There's even a space for vinyl records and a turntable.

A few extra inches can make a big difference in any small living space, and that's especially true when it comes to maximizing the limited amount of square footage in a tiny house. Most tiny houses are built 8.5 feet wide to fit on wheeled trailer bases that can be towed on the road without a permit, and these dimensions can often influence how staircases are oriented, and how kitchens and bathrooms are laid out.

It's amazing how much a bit of extra width can do, but in creating a custom-built tiny home for two clients, Carrie and Dan, Colorado-based tiny house company Mitchcraft Tiny Homes expanded the width of the base from the typical 8 feet to a more generous 10 feet, in order to accommodate the clients' wish for a larger kitchen, and for a staircase that would hold their collection of vinyl records.

The exterior of the home is covered in a combination of rich blue and naturally textured wood siding, set in contrast with the two French doors done in a bold yellow color.

Inside, we see that these entrance doors lead into the living room. The extra width allows the clients to have a full-sized sofa in the living room, with enough space left over to walk through.

The doors were a special request from the client, and because they are located centrally on the floor plan, they had to be built over a wooden structure that hides the wheel well.

Fortunately, the wooden step also doubles as a convenient place to store shoes and firewood, and also becomes a ledge for the woodstove.

Looking toward the kitchen, we can see that there is enough room for a sizeable L-shaped kitchen counter—quite a contrast to the long, lengthy kitchen layouts that we're used to seeing in skinnier tiny houses. The staircase here also incorporates cabinets and space to install a full-size washing machine and refrigerator.

This kitchen is more of an open plan layout with the stovetop right in the middle and conforms better to the tried-and-true work triangle, which is said to be more ergonomic for users.

Every nook and cranny is utilized; here sliding drawers allow the leftover space in the corner to be used to its full extent.

To augment the kitchen's spaciousness, windows were added over the sink, and here right over the main area for food preparation.

PHOCO PhotographyGoing up the stairs into the loft above the kitchen, we have one bedroom, which is large enough for a double bed for humans, and a bed for the dog.

A skylight and two other windows help to bring natural light and air in, thus making it feel roomier.

On the other side of the living room, we have yet another staircase with integrated storage—this time oriented the other way. It's not a common layout that one would see in a tiny house, but thanks to that couple of extra feet, it's possible here. Most notably, there are cubbies here to fit a turntable, as well as the clients' record collection.

Upstairs, we have the other loft, which can be another place to sleep, play guitar, or to lounge around.

The shelving here acts as a visual barrier, and as a place to store things and display those all-important houseplants.

Below the loft is a great mudroom with a secondary entrance, outfitted with shelving and coat rack to store items and coats, as well as a small desk with a space-saving ottoman to sit on.

The bathroom is also tucked under this loft. Once again, we see that a bit of additional width can allow for a full-size bathtub for soaking in, a real treat in the tiny house world where showers are the typical feature. The hand-painted bowl sink is a delightful detail that matches the rest of the home's color palette.

All in all, this fully customized home was built for $140,000—relatively more than run-of-the-mill tiny homes might cost. Of course, other than the obvious advantage of having more space to work with, there are some disadvantages with slightly bigger width, as Mitchcraft's office manager Amy Beaudet tells Treehugger:

"Wider tiny houses need permits to pull them, which stipulate no moving the home at night, and using a 'wide load' banner. They also need more space to maneuver when the home is being moved onto a property, and might not be allowed into an RV park due to the oversize width. Usually 10-foot-wide tiny homes are being parked in a more permanent situation."

In the end, the size and layout of one's tiny home should be closely tailored to fit one's lifestyle and one's needs; some may feel more at home in a smaller tiny house, while others will prefer the benefits of a slightly more expanded home.

To see more, visit Mitchcraft Tiny Homes.