Simpler, Less Cluttered Life a Goal of Tiny House Living

The Tiny House Roadshow, an event dedicated to all things related to tiny house living, is coming to Sevierville. Approximately twenty tiny houses will be open for touring, and vendors will demonstrate products used in tiny living.

The 3-day event will be held at the Sevierville Convention Center, 202 Gists Creek Road, running Oct. 7 – 9, 2016.

The Tiny House Roadshow is the brainchild of tiny house designer and builder Dale Geist, of Livingston, Tenn. Geist, who works alongside his son, Scott Geist, founded Tiny By Design in 2014. The many programs now being seen on HGTV and other channels have fueled interest in his work. HGTV filmed the Geist’s work last year for a segment that is still being broadcast on-demand (Tiny House Hunters, season 2, episode 10).

“The tiny house movement is one of the hottest trends in America,” said Geist. “It is popular among people from all walks of life, young-to-old, and rich-to-poor – it is a cross-cultural phenomenon that is sweeping the country. The roadshow is for anyone who seeks a simpler, less cluttered life, and also those who are just curious.”

The Tiny House Roadshow will be open 12 – 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 7; 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 8; and 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 9. Admission for adults is $10, kids ages 10-17 years old are $5 and children 9 and younger are admitted free.

Geist realized in his research of tiny house living that a large segment of the population was being overlooked. It wasn’t just young people desiring the simple lifestyle. Baby boomers were also seeing the benefits of downsizing their possessions and lifestyle. To appeal to this older group of Americans, Geist designs tiny houses with first floor living – no climbing ladders to go to bed at night. Also he has added expansion slides to his designs, for those who want a little more space.

“Downsizing doesn’t mean you have to give up luxury,” said Geist. “We specialize in custom-built, one of a kind tiny houses by working closely with our clients to fulfill their dreams. It is exciting to see how many people are interested in tiny house living. The Tiny House Roadshow was created to meet the growing interest in the market. We hope everyone will come by and see what all the buzz is about.”

Structures built specifically for tiny house living are very different than converting a shed or ready-removable into a tiny house. In August, State Fire Marshal and Commerce & Insurance Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak issued a warning to consumers that ready-removable structures are not built with the intention of being used as living spaces.