Small Houses Shelter Institute continues to see an increased interest in houses under 2000 square feet and as small as 120 square feet. Here are a few of our favorite houses built by past students and recent timber frame clients.

Join the thousands who have chosen to build energy-efficient, cost-effective, and beautiful Shelter Institute homes. Consider one of our kits or take a class to learn how to design and build the perfect house for you!

Lineal Timber Frame With the right engineering, timber frame construction can take on any shape and size. This long frame was designed to take advantage of a narrow ledge out-cropping on the site. It also provides an excellent view of a salt marsh.

Vermont Frame the perfect marriage of pine and cherry in a small footprint.

3-Gable Barn with Steel Beams steel beams allow clear spans for auto storage.

Ridge Pole Cape with Steel Beam the perfect marriage of wood and steel.

24'x40'Cross Ridge Cape a special solution to intersecting ridge lines.

32'x54' Barn House nearly complete with elevations—Friendship, Maine.

24'x24' Hennin Post&Beam Attached Garage finished inside and out, complete with floor plans—Midcoast Maine.

24'x24' Hennin Post&Beam Retirement Home finished inside and out, complete with floor plans—Midcoast Maine.

24'x24' Hennin Post&Beam Cottage finished inside and out, complete with floor plans—Midcoast Maine.

24'x48' Cape with 24'x24' Attached Studio Bath, Maine.

30'x48' Dormered Cape Sugarloaf Mountain, Maine.

28'x40' Scissor Truss Cape Canaan, New Hampshire.

30'x56' Maple Ridge Home 2-story broken back.

Bremen Dormered Cape 30'x36'+sheds.

Woolwich, Maine Addition 24'x36'.

Center Hall Cape 30'x40'.

Broken Back Saltbox 30'x36'.

Connecticut Addition 34'x48'.

24'x28' Island Cottage

Kennebec River Barn island construction.

Maryland Addition high posted cape.

Offset Capes 24'x36' with 24'x12'.

Bremen Barn on floating slab.

Dormered Cape First floor living, traditional dormers.

Timber Frame Addition to a home on Cape Cod.

River Front Residence 5,000 s.f.

Tower House 3,000 s.f. in Upstate New York.

Caribbean House Hurricane-proof—Western Red Cedar.

24'x36' cape with windows all around—Northern White Pine.

36'x48' 1-1/2 story cape with clear-span living room (laminated beam)—Northern White Pine.

24'x24' Timberframe addition will house a garage and studio—Northern White Pine.

Timberframing is a natural choice for any Barn - Eastern Tamarack/ Hemlock.

Destinations—We build frames on-site for fine homes throughout New England (and we ship to destinations in the Continental U.S., Canada and the Caribbean Islands).

Traditional Joinery, Modern Engineering.

Hip Roof Home—Super Insulated Shell, Radiant Heating, Cathedral Ceilings.

Addition to an existing home.

24'x24'Kit Barn with Sheetrock, Structural Panels, Skylights, and Metal Roofing.