If you’re thinking about building a custom timber home, there are a lot of good reasons to go small. From reducing your maintenance and energy costs to truly living in every square foot you build, everyone has his or her reasons to downsize.

But building small isn’t quite as easy as taking a large floor plan and shrinking it down.

“There are a variety of specific considerations that come into play when you choose to design a home on a smaller scale,” says Donna Peak, editor of Log and Timber Home Living “If a trim-and-tidy timber home is on your list of must-haves, there are certain essentials to keep in mind.”

Peak offered 12 tips, tricks and ideas to create home that’s sweet and petite.

The Ravenwood’s full-length covered porch supported by heavy posts on stone pylons appeals to a revived interest in mixing stone, logs and timbers to recreate an early 20th century yet modern look.

Two dormers hint at the Cape Cod style, leaving the plan open to several interpretations.

The 1,030-square-foot cabin has a first floor with all necessary living spaces, making the cabin convenient as a starter house, vacation cabin or retirement house. There’s a living area opening onto a back deck that spans the side of the house, a separate kitchen and a master suite with a full bath.

Upstairs there’s a full bath, a bedroom with knee-wall storage and a loft open to the living area below.