In 2014, my wife Ashely and I were happily living, working, and raising our kids in Nairobi, Kenya. But we wanted our three young children to be closer to their relatives and roots in the Midwest. Luckily for us, our big move back coincided with a #bucketlist item of my dad’s: to design and build a small, sustainable house with as many refurbished materials as possible. In addition to having the chance to build a house together, our goals for the project were to create a small, affordable, and kid-proof home that lets the outdoors in and that will be able to evolve (not expand) with us as our children grow up. Having lots of light, multiple functional and multi-use spaces, and easy access to the outdoors were important, as was using true, high-quality materials that will hold up to regular wear and tear, and eventually a family dog. The location and placement of the home – on a secluded 8-acre apple orchard and restored prairie – helps us live very much in sync with nature. The sun rises in the east through our master bedroom windows and the adjoining large main floor bathroom, then warms the south-facing kitchen, dining area, and eventually west-facing living room over the course of the day. A large flush-with-floor-level deck on the south side hosts an outdoor living area and a dining table, and looks over a kitchen garden and lawn. Large windows catch breezes beautifully, and we fling them open every summer night. In the winter, we stay warm in an airtight home with a very well-insulated envelope. The house’s southern exposure helps us soak up the winter sun to maximize passive solar gain, and an air-to-air exchanger keeps things circulating when we’re buttoned up. At 1800sqft, ours is a small house with a big mandate: to shelter and support a growing family of five through all the life stages to come. Some “small space hacks” that make the space work include having small bedrooms and two bathrooms, the main floor one being particularly roomy with lots of light. A family room in the basement will evolve to accommodate late-night teenagers (for better or worse, it even has a door to outside). The home office upstairs (with two doors and sound proofing) has space for a homework station and craft projects. The wall of books on built-in shelves in the loft library helps with acoustics, and the lowest shelves swing open to reveal 14’ deep “kid caves” the length of the office, a favorite nap spot for our young kiddos. The walk-through closet between the master bedroom and main bath gives the feeling of having an en-suite master bath, and the closet was sized to fit a crib; we moved in when our youngest was still breastfeeding and for the past year the master closet has done double duty as our “nano nursery.” With the vaulted ceiling reaching 23’ at its peak, when sitting in the main floor living room with views over the treetops and adjacent farms, it’s easy to forget that this is technically a “small home”.
-
Kitchen garden, spacious deck, and [the back side of a] modern farmhouse... all tucked into the rolling hills of SW Wisconsin. South facing windows and solar panels soak up the sun, producing almost have the home's electricity needs. (All photos by Simon Stumpf)
-
The Douglas Fir used in the table, island, and custom staircase are all from decommissioned wooden bleachers. Oak floor is wide-plank, variable width and handmade. We chose Carara marble for under the wood stove, the primary source of heat in this furnace-free home.
-
The custom backsplash is a modern take on Mexican Talavera tiles, and economical, too! (other cost-saving measure: pouring our own concrete countertops).
-
Large windows - painted black to frame sweeping views and to match fixtures and furniture - bring the outdoors in, and pine floors in the bedroom (and office and loft) are soft and soothing to the touch.
-
Refurbished tub and apron-style farm sink, slate floors, tiled walls, and lots of light make this a favorite spot... for kids and tropical plants alike.
View Comments
You should be very proud! My Daddy, now 81, cannot build houses with me anymore. His health won't allow it. But, after his 60 years of building, i have learned more than i can list! Congratulations on your new home!