At The House Plan Company, we've seen homeowners increasingly drawn to thoughtfully designed small homes that balance style with practicality. Here are five timeless design trends that continue to make small homes live much larger than their footprint suggests. Open Floor Plans That Connect Daily LivingPerhaps no design trend has transformed small homes more than the open floor plan. In reality, many modern small house plans include more functional storage than much larger homes. The most successful small house plans don't try to imitate larger homes.