When you think of a mansion most people conjure up images of vast houses and sweeping driveways but sometimes taking care of a huge property isn't everyone's idea of extravagance. Designed to appeal to a new generation of wealthy home buyers who want to downsize, these luxury tiny homes are packing the splendour into a very small space. From hot tubs to designer interiors, landscaped gardens and swimming pools, these are the forward-thinking micro mansions that prove bigger isn't always better.

In the notoriously expensive Swiss city of Zurich, Evolution Design has created the Flex House; so named after its striking contemporary facade. Designed in a folding ribbon-like shape, the stunning four-storey home features a ground-floor parking space, first-floor living area and upper floor bedrooms, communal areas and a spacious terrace with panoramic views across Lake Zurich and its surrounding mountains. 

The open-plan living space consists of a living/dining area and kitchen, which is connected to the lower and upper floors by a spiralling staircase. While the wraparound floor-to-ceiling glass panels allow stunning views of the nearby lake, a glass atrium floods the entrance with light. In order to make the most of the compact space, a series of concealed storage and shelving units have been slotted into the living area's walls. 

READ MORE: Incredible home on the world's most beautiful lakes 

The first floor is made up of a series of bedrooms, bathrooms and an additional communal space. From the master bedroom occupants have the pleasure of experiencing the finest panoramic views of Lake Zurich the city has to offer. Keeping in line with the contemporary feel of the exterior, all bedrooms and bathrooms contain simple wood floors, white walls and minimalist furnishings.

The highlight of the property is the open-plan space on the third floor, which can be used as an office, playroom or additional guest room. As with the lower floors, traditional walls have been replaced with glass panels, while a set of doors leads onto a spacious veranda.

Located along a picturesque stretch of the River Thames, the UK's first amphibious floating house, designed by Baca Homes, is spread over three floors full of luxury amenities. Sitting in a flood zone, the house has been built to rise with the water levels of the Thames, and won't flood if it bursts its banks. 

With a timber frame that is clad in zinc scales, the exterior is just as stylish as the carefully designed interior. The contemporary property has an open-plan kitchen and living area with double-height glazed windows that look over the river.

From the ground floor, a flight of stairs leads down to the basement where there's a games room, cinema room and a study. Upstairs the master bedroom has a dressing room, ensuite and a separate steam room and shower.

Outside, the garden has been landscaped with borders, lawns and decking, which leads straight to the river. Overlooking the garden and the river, the swing seat in the living area is the perfect place to sit and watch the boats go by.

Frank McKinney Real Estate has developed a 4,087-square-foot, three-bedroom micro mansion that’s just as impressive as its larger counterparts. The miniature luxury estate, in Ocean Ridge on Florida's east coast, offers stylish state-of-the-art features including an LED illuminated living reef aquarium, LED sea-glass kitchen countertops and a dining table carved from a single piece of driftwood.

An open-plan living/dining area and kitchen transforms a compact space into an airy and uncluttered environment, while floor-to-ceiling glass panels and sliding doors create a smooth transition between the indoor and outdoor spaces.  

READ MORE: 29 design secrets for successful open-plan living 

Outside, the property features a deck made of natural hardwood and a stylish contemporary fireplace, both of which create an ideal environment for hosting summer parties. Though space is limited, designers have managed to slot in two walk-in swimming pools and a small front lawn.

The luxury micro home contains a 650-square-foot master suite with a one-of-a-kind indoor/outdoor glass shower that looks out onto the beach. Modern furnishings in azure blue include glass vanity tops and a frosted glass bath, which are said to be influenced by the colours of the ocean. Floor-to-ceiling windows let in lots of light, while a private balcony looks out onto the ocean.

If you seek the flexibility to choose where you live, the 1,360-square-foot, three-bedroom M3 by Honomobo might just be the answer. The custom-built property can be constructed anywhere you choose, whether that be a serene seafront location or a bustling city block. The design is simple and creates a bright, energy efficient living area that does not sacrifice space or the luxury touches you might expect from a micro mansion.

Delivered and installed by Honomobo, the M3 property is built on permanent foundations and can also be placed at ground level or over a garage. Solar power panels are discretely installed on the roof, making this one of the most efficient homes of its kind.

The M3 contains three spacious bedrooms, one of which is ensuite, as well as a full sized dining room and living area. But what makes the design really stand out are the structural features, including a steel frame and walls made from magnesium concrete boards that are both water and flame resistant. The M3 is available in California, Washington state and Western Canada.

This 1,725-square-foot modern home is situated in Amagansett on the south shore of Long Island. The owners of the property commissioned a house large enough to accommodate their small family. Both the west and east facing facades are made up of glass panels featuring operable air louvres to offer both light and ventilation. The crowning glory of this micro mansion is the external staircase that leads up to a private roof deck.

Designed by Bates Masi Architects, one of the property’s key features is its stunning open-plan kitchen and living area, which is clad in red cedar and matching furnishings for a minimalist aesthetic. The room opens out onto a spacious terrace surrounded by trees and parkland. The large kitchen area features a marble-topped breakfast bar and state-of-the-art appliances, while the living space is focused around a central seating area in front of a wood burning fireplace. 

The bright and spacious master bedroom contains its own private terrace for peaceful morning views. Floor-to-ceiling glass doors allow stunning vistas out over the dunes. For those who appreciate options, the master ensuite bathroom features a walk-in shower and freestanding luxury bath.

This 1,044-square-foot micro mansion in Nagoya, Japan, was designed by Tetsuo Kondo Architects. It looks deceptively small from the outside, but the clever use of space inside makes it a comfortable fit for a family of four. 

The open-plan style of the home creates lots of shared communal spaces, which encourages regular family interaction. The main focus of the property is a single open living room with a selection of connected multifunctional spaces that can be used as a dining area, kitchen or play area.

