House from One Thousand and One Nights with Climbing Wall: Take a look inside Thomas and Sigrid’s unique home | My guide

Thomas and Sigrid wanted to roll up their sleeves as much as possible. To save money but also because they love doing it. During the “building with straw” workshop, at the then Casa Calida, they learned to work with clay and straw. “That experience left a lasting impression on us. The wood, straw and clay veneer we were allowed to work in was warm and comfortable – even without windows and doors. We fell in love with this method of construction and wanted to research further what bio-environmental materials we could use,” says Sigrid. in our home”.

What are the most important advantages and important points in straw construction? Overview.

The 1920s house doesn’t look very large from the street side. The entrance is somewhat narrow, but the residents have invested in a nice, large common space with a climbing wall. “Guests are often impressed by the enormous living space with lots of light and high ceilings. Living together is important to us. That’s why the living space is large and the bedrooms and bathrooms are rather small,” say the couple.

The house looks so interesting because it breathes. “In the existing part we replaced all the plaster with clay. We did this in cooperation with Het Leemniscaat. The ceiling was given a wood wool blanket. The old part was insulated with 20 cm of wood wool with wood fiber boards as the underlayment. The floor was filled with paper pulp and fitted with battens Wooden.

From wood wool insulation to grass and even shells: What natural insulation materials are there?

They chose a timber frame for the new rear extension. The roof of the extension was covered with straw bales. They didn’t have to drive far to get hay bales. The straw comes from a field a few kilometers away. The walls and floors are filled with hemp lime. Under the floor there is a 30cm thick layer of shells as a natural shield against the increasing humidity.

Of course, the oil boiler had to suffer as well. It was replaced by a high-efficiency gas condensing boiler. There is underfloor heating in the rear building There is a pellet stove. The stove is connected to the “old” house with a warm air duct. “Due to a technical problem with the underfloor heating, we only heated with pellets all winter. However, we have not missed the underfloor heating yet.” For ventilation they chose balanced ventilation (D system).

A, B, C(+) and D(+): What ventilation systems exist and how do they work?

To collect rainwater, the couple dug a rainwater well with a capacity of 15,000 litres. They use it for toilet and garden. They provided hot water taps for the washing machine and dishwasher. Hot water is heated by a 3 m2 solar collector. “We now fill the dishwasher and washing machine with hot water heated by a solar boiler. It has a capacity of 200 litres. This way we save a lot of electricity.”

attention: Since last month, the rainwater well has been made mandatory for comprehensive renovations.

Thomas and Sigrid worked with contractors. This way they were able to put their own stamp on everything. “Five to six Many fun elements: Horseshoe arches around doors and windows, a clay line on the wall behind the stove, a five-metre high climbing wall, clay flower decorations behind the switches, and clay lizards crawling up our walls. Or how about the starry sky above the bathroom and a wave-shaped wall between the bathroom and the toilet in oriental tadelakt?

Finally, the many windows and skylights in the thatched roof mean that Thomas and Sigrid don’t need to turn on the lights, even during the dark winter months. “Except when the sun sleeps, of course. We’re still very impressed with that sea of ​​light. Our conclusion? Ecological regeneration isn’t just for the happy few, it can help keep the budget under control.

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