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When the Denver Home Show rolls into the National Western Complex this weekend (March 20 to 22), one of its biggest draws will be actually quite small.
Plan to visit the Tiny Home Village, which highlights one of the home-building industry’s latest trends—small residences designed for simpler living. Organizers have devoted more than 30,000 square feet of exhibition space to eight tiny homes from six different builders. “Interest in the tiny home movement has really grown this year,” says Cristian Moore, group manager for the Denver Home Show. “Denver is lucky to have so many builders in the region, and that’s why we’re able to feature a variety of designers and styles.”
Tiny homes (usually in the hundreds of square feet or less) are often built on trailerlike platforms for easy transport. Driven by a “less-is-more” philosophy, these homes are designed for full-time living and constructed with traditional building materials as opposed to the lightweight, aerodynamic resources of RVs and trailer homes.
(Read more about the tiny house movement in Colorado)
“I tell our clients the only limitations are your imagination, the laws of physics, and your budget,” says Stew MacInnes, CEO of Utah-based Maximus Extreme Living Solutions, who will bring three tiny homes to the Denver Home Show. “It’s my job to line those three things up.”
MacInnes builds custom homes for clients drawn to the freedom of living small. Most of his customers are looking for a new primary residence that doesn’t tie them down to a single location or a big pile of bills. “There’s freedom in simpler living,” says MacInnes. “They really can be happier with less.”
Entry-level homes from MacInnes start around $30,000 for a 12-by-eight or 16-by-eight project. On the whole, tiny homes tend to feature a cottage look, although Maximus Extreme Living Solutions leans toward a less traditional design. “That’s why we’re so excited to bring the Tiny Home Village to Denver,” Moore says. “Often if you’re interested in these homes, you look at one builder at a time. It’s really unusual to have this many buildings in one place at a time.”
This year, the Denver Home Show will fill almost 150,000 square feet of exhibit space, including 14,000 square feet of outdoor living displays from eight local designers. Check the website for a schedule of featured presenters. Ticket prices start at $9 when purchased online. “We want you to come to the home show and be inspired,” Moore says. “Whether it’s looking at the engineering behind a tiny home or the lush outdoor landscapes, we hope visitors come and see something new that they’re inspired to try at home.”