“Cozy Up” House. 1100 square feet. One and a half stories. Three bedrooms, one and a half bathrooms. Ground floor: entry vestibule, half bath, kitchen, dining space, sitting space, hearth, alcove. Upper floor: bedrooms, full bathroom with stacked washer/dryer.

This is the most compact 3-bedroom home we’ve designed. We met a young farmer, living in a tent on his land, hoping his girlfriend would marry him. She loved him — not the tent. They didn’t want to be burdened by a large mortgage and heavy utility bills — and they didn’t see themselves as people with a large, ostentatious house. They weren’t yet ready to build, but their story got us thinking: there are plenty of couples and small families who could use a cozy, compact, energy-efficient home. This design includes a hearth, a small alcove nearby, and roof space for enough solar panels to make a significant contribution to the home’s energy needs. It could be a fine “starter” home and easily be added onto later if needed.