I have been a bit remiss in not keeping up with this site, if nothing else it keeps me thinking about it and helps keep us on track. Since my last post we have started debating whether we might rather build a slipform stone house with a living roof rather than a straw bale. We love everything about straw bale, except it’s moisture sensitivity. In our micro climate with driving rains and long periods with out sun to dry things out we have some concerns. We know it is possible to do a good straw bale in those sorts of conditions but we are not sure if we are up to it or not. One natural resource that our site has in plenty is rocks. Right now I am reading through a book of my sister’s “The Big Book of Small House Designs”. All of the designs in this book are 1,200 sq ft or less, making it the perfect resource. My sister is in the planning stages of her own, super small house on wheels. Seeing her plans can’t help but make a person rethink how big is big enough, and how small is too small?
Our plans also need some work because we decided that, although it is not the most efficient way, we need to keep everything on one level. My knees are poorly designed and already hurt from time to time, it will only get worse as time goes on. The plus side is we won’t be hoisting beams as high in the air and with no living space on the second floor we can consider a low pitch living roof.
Here is our most current floor plan. Except I think the kitchen will be widened by a couple of feet. (click to get a bigger picture)
And here are the criteria we are trying to fill:
- Passive solar design
- Quick, less expensive and easy to build ourselves: so simple foundation, simple roof line, simple floor plan.
- Small but not cramped, around 1500-1700 sq ft
- 3 bedrooms: One big enough for a king size bed downstairs, 2 more smaller bedrooms for kids
- 2 bathrooms: a full accessible bath downstairs with laundry
- Space for office/computer and space for sewing/crafts
- kitchen big enough for food preservation/processing with at least one good space for food prep.
- pantry
- layout so that large pieces of furniture can easily be negotiated into all rooms
- designed to make use of natural light.
- Sufficient storage (a nice vague requirement)
- Space for kids to play but be out of the way
- Wood stove for back up heat
- Pot filling faucet above range
- window seat
- brick oven in surround around wood stove
- shelves/cabinets build into sides of stairs
