We are realizing the importance of space…the space we actually need to live comfortably.
If I had the opportunity to build another home, it would, undoubtedly, be much, much smaller than Bealtaine Cottage.
Living comfortably means a warm home, less opening and closing of doors, one big room where all comforts are to be found, much in the same way as the old cottages used to be here in Ireland.
Here in this little Lodge, built onto the back of the cottage, constructed mostly from re-cycled materials, over-wintering is now embedded into my lifestyle.
Energy use is one-quarter of that needed for the cottage.
Small pieces of coppiced wood has fed the wood-burning stove, keeping all snug and cosy.
This was a decision I made out of a challenge, to prove that it was possible to be warm and comfortable through winter…and it is more than possible, it is a new-found freedom!
Cheap energy!
This is possible with a multi-faceted approach: one small, medium or even big living space; masses of insulation; small wood-burning stove; low energy lamps; a sofa bed, or, as in my case a bed that doubles as a sofa; woollen blankets and rugs; thick curtains and menu plan for cooking one-pot meals on the stove!
A small clothes-rail doubles as a drying rail as the heat from the wood burner keeps the place toasty!
I am a fan of the Tiny Home movement for many reasons, but, primarily because this way of living empowers one…absolutely! The more one can conserve and live minimally, the more power one actually has !
Planting lots of shelter-giving plants, shrubs and trees around it also helps the micro-climate inside and out.
A place to sew and knit in comfort with the luxury of a kettle of ever-free-boiling water is magic!
A door that opens onto the most sheltered part of the garden is a bonus.
And yes…that is an old table top up-cycled as a step!
