Bucking the trend of bigger is better, now some folks have taken to going smaller...MUCH smaller. Gregory Johnson's entire house -- an attractive chalet with a bed, bathroom, dining room table and kitchen -- measures a teeny 7 feet wide and 10 feet long.

According to the National Association of Homebuilders, the average American house in 1950 had a total floor area of 983 square feet. By 2004, the average size for a home was a monstrous 2,314 square feet, almost 2.5 times larger than just 50 years previously. You can read all about this interesting trend at AZ Central.

So for eco-conscious folks who don't want to waste any space, these "mobile hermitages" as they are called are taking just the opposite approach. I don't know if I could live in such a small space, as I'd barely have room for my laptop, much less a fridge, a stove or a microwave. Still, it's cool to think about folks living smaller instead of larger.

I wonder which celebrity will be the first to embrace THIS trend?

Originally found at BoingBoing, with photo credit going to VickyTH.