These five 'tiny houses' are more like luxury apartments on wheels

Over the years, tiny houses have evolved beyond their humble DIY roots, with some designers pushing the practical limits of the small living movement to create huge towable homes that are more like luxury apartments on wheels. With this in mind, let's take a closer look at five of the largest and most impressive recent examples.

What passed for a massive tiny house back in 2017 is very different to what we consider particularly large now. The biggest model we'd seen back then was 38 ft (11 m) long, while the 30-ft (9.1-m) Vintage XL was also very spacious. These more recent plus-sized tiny houses we're highlighting, meanwhile, are all significantly over 40 ft (12.9 m) in length.

One drawback is that each will be awkward to tow and will require a permit to travel on a North American public road. Indeed, these things are meant more to be installed on land and then rarely, if ever, moved, blurring the already thin line between tiny house and trailer home. All the extra space goes to great use, however, and enables the tiny house designers to add luxurious features, large rooms, and full-size appliances that just wouldn't be possible in a more modestly sized dwelling.

Be sure to head to the gallery for more information and images on each tiny house mentioned and each one has its own video tour below.

Purple Heart Manor - Acorn Tiny Homes

The Purple Manor Tiny House, by Acorn Tiny Homes, is very long, at 43 ft (13 m) and has a width of 10.6 ft (3.2 m). Both its exterior and interior are finished in different shades of purple, as per the owner's wishes.

Its layout is arranged around a large kitchen and living room, which includes a custom-made sofa bed, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, and a neat library style movable ladder. The owner's cat hasn't been forgotten either, and there's a kitty bridge and sitting area that leads to a "catio" (or cat patio) outside. Elsewhere lies a bathroom with a small tub, plus a master bedroom and a secondary loft bedroom.

Denali XL Bunkhouse - Timbercraft Tiny Homes

The Denali XL Bunkhouse, by Timbercraft Tiny Homes, has enough space for the entire family – and perhaps even some friends too. It has a length of 41.4 ft (12.6 m), with its width coming in at 9.8 ft (2.9 m).

Its exterior features a charming cottage-like design, with board-and-batten siding. This high-end rustic style continues inside, with a spacious living room that has a high ceiling and a well-stocked kitchen. The home also boasts a master bedroom downstairs, plus two traditional loft-style bedrooms for guests, allowing it to sleep an impressive six people in total.

Tellico - Wind River Tiny Homes

The Tellico, by Wind River Tiny Homes, has a length of 45 ft (13.7 m) and a width of 12 ft (3.6 m), making it the joint-longest tiny house we've seen to date.

Its exterior is fronted by a substantial porch. The interior proper, meanwhile, is very airy and open, and it measures almost 400 sq ft (roughly 37 sq m), a large chunk of which is taken up by a spacious living area. Its well-stocked kitchen boasts full-size appliances and the home benefits from a downstairs bedroom plus there's also a secondary bedroom up in the loft area.

Orca Edition Park Model - Mint Tiny Homes

Mint Tiny Homes definitely knows a thing or two about designing extra-large tiny houses and the firm used this experience to produce the spacious Orca Edition Park Model. It features a remarkably roomy interior that measures 44 ft (13.4 m) in length and has a width of 12 ft (3.6 m).

Unusually, its vast 528 sq ft (50 sq m) interior is arranged on a single floor, resembling a modern apartment. The kitchen and living areas are open, with full-size appliances and a sofa, while elsewhere lies a bathroom with a bathtub. There are two bedrooms in this one, both of which are quite large for a tiny house and both of which have lots of storage space.

Pisgah Park Model - Wind River Tiny Homes

The Pisgah Park Model, which is another tiny house by Wind River Tiny Homes, has a length of 45 ft (13.7 m) and a width of 12 ft (3.6 m). What sets this one apart, however, is not just its size, but its layout, which arranges the home around a large central porch.

The porch is envisioned as a general hangout area and doubles as a way to split the two main wings of the home. On one side lies the primary living area, which looks very spacious and open, with a living room and a kitchen. Over on the other side of the porch is the master bedroom, with an additional loft-style bedroom, as well as the bathroom.

That's it for our top five giants among tiny homes, let us know your favorites in the comments.