The best houses ought to be as cozy and tranquil as possible. Even better if they make an effort to fit in with the environment rather than standing out like a sore, large concrete thumb.
And J.R.R. Tolkien’s depictions of hobbit dwellings in his writings are the ones that blend in with the natural surroundings the best.
Small, quaint, and seamlessly blends into the hillside or surrounding vegetation. Many of us undoubtedly harbor fantasies of inhabiting a house with walls and floors made of spruce and oak.
A kitchen where we can prepare breakfast and a second breakfast, as well as a cute tiny door for our magical friends to knock on. In the garden of his home in Oxfordshire, Michael Buck has created a hobbit house.
It certainly fits the bill in terms of appearance and functionality. Michael is very pleased of his self-built home, which he did all by himself.
An ‘ancient building technique’ was used to create the cob dwelling. The house, constructed out of soil, clay, and straw, doesn’t use any glitzy contemporary building materials.
The actual hobbit homes had bricks around the entryway and windows and hardwood floors. Michael might therefore expand on the hobbit idea if he so desired.
But Michael’s main concern was to keep costs as low as possible and use basic materials. Three years and a lot of recycling went into the process.
If Michael wanted to stick to his plans, he had to know where to hunt for resources. Check out the flooring. These came from a recycling bin (or dumpster, as we call it in other countries).
The windows themselves are recyclable. They formerly made up a truck’s windscreen. They are now used as lovely windows in this cozy, rustic home in Oxfordshire.
Every step along the way, Michael put in the hard physical labor. From learning how to thatch himself to lining the walls and lugging the materials he found on his back, he did it all.
The three-time parent and former art teacher aimed to reduce his carbon footprint to a minimum.
Hence, he chose to avoid driving a car by carrying the reeds on his back. This idea also permeated the building. There is no electricity used in the house.
It has no other sources of energy but a wood-burning stove, the natural insulation provided by the cob walls, and running water from a nearby spring.
Michael permits a lady from the next dairy farm to use the house. He continues to adhere to his eco-friendly philosophy by allowing her to pay the rent with milk.
The furnishings aren’t very ornate. They are deliciously straightforward instead. The Sackville-Bagginses probably won’t try to steal anything from this house.
Michael ended up spending $185 in total. He was unhappy because it wasn’t meant to cost anything, yet it was a pitiful sum. He shouldn’t be overly dissatisfied.
His additional spending of $185 to make this property attainable is outstanding budgeting given the cost of homes nowadays.
Michael explains that despite its simplicity, the house may be able to last for a very long time due to its naturally maintenance design.
If maintained properly, it may live forever, but if neglected, it would also naturally revert to the earth.
The house might actually live till your 111th birthday. The other query is: can it hold a wizard and 13 dwarves inside?
See how Michael Buck finished building his cob house in the video down below.