But I did find some really neat stuff, too :o) Survivalist types aren't all wacked out in space you know. Most are really on the ball and dead on the target if truth be told.
But, that aside...I found another house plan I think I could work with, although it's more a traditional style home, and Dewey is looking at basements, and honestly, I do think I'd prefer that. I like the "cool" aspect of a basement.
Anyway, maybe Dewey can play with this one...
Just thinking of things, I'd like to keep the loft idea that Kris has...maybe expand it a bit more for more usable, actual living space. I would have the 'upstairs' over that bedroom and bath section.If the children's room were up there, we