ready for dreaming…..
Archive for June, 2009
a straw bale palace
homes and habitats
our friends michael and elise began building their home in 1999 and finished in 2001, which made this the first straw bale house in georgia. they have made this handmade-sustainable home an inspiration to many. every room and the expansive porches really take advantage of thier beautiful views overlooking the lush hills of farmington. it is such a comfortable and peaceful place to be.
a couple of weeks ago i spent the day with elise at their lovely home. she shared some stories and details about her home and the making of it. if you want a tour or more information about strawbale homes, elise is happy to share her knowledge and spread the word about eco-building and living. feel free to email her at: elang.mpierce@gmail.com
enjoy!
what does home mean to you?
community, comfort, cozy, beauty with stealth, safety, sustainability, quiet resting-nesting space that is mine to share
what is your most treasured part of your home?
the hearty, earthy, undulating wheat straw-bale walls with curvy corners. my mom says the walls are fluffy!
where is your favorite part of your home to relax?
the woods and river, the screened in sleeping porch, and the claw foot tub. while we were building the house we lived in michael’s art studio & we had an outdoor shower & tub. We made it really beautiful out there with flowers & candles & it was a really sweet place to relax, unbelievably nice! so I tried to recreate that feeling as much as possible when I designed our bathroom & it was the first room that was finished & we used it for years before the rest of the house was completed.
do you have a garden?
we help our neighbors with their garden, because theirs is really big & well established & well fenced to protect from deer. the deer sit on our porch & have midnight munching meetings!……. many hands make light of much work – sharing that big job is just better!
What were/are your inspirations in decorating your house?
Mostly the eclectic mix driven by trying to use reclaimed old wood / marble/ slate/ doors/ trim molding/ sinks & tubs/ door knobs,etc. There is SO much of it available. It requires more time to use it, but it is definitely worth it financially, and as superior material & design if you have the time to piece it together & refurbish it. We spent years looking at design books/ magazines/ peoples homes/ and then when we went to a junk shop or antique store, we would just look & ask “what can I use this beautiful old material for?” like the old temple doors from Bali that we found at the old Lakewood Flea market. after a while word got out & people would bring things to us…things they weren’t using & didn’t want to see wasted.
(more…)
gardenia with wild clemantis vine
seasonal bloom
stick to your roots
garden to table
this past weekend we made a quick trip to asheville, north carolina to celebrate our first year anniversary….and for some inspiration.
asheville is a little city tucked away between the blue ridge mountains and the great smokey mountains. the city is filled with elective characters and artisans, and restaurant after restaurant offering plates made from their locally grown goods. while we were there we went to a couple of farmers markets to get inspired by their extensive locally grown movement. it is inspiring to see a city that demonstrates so much support for their farmers and artists.
sharing some details of our adventure
broken pots…new path
instant inspiration
everyone has chipped or broken terracotta pots.
sometimes you can keep on using them, but sometimes it is time to take a deep breath and bring the hammer down on ‘em.
die another day movie the resulting shards help with drainage when placed in the bottom of flower pots, but here, they are placed along a garden path. they provide good traction and drainage- a homemade alternative to buying gravel or mulch.
we spied this one a dogtrot nursery just outside athens…
