Mom builds fully off-grid strawbale home for teen daughter on a $10k budget
With their children’s future in mind, Shalina Luna and Ben Griffith made a thoughtful decision.
They had gotten a plot of land in Ignacio, Colorado, envisioning a future home for their children once they reached the age of 18.
Coincidentally, Joli Galvan had recently turned 18 and was ready to embrace her new home.
It was time to build.
In their endeavor, the couple chose an off-the-grid home constructed from straw bales covered in cob.
This 34×17-foot structure was built on a sturdy concrete slab.
Cob is a mixture of clay, sand, straw, and water, which became their material of choice, offering not only natural aesthetics but also fireproof properties.
The house has three unique segments.
All of them serve different purposes. The house is designed with well-proportioned rooms on either side, measuring 12×14 feet, providing ample space for various activities.
In the middle, a 6-foot-wide area is dedicated to housing the kitchen and bathroom.
Creating different areas for specialized purposes, one side of the house is designated as a study area, while the other encompasses the living room and a loft bedroom.
The couple’s vision for the house is to achieve a charming rustic aesthetic, evoking a cozy atmosphere that will be cherished by their young daughter throughout her lifetime.
A remarkable aspect of this house is that it is off the grid.
The entire house is powered by solar panels, enabling them to meet all their energy needs.
They even utilize an electric pump beneath the kitchen sink to make use of the water they haul in.
While the straw bales provide excellent insulation for the home, they have also installed a solar-friendly ceramic heater as a backup for extremely cold winter days.
In addition to the essentials, the couple has also constructed a cob hot tub.
It’s fueled by a wood-burning stove.
Shalina and Ben’s dedication to sustainability extended to sourcing materials either from their land or nearby resources.
Small budget, big creativity.
Despite having a modest budget of $10,000, they completed Joli’s beautiful home within a four-week timeframe.
The combination of cob and timber in the upper half of the house creates a visually pleasing aesthetic, making a charming farmhouse ambiance.
A distinctive feature of the house is the creative use of a bottle wall and glass panels, adding a unique and captivating touch to its overall appearance.
The bedroom gives off a delightful coziness, and the loft bed offers a breathtaking view of the surroundings.
Below, the living area provides ample space, allowing Joli to entertain guests comfortably.
The stairs leading to the bed are thoughtfully designed, providing a suitable height for easy access.
Each step also incorporates storage spaces, maximizing functionality.
It’s the perfect abode.
The kitchen has character.
The sink in the house is truly captivating, seamlessly blending with the wooden countertop and adding a touch of elegance to the overall design.
To the pleasant surprise of her daughter, Shalina presented a collection of kitchenware that had been passed down through generations, providing the space with a sense of cherished family history.
Although compact, the bathroom is thoughtfully designed, providing all the necessary amenities.
Shalina jokingly referred to the bathroom as an “in-house” instead of an outhouse, since it’s indoors but maintains the same concept.
Finally, the beautiful study room is designed for concentration and provides an ideal environment for focused studying.
The family’s remarkable journey of building their house was even showcased in an episode of Discovery’s “Building Off The Grid.”
Watch the video below to see Joli’s remarkable house come to life!
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Source: The Durango Herald , YouTube – Discovery UK