Have I told you about our new dream? What if you could have a brand new home for a few thousand dollars? No mortgage? No home loans? No monthly payments? What if you could design it anyway you want? Out of all-natural materials? What if it required less heating in the winter and less cooling in the summer because the material it's made of is an amazing insulator? What if it is artistic and beautiful and you could create pretty much anything you want in your home because the material is flexible and easy to build with? Sounds too good to be true right? Why doesn't everyone do this? Really? I have no idea. Why doesn't everyone do this? Let me show you what I mean: Looks kind of like stucco huh? Reminds me of the Arizona houses. I adore the curves. The ceiling and in the windows. Shoe cubbies, wood-burning stove, big windows, curves, built-in furniture Isn't that just gorgeous? It's inspiring. If there is one thing I love more than any other feature in a home, it's nooks. I am a nook lover. They are so cozy and usually by a window perfect for reading or reflecting. Two stories. Earth tones are just so calming and grounding. You can paint the walls though if you want color but I am loving the warm feel of the natural colors of the earth. How fun to have carvings on the walls outside. Very cool swirls. Look what you can do on the artistic end. The details are gorgeous. I would make it perfect for lounging with nice curved head rest of sorts. Ahhhh. What a feeling this creates. I think of those houses in Greece. I love the ability to really just do what you want- I love textured ceilings. The windows are way too small but how create with the staircase on the outside. Breakfast nook Doesn't that look like art? Art that you can sit on. How fun to climb up there for a kid. Homework spot maybe? Cool canyon feel. Reading/sleeping nook. Amazing skylights. Now, some of these homes do look like hobbit homes, but they are cute and cozy and woodsy. So story book, fairy tale. Could you imagine growing up somewhere like that? The built-in furniture is so cool. Isn't this a kid's dream? So fun! And beautiful. Stained glass wall. So pretty. Here's a link to a website that explains a little more about this type of home: http://www.thiscobhouse.com/ On this same website they also have reasons why people chose to build cob homes and I'll list a few here but check out the website for more (http://www.thiscobhouse.com/characteristics-of-cob-homes/): Owner Built Cob houses can usually be built by the owner. You don’t need a degree in architecture or to be a structural engineer to build a cob home. Many people build their own homes after taking a one week long cob building workshop. It is very rewarding to be able to build your home with your own two hands. Healthy Unlike conventional homes which are constructed with synthetic, industrial-formed materials, cob homes are built almost entirely out of natural, clean materials. Industrial homes are full of indoor air pollutants and off-gassing of chemicals contained in the building materials. Cob homes do not have this problem. In fact, cob actually “breathes” through its tiny pores and keeps air fresh and clear. If you suffer from indoor allergies then living in a cob house could significantly improve your quality of life by eliminating the toxins that may cause them. Strong The straw, which is part of the cob mix, acts like a natural re-bar to hold the whole structure together as one monolithic piece. This makes cob homes extremely solid and resistant to earthquakes. Many cob homes have lasted for hundreds of years with minimal upkeep, whereas wooden structures generally survive only a few generations. Build a cob home for your family and it will last for many many generations to come. Acoustic Privacy Earthen walls have very good sound-absorbing properties that keep it quiet inside, both from exterior noises and noise generated in the same building. Termite Proof Since cob is a mixture of soil, aggregate sand, and straw it is not attractive to termites. To add to that, cob homes have not been known to become burrowing grounds for insects or animals either. Fire Proof Cob does not catch fire. However, still be aware of your ceiling or roof as it might not be flame resistant like the body of the cob home. Can you see why I'm so in love? Can you see why it seems like a no-brainer to build one of these? A home is a central part of the American Dream right? Why does that have to include a huge amount of debt and payments every month? So much artistic freedom and expression in each of these. So cozy and warm and beautiful and functional and strong and fun. And actually good for your health. (I really love that aspect too.) I walk down the street now and look at all the mundane houses- the ones we all just see and accept as what we are supposed to live in. What would each home look like if the owner could have designed it. What would that look like to walk down a street of art? You would see creativity and personality and feel the joy each person has in their life as they create. Everyone's homes would look like they are from a fairy tale. Or you could design it square and straight too. But what if it didn't have to be straight and square to be structurally sound? What would people do? Wouldn't that be magical? So this is my dream. To have a home- a creative, artistic, child's dream home (there will be slides and little nooks and bunk bed cubbies) that emanates creativity and beauty and comfort. What do you think? Have you heard of homes like this before? What would your home look like?