When you think of your dream home, what does that look like? Is it a traditional home with a white picket fence? A tiny home near the beach? Or maybe a cottage in the forest? For one woman – it means as being as close to Mother Nature as possible, and she most certainly accomplished that in her incredibly unique earthen home.
Emma is a woman from Wales, and she lives in a home, deep in the woods, completely free of any ‘normal’ modern amenities.
Emma’s home is definitely not your conventional home. It is literally built into the earth and the top has become overgrown with shrubs, grass, and nature. It only cost her £1000 to make ($1300 USD) and to her? It’s perfect.
The home doesn’t have running water, electricity, or the internet, but it’s all that Emma wants and needs.
Bryce Langston of Living Big in a Tiny House spoke with Emma about her daily life and how she got here.
Emma happens to own the land and the older she became, the more she realized that ‘less was more’. It was with this idea in mind that she built her earthen cottage. For food, she has chickens and goats that provide her with eggs and milk.
To cook, she uses an open fire right outside her home. For water, she has access to potable, running water a few steps from her home as well.
As one can imagine, the seasons provide their challenges and winter can be particularly tough.
However, don’t underestimate Emma – she considers herself strong, tough, and resilient. She knows how to chop wood, can carry heavy loads, and has essential survival skills.
So, how did she build her home? With ingenuity and some elbow grease!
“Her house is a result of trial and error. Twenty years worth of them. The roof sits on the walls which are made from straw-bales. Emma makes the plaster herself, done from horse manure and clay which come from the earth. The hut is 4 meters wide and is surprisingly cozy during the winter,” Spotlight Stories says.
The roof of her home is literally ‘alive’ with vines and plants growing on top, serving as natural insulation.
Inside the home, her living space is open, airy, and, of course – one with nature. Emma loves natural light, so she’s opted to go without curtains over her giant windows. The ceiling structure is made with a series of rafters, making the home feel extremely spacious yet cozy.
As for furniture? Emma isn’t interested. She’s quite the minimalist and has chosen to forego furniture. She prefers to sit on the floor with small pillows and blankets to make her comfortable. In fact, she doesn’t even have cabinets or cupboards! Everything she needs is literally at her fingertips.
But – where does Emma go to the bathroom?
“There’s a stream of water where Emma collects hers as needed. She also heads down to a small river for a swim whenever she fancies. Emma has a sauna and a bath that she built which can be heated with fire, and a composting toilet that lets her enjoy the view. She’s free from having to charge devices, complicated plumbing, and all the maintenance needed for a normal house,” Spotlight Stories continued.
While many people want fancy cars and a dream of a lavish lifestyle, Emma has chosen the opposite. And while it might not be everyone’s cup of tea – it makes her happy and that’s all that matters.
Take a full walk-through tour in the video below and let us know if you could live in a house like Emma’s!
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