The Big Book of Small House Designs is a collection of more than 500 drawings illustrating all aspects of 75 small homes of various styles, from a New England farmhouse to a sophisticated steel frame to a Santa Fe ranch. Each design includes detailed floor plans, section drawings, elevations, and perspectives, as well as a description of the materials used and landscaping around the home. Keeping in mind that a chief priority for a small home is often...

Though the median size of a new single-family house is back on the rise -- after a brief decline during the 2007-2009 U.S. recession -- many are now choosing to live small deliberately. They're building smaller, more environmentally and economically friendly homes. The New Small House presents small-house design strategies as well as whole-house case studies from across the U.S. and Canada for homeowners eager to simplify, and remodelers, builders,...