishes which pay homage to the home's heritage throughout, it's easy to forget you're inside a skinny house!
The architects at ODDO have achieved something remarkable with this house. They have squashed a full family house, with space for children, parents and grandparents, into a narrow gap between two buildings in Hanoi, Vietnam.
The house is only 14 feet (4m) wide, but stretches to 115 feet (35m) long, accommodating all of the property’s family and commercial spaces, which are spread across five storeys.
Green spaces are lacking in the busy city of Hanoi, so the designers of CH House wanted to create a mini oasis within the property. Plants and trees grow inside the building in order to create a peaceful living space and relieve stress.
The space is split for two functions: two storeys for commercial work in the shop at the bottom, and the remaining three storeys set aside for the family. The building is designed to optimise bonds between family members, with most rooms being connected to several others.
On its website, ODDO explains: "The intention was to design for spatial harmony, taking into consideration family traditions, the local climate, and contemporary lifestyles."
Appearing as if hanging on to its neighbour, this 7-foot (2.1m) wide house in Hammersmith, west London is believed to have once served as a Victorian laundry.
Built in the 1860s it's undergone several renovations to remove unnecessary walls and now features two roof terraces, one at the back of the first floor and another at the front of the top floor.
The narrow four-storey property has an open-plan scheme that consists of a ground level living room, a kitchen and a garden, as well as three bedrooms located on each of its remaining floors.
High ceilings and white walls help to make the space feel roomier than it actually is, as do the sliding glass doors which provide plenty of natural light.
Though the bedrooms are very narrow, each has enough space for a bed and storage unit. Exposed wood-beam supports, wooden floors and white walls brighten up each room, creating a feeling of space.
The statement light fixture here also helps draw the eye upwards, rather than focusing on the narrowness of the room.
Described as a ‘Tardis house’, or for those unfamiliar with TV show Dr Who, a house that feels much larger on the inside than the outside, this elegant but slender townhouse is situated on the coveted Marine Parade, overlooking the Kent shoreline.
The 1840 home marries Regency and Victorian styles and is cleverly designed. It boasts a larger square footage than its extremely narrow façade might suggest.
The home includes many spectacular period features, including 18th century Delft tiling, a butler’s office, stately fireplaces and large sash windows. There are breathtaking views of the ocean out the front and a pretty garden out back.
The sash windows are one of the key features helping the home to feel more spacious than it actually is.
With four bedrooms, three bathrooms and three entertaining spaces spread across four floors and a total of 1,997 square feet (186sqm), the home makes the most of vertical space.
Each floor has only two rooms, one at the front of the house and one at the back, to make the space feel less horizontally challenged!
This Japanese townhouse was built in the 'pencil' style; tall and thin to make the most of narrow pieces of land. As we mentioned, this architectural style was popularised in Tokyo, a bustling metropolis where square footage is often in high demand and short supply.
The new build includes three bedrooms, a bathroom, a sitting room and a kitchen. Remarkably, it's capable of accommodating up to eight people at a time. While the rooms are certainly narrow, the white walls and ceilings and sleek, minimal interior design help prevent the space from feeling cramped.
For those eager to experience authentic Japanese urban living, the Pencil House is available to book via Airbnb. Don’t let its skinny profile fool you, with three long storeys, the home provides ample space for a comfortable stay.
Known locally as ‘the skinny house,’ this quirky Tudor house in Dartmouth, England has a lot more room on the inside than its narrow exterior would suggest. The home is packed with period charm, including flagstone floors and exposed beams, juxtaposed against modern décor.
Its windows boast spectacular views out over the town, river and even to the sea beyond.
The ground floor includes an entrance hall, dining room and galley kitchen, which comes equipped with marble countertops and sleek modern appliances.
Both the dining room and kitchen are flooded with light from glass doors situated on either end of the house. They provide access to the front and rear gardens respectively.
The first floor is comprised entirely of a spacious sitting room, with a high beamed ceiling and picture window framing beautiful views of the lake.
On the second floor you’ll find two bedrooms, including a master with a spiral staircase leading up to a lofted mezzanine level with an ensuite at the very top of the house. It's a unique home for sure!
From Boyarsky Murphy Architects comes the cleverly designed and aptly named ‘sliver house,’ which can be found sandwiched in between two terraced brownstones in West London.
The lot had once been used as stable space for the steeds belonging to a Victorian wine merchant who lived in one of the adjoining homes, but had been vacant for decades because of its awkward size.
The property was thoughtfully designed to maximise natural light while preserving privacy from neighbouring buildings.
A minimalist interior layout, a predominantly white color palette and expansive glazed glass walls enhance brightness throughout. Ceiling cutouts on the lower levels further amplify this effect, allowing light to cascade down from the upper floors.
At less than 10 feet (3m) in width, Sliver House was described by architect Nicholas Boyarsky as “a unique response to a difficult infill site," when he spoke to architure and design publication Dezeen.
The home rises four storeys, with a sunken garden level flush with the lower ground at the back of the property where the site is wider. That allows the property to expand into a narrow block-like building, with a sheltered adjoining terrace and garden.
Loved this? Discover more architecturally unusual homes