Tiny House Nation

A family rebuilds their home after it was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. While they are excited to return to their community, permit issues threaten to shut the whole build down. Plus this family wants an open floor plan with a full dining table to host large family dinners. Zack rises to the challenge with one of his most innovative furniture pieces to date.

Phillise and her toddler boys want a tiny eco-friendly house. They are committed to living off grid and the house is passively designed to take advantage of the California sun. The build has Zack seeing double–this house is built on two tiny house trailers! And John encounters tough tiny house critics in Phillise’s family. Can he win them over before Phillise moves in?

Aaron and Meredith and their two dogs just packed up everything and moved to Austin, TX in hopes of expanding their winery business. They’re looking for a tiny house that fits right in with the unique appeal of the local scene and keeps them close to the business. Zack’s challenge is going to be creating a bohemian space that not only impresses our homeowners but transforms to accommodate for the clientele they plan to host.

Michele and her son are ready for their next adventure–in a tiny house! Since they plan to drive this tiny house across the country, John coaches Michele through House Driving 101. Zack and the team design a steampunk themed home full of metal gadgets and gears.

This close-knit family is looking for a tiny home to do some extended stay vacationing in. They’ve asked John and Zack to build them a high-tech tiny home that they can monitor from afar to check weather conditions in the long winter months. Zack’s challenge will be building a tiny space that meets all their high tech needs, stores some of their winter gear, and brings the family closer together.

Kelsey and Matt have been friends and roommates for several years now. Recently, the two broke the cardinal rule: don’t date your housemate. With all going well so far, they’ve decided to take the next big step in their relationship–building a tiny house. However, just because the quarters are about to get closer doesn’t mean Kelsey and Matt are ready to share a room. Our challenge is to build a tiny house that still provides ample privacy for these two techy best friends turned lovebirds as their romance evolves. Other challenges include a separate sink and vanity areas, a video picture wall to showcase the couple’s adventures, and ports for iPads and other devices throughout the house.

Together since 17 and married in 2013, Lauren and Liam want their already small life to become even smaller by building a nautically inspired tiny house. After a long stressful day teaching students via the family owned business, Grand Prix Driving School, the couple prioritizes space and downtime. With Liam’s extensive movie collection and Lauren’s overflowing bookcase, the two want to be able to enjoy their private time, separately. Our challenge is to create a dual-purpose “nook” that works as a library for Lauren and a movie theater for Liam. An additional challenge would be to make the design of the ultra tiny home inspired by Cape Cod Lighthouses by including a small version of one. Being that this is the first tiny home on “the cape” Lauren and Liam look forward to being a novelty while still blending into their surroundings.

Justin and Melissa are teachers who hope to give inner city kids a chance to learn about nature through their business InspireOut. They want a home that can connect them with the outdoors and serve as a base for the business.

Matt and Emma love throwing parties and having friends over. Now that Emma is heading back to school they’ve decided to turn their garage into a tiny house and rent out their big house to make up for the loss of one-income. The challenge is they still want to make sure there’s room for all their friends to crash. John and Zack will have to figure out a way to make room for the couple, their numerous friends, and their new puppy.

The Graham’s are gearing up to make a major move across the country and begin their next adventure as a family. They’re looking for a craftsman style tiny house that’s going to hold up against the brutal winters they will soon face and that packs enough functionality for the whole family. Zack and John’s biggest challenge will be fitting it all, and the family in less than 350 square feet!

We all dream of getting away for the holidays, now hosts John Weisbarth and Zack Giffin are going to be showing us how to do it tiny style. They’ll be showing us 12 amazing tiny homes in amazing locations packed with tricks to make each home perfect for the holidays. From tiny ski chalets in Lake Tahoe, to tiny tropical getaways in Hawaii, we’ll see how creative homeowners celebrate the season in style, despite their limited square footage. Across the hour, tiny homeowners will be showing us around their homes, and pointing out what makes them special for the holidays. For some it’s about escaping the cold to celebrate Christmas in the sun, unwinding in their tiny house paradise. For others, it’s about showcasing the unique and innovative ways their tiny homes can deliver big on holiday functionality and cheer.