A video of a Portland couple's DIY tiny smart home is blowing up online for a good reason. 

The pair, Michelle and Sal, spent over a year-and-a-half designing and building a 400-square-foot home that seamlessly blends Scandinavian-inspired design with high-end technology, demonstrating that small-space living can be luxurious.

Their detailed walkthrough, shared by Tiny House Expedition (@TinyHouseExpedition), has drawn thousands of views and reactions from people amazed by their ingenuity and precision. 

From self-adjusting shades to a coffee machine that brews at the sound of a voice command, commenters were amazed by the extensive level of automation in such a compact home.

The home's design goes far beyond novelty. 

Building on an 8.5-foot trailer with help from Michelle's father, the couple made every inch count, including a movable dining table that doubles as a recycling station, stairs that hide storage compartments, and a full kitchen that centers its design around comfort and daily life.

"We built this house around the kitchen," Michelle explained, before describing her dream of launching a candy business from home.

For the couple, the build presented a creative challenge: integrating sensors, wireless switches, and adaptive lighting systems that "learn your lifestyle and react to it."

Those features could soon pay off in energy efficiency — automated shading and propane-powered cooking lower their overall energy use, while a compact footprint means reduced heating and cooling expenses.

Tiny homes like this one have gained traction across the U.S. for exactly those reasons: lower living costs, smaller energy bills, and freedom from rising rent. 

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Building their unit cost between $80,000 and $100,000 for materials, but with no mortgage or utility strain, the couple expects major long-term savings. Tiny houses also consume far fewer resources than conventional homes, offering a scalable path to a cleaner future.

For homeowners seeking to reduce their bills even more, installing solar panels is the ultimate home energy hack — capable of lowering energy costs to nearly $0. EnergySage simplifies comparing local quotes and can help you save up to $10,000 on installation.

For those who prefer to avoid upfront costs, leasing panels through Palmetto's LightReach program allows you to lock in low, predictable energy rates while helping the planet.

"You guys are living in the future," one commenter wrote under the video. 

Another said it was "probably one of the most better thought out design features I've seen." 

A third summed it up best: "This tiny home is such an awesome build. I loved everything about it."

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