With housing crises around the world, people have been rethinking the way society lives in homes. Sure, we all need shelter – but technological innovations and creative structural builds have paved the way for reconsidering how we live within this world.

We are constantly bombarded with stories of people leaving a corporate job to live in a van, or of people giving away their belongings to move into a tiny home. And while the thought of tiny homes and alternate lifestyles can be appealing, it’s hard to imagine how they’d work out in real life.

As much as we hate to admit it, people are attached to their material belongings, and getting rid of most of your possessions can seem daunting – and even scary – to some. Not to mention that most tiny homes aren’t even “simple” in the common sense of the word. Instead, “simplicity” is understood as packing as many modern comforts into a place as you can. But in the end, you’re still living in complexity – the scale has simply been reduced in size.

A Welsh woman named Emma, however, has upended the modern concept of simplicity and taken it to a whole new level.

Nestled deep in the wild woods of Wales, Emma lives a life that would seem foreign to many today.

Years ago, Emma and her ex-husband bought a farm and the two lived comfortably on the land. Eventually, however, Emma was called to live more simply. She disliked the way modern society functioned and wanted to develop a deeper relationship with the Earth.

This desire is what inspired Emma’s earthen, fairytale forest home.

Spending £1,000, Emma constructed her very own hut located on the woods of the property. Here the vibrant woman lives without running water or electricity.

Learning to build the hut was a process for Emma, who admits that many of her first models eventually collapsed with time. Now, however, she has discovered a working model and recreates it from time to time.

It should be understood that Emma’s entire hut is made completely from scratch, using bales of hay, sticks, and a homemade plaster composed of horse manure, clay, and mud. And while it may not sound like the most appealing mixture, Emma’s plaster is strong enough to support the hut even in the cold, winter times.

Emma used a green roof to cover the structure.

As a result, the house looks like its own habitat, sprouting grass various plants. This green roof also camouflages the hut, making it difficult to see until someone passes by – an element that simply adds to the home’s enchanting mystery and allure.

The inside of Emma’s hut is just as cozy and magnetic as the outside.

The interior is a large, open-concept space with multiple windows to allow in the sun, moon, and starlight. A homemade fireplace is nestled in the corner and provides a means for Emma to cook.

When asked about the work that goes into making a cup of tea versus being able to wake up and quickly make one in the kettle, Emma makes a very interesting point. While she acknowledges that she does have to prep an entire fire each morning, she doesn’t have to work to support herself or pay the bills. So, from that perspective, who’s really working harder?

While Emma’s lifestyle is certainly not for everyone, her magical forest home truly embodies the creative ways we can live in the world today.

And, after watching this video, I truly have to wonder whether we’ve been doing it all wrong.

Get a tour of Emma’s magical, earthen home in the video below!

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Source: Living Big in a Tiny House