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For a long time, the Small House countermovement was reserved for those who wanted a simpler, financially unburdened life. Today, however, even those in the ranks of Louis Vuitton are joining the shake-up and finding creative ways to downsize without downgrading. <\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The reason? We think it has a lot to do with the simple elegance of pared-down living. As one CNN article <\/span><\/a>put it, \u201c<\/span>There’s … the intangible delight derived from cooking in a kitchen where everything is within arms’ reach, or eating off the beautiful china set that was locked in a cabinet when [the owners] lived in a 1,500-square foot home.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n
Sofie Borges put it another way: \u201cThe simple things are now the rare things, and as luxury has always been about the rarified, the most profound embodiment of such luxury manifest is the ability to gain the freedom to enjoy it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n
We concur. Here are a few little houses that make us want to take a hiatus from our fast-paced, busy SoCal life for something a little more sublime:<\/span><\/p>\n
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1<\/strong><\/span> Techstyle Haus<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Photos: Courtesy of Techstyle Haus<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n
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Location:\u00a0France<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Don’t let this hi-tech fabric house’s mere 800 feet fool you – life in this energy-efficient dwelling includes a spacious atmosphere that’s all about flexibility. This curvy brainchild of \u00a0American and German students from leading universities uses 90 percent less heating and cooling than a traditional building. How little energy, you wonder? About the same amount of energy it takes to use a hairdryer. Now that\u2019s hot. <\/span><\/p>\n
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2<\/strong><\/span> Halo Home<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Photos: Courtesy of Halo Home<\/em><\/p>\n
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Location:\u00a0Sweden<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Built by a team of students from Sweden as a Solar Decathlon China entry, this wood-incorporated house was named after the clean-energy source that provides all its power: the sun. Hey, Team Sweden! We can see your Halo – and we love<\/i> it!<\/span><\/p>\n
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3<\/strong><\/span> Shapeshifter<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Photos: Courtesy of D*haus<\/em><\/p>\n
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Location:\u00a0United Kingdom<\/strong><\/h3>\n