A Cape Breton couple is building an eco-friendly home, on a small scale.

Nicky Duenkel and Judy Pratt are building their dream home.

“Our home is quite small in size, but has everything we need,” says Dunkel.

The house, which the couple has named ‘Tiny’, is an eco-friendly abode and at just 175 square feet, it is one-tenth the size of a typical suburban home.

Dunekel and Pratt say they are building their new home as part of a lifestyle change.

“We thought ‘yup, we're going to build a tiny home so we can lower our expenses and either work less, or spend that money on friends and family,’” says Duenkel.

It takes only 12 paces to walk from one end of the house to the other. However, it will still have all the amenities, including a kitchen, living room, bathroom, guest bedroom and master bedroom.

“Our biggest priority was for it to feel cozy and with lots of natural light and also, we spend a lot of time preparing good food for ourselves, so the kitchen is a big piece,” says Dunekel

Ensuring the tiny home felt spacious on the inside was no small task for contractor Matthew Willox.

“The design stage took quite a long time,” says Willow. “There's so many aspects of it that are unique. Really, everything has to fit just perfectly together.”

There are financial advantages to living little. The couple expects to spend only $100 a month in utilities. In addition, because the small home is considered a travelling trailer,

they likely won't pay property tax, or be constrained by zoning restrictions.

Despite the perks, the couple says their main focus is about leading a simpler life.

“What we have here is what you need and not a place full of wants,” says Pratt.

The home will be ready for the couple to move into next month, but they have yet to decide where it will make its permanent home.

The pair says Cape Breton, Ontario, or Quebec are options, and that the Maritimes are an ideal place to lead a simple life.

“I think people have chosen to live meaningful lives with their friends and family here,” says Pratt.

Dunekel and Pratt hope their home will inspire others to see that good things really do come in small packages.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Ryan MacDonald