When Portland passed a law allowing homeowners to build an <200 square foot accessory unit on their property without a permit, Chris and Jack jumped at the opportunity. Because Chris is a sculptor, she thought sculpting from cob would be a perfect way to create a small dwelling. The bean-shaped unit features two spiral pillars [...]
Cob Homes
They Built A Tiny Earth Home in New Mexico… And It’s Round!
Looking for a special place to stay? This earth home in La Prado, New Mexico is a simple camping-like experience in a fun round dwelling that lets you get close — or inside — the land. The adobe walls and floors were created from local clay, and the timber came from the Taos mountains. There’s [...]
Off-Grid Adobe Dome Getaway with Milky Way Views
This 250 square foot adobe dome getaway in Terlingua, Texas is the perfect spot for stargazing. It’s located in one of the few remaining territories with a “dark sky” ordinance, meaning there will be no light pollution to ruin your views of the Milky Way or a lovely sunrise! The interior of the structure is [...]
Fairytale Cob Cottage: Natural Building Rental with Living Roof in Scotland
This cob cottage in Moray, Scotland demonstrates natural building techniques using straw bales, earth, clay, round timber, and stone. The living grass roof completes the fairytale aesthetic while providing insulation and blending the structure into its surroundings. The cottage is available as a vacation rental. Design Details Location: Moray, Scotland Construction: Cob (earth, clay, straw) [...]
Jordana’s Straw bale and Cob Cabins in Oregon!
I love Jordana’s lifestyle because it shows that you can enjoy the benefits of alternative lifestyles without necessarily owning anything — not even a van! She and her fiance rent two fun off-grid structures: A straw bale cabin and a little cob cabin, each of which are about 220 square feet, in Southern Oregon. While [...]
Julia & John’s Solar-Powered Straw Bale Home in Central New York
Meet Julia & John and their amazing self-built solar-powered straw bale home! They live in Central New York and took on the challenge of creating their own home with 1300 square feet of living space after participating in a straw bale building workshop. While they did hire professionals for certain aspects of the build, like [...]
Teen Builds Tiny Tree Cabin For Less Than 2k
This is the story of Sarah’s tiny tree house cabin that she built for less than $2,000 in materials. At a first glance, you may not be able to tell very easily, but it truly is a treehouse! There are 7 living trees in and around this little cabin. Meet Sarah McClellan (daughter of Cob/Earth/Mud [...]