Tiny Home Sizing & Layout Guide
How big tiny homes really are around the world, the dimensions every room and piece of furniture needs, and what actually fits in each size.
Typical sizes by region
| Region | Typical range | Most common |
|---|---|---|
| 🇦🇺 Australia | 15–50 m² | 20–30 m² |
| 🇳🇿 New Zealand | 15–60 m² | 20–35 m² |
| 🇺🇸 USA | 10–37 m² | 15–30 m² |
| 🇨🇦 Canada | 15–40 m² | 20–30 m² |
| 🇬🇧 UK | 10–30 m² | 15–25 m² |
| 🇪🇺 Europe | 12–45 m² | 20–35 m² |
A tiny home is generally under ~37 m² (400 sq ft) in the USA, and under ~50 m² in Australia.
The best all-round size: 8 × 2.5 m (20 m²)
If you only build one design, this is it. It is within the legal road width in Australia, easy to tow, and fits a kitchen, bathroom, living area and loft bedroom — while staying affordable. It is the most-requested size for first-time buyers across Australia, NZ, USA, Canada, the UK and Europe.
THOW road limits (Australia): width 2.5 m · height 4.3 m · length 6–12.5 m. Most builders work between 6 m and 10 m long.
Size categories
What fits in each size
3 × 6 m (18 m²)
Single personQueen loft · 800mm shower + toilet + vanity · small kitchen, fridge, cooktop · small sofa · limited storage
3 × 8 m (24 m²)
Single or coupleQueen loft · full bathroom · full kitchen · 2-seat sofa · fold-down table · under-stair storage
3 × 10 m (30 m²)
CoupleQueen bedroom · 900mm shower, vanity, toilet · full kitchen + pantry · 3-seat sofa · 4-seat table · washer/dryer · wardrobe + linen
3 × 12 m (36 m²)
Couple or small family2 bedrooms (queen + single/office) · full bathroom + laundry · kitchen w/ island · living + entertainment · 4–6 seat dining · full storage · deck
3 × 14 m (42 m²)
FamilyQueen + bunk bedrooms · full bathroom · large kitchen · full living · separate laundry · 6-seat table · extensive storage
Standard furniture dimensions
| Item | Size |
|---|---|
| Queen bed | 1530 × 2030 mm |
| Double bed | 1380 × 1880 mm |
| Single bed | 920 × 1880 mm |
| Bedside table | 400 × 400 mm |
| Wardrobe | 600 deep × 1200 wide |
| Shower (min / comfy / luxury) | 800×800 / 900×900 / 1200×900 |
| Vanity (small / std / large) | 450 / 600 / 900 mm |
| Toilet space | min 800W · comfy 900W · 1200 long |
| Kitchen bench depth | 600 mm |
| Walkway (min / comfy) | 900 / 1000–1200 mm |
| Fridge (tiny / full) | 600 / 700 mm wide |
| Cooktop (2 / 4 burner) | 300 / 600 mm |
| Sink (single / double) | 450 / 800 mm |
| 2-seat / 3-seat sofa | 1400–1800 / 1800–2200 mm |
| Coffee table | 600 × 1000 mm |
| Fold-down table | 800 × 600 mm |
| Dining table | 1200 × 800 mm |
Room size guidelines
| Room | Minimum | Comfortable |
|---|---|---|
| Bedroom | 2.4 × 2.4 m | 3 × 3 m |
| Bathroom | 1.5 × 2 m | 2 × 2.5 m |
| Kitchen | 2 × 2.5 m | 3 × 3 m |
| Living room | 2.5 × 3 m | 3 × 4 m |
| Laundry | 1 × 1 m | 1.5 × 2 m |
The tiny-home builder's rule of thumb
Allow at least: 600 mm bench depth · 900 mm walkways · 800 mm minimum shower · 600 mm wardrobe depth · 600 mm appliance depth. If a room can't fit these, it will feel cramped.