The minimalist design of the living space with its multiple exposed levels creates a sense of flow throughout the property, while large windows and glass panels provide plenty of natural light to keep the space bright and airy.

Located on a manuka-clad hill near Whitianga on New Zealand's North Island, this unique property has been adapted from a single shipping container into a long rectangular home. It features innovative decking that can be winched up or down for breathtaking views of the ocean. The home has two full bedrooms, plus two small bunk rooms that are perfect for children, and also offers an open plan living/dining room, kitchen and stunning bathroom. 

READ MORE: 22 stunning homes made out of shipping containers 

For a contemporary twist on traditional New Zealand design, the interior is clad in Lawson’s cypress boarding and hoop pine plywood. The central point of the property, which was designed by Crosson Architects, is an open-plan living/dining room featuring folding glass doors that open out onto an exterior deck. A luxury centralised fireplace offers enough heat to make the house comfortable all year round.

Taking inspiration from traditional Swedish sauna design, interior designers kitted out the main bathroom with slatted timber floors and sliding glass doors that open out onto the ocean. Occupants can take advantage of the wheeled tub to bathe out on the deck, or alternatively, open the glass doors to shower in front in front of nature.

This tiny luxury home in Castellon, Spain, spans 1,033 square feet. Its name 'El Refugio Inteligente' translates as ‘Smart Refuge’, which is the perfect description for a prefab modular home that was designed by NOEM to be energy efficient and quick to assemble.  With a large terrace, deck area and swimming pool, this one bedroom home doesn’t scrimp on luxury features. 

The minimalist aesthetic of the property is made up of clean white walls combined with simple wooden floors and contemporary furnishings, which create a bright and airy interior. Large sliding doors allow natural light and ventilation to enter the house, while also providing access to the garden and pool.

Multifunctional communal spaces that can be repurposed according to the owner’s needs contribute to the flexible nature of the home. In this shot, you can see that the dining table has been opened up to reveal a pool table, allowing the dining area/kitchen to double up as a games room.

This blackened timber cabin, designed by Jacobs Chang Architecture, measures a minuscule 360 square feet, and is located in a privately owned forest in Sullivan County, New York. 

The cabin has been strategically built on a steep slope maximising views of the surrounding natural landscape.

The cabin was built on a tight budget of $20,000 (£15.4k), but that doesn’t mean luxury features have been sacrificed. In the living area, a wood burning stove ensures the cabin is warm and cosy during winter.

The layout of the cabin is open-plan, with a trio of pivoting floor-to-ceiling doors that allow natural light and ventilation to circulate within, also bringing the outside in.

The Origami House in Mie Prefecture, Japan, was designed by TSC Architects and features an innovative roof design modelled on folded paper. The inspiration for the angular roof comes from the Japanese art of Origami. There are five ‘folds’ in the roof which meet the ground at several points to create a structure that envelops the property’s interior.

The roof also forms a sheltered entrance with a decked veranda, giving the home an additional outdoor living area. A traditional wood burning stove heats the whole structure to create a cosy environment.

A mixture of timber and glass make up the walls of the property with plenty of natural light that filters in. Handy hanging storage for bikes in the living area turns them into a stylish feature.

Located in sunny Auckland, New Zealand, this compact, yet luxurious city beach house, designed by Fearon Hay Architects, has been laid out over 3,121 square feet of interior space. 

When faced with the challenge of ventilating a compact urban structure in a warm climate, designers created these retractable aluminium mesh screens, which open up to create a combined indoor/outdoor living space.

The design offers an abundance of natural light, as well as much needed air during the warm summer months, all while retaining an element of privacy for the property's occupants.

This 1,500-square-foot house by Brillhart Architecture takes micro mansion design right back to the very basics. With a limited surface area to build on, architects took inspiration from Florida cracker architecture to create a small and practical home that doesn't compromise on luxury. The property also draws on tropical modernism, taking inspiration from the local Florida climate and landscape. 

Thanks to four sets of sliding glass doors, the house can be opened up to create a natural flow between indoor and outdoor spaces. A shaded veranda extends out between the sliding doors and a set of fold-out wooden shutters, creating a lounge area that is private, relaxing and protected from the heat of the sun.

The open-plan living room and kitchen features floor-to-ceiling fold-out glass panels that allow light to enter the property while further enhancing the indoor/outdoor aesthetic. The space is finished with a number of luxury touches, including marble counters in the kitchen and a single wall library in the living room.

The bathroom features fitted cabinets that maximise storage space, while a large floor-to-ceiling frosted window in the walk-in shower creates a bright and airy environment for your morning routine.

This small custom-made home by Christopher Simmonds Architects covers a total land mass of 1,900 square feet. Balanced on the edge of a cliff, a cantilevered living room looks out over a nearby lake, while the property’s sleeping quarters are embedded into a large natural rock formation. 

The micro mansion achieves a modern, minimalist aesthetic with its bright white walls, floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding doors, however, it doesn’t lose any of its warmth or charm thanks to a welcoming wood burning stove and dim studio lighting.

Sliding doors open out onto an elevated terrace that provides panoramic views of the surrounding forest and nearby lake.

Casa Saüc is a two level luxury home in Barcelona. Complete with an outdoor swimming pool, there's plenty of space in the cleverly designed 1,600-square-foot dwelling.

On the lower level, the open-plan kitchen and living area have been designed for socialising. Decorated in a cool Scandi style, it features characteristic tiling and wooden elements that help to bring warmth to the interior.

The upper level is split up between the bedrooms and work areas. Connected to the ground floor by a wide open staircase, it has panoramic views of the vast landscape.

 

READ MORE: Tiny cabins in the woods to escape the rat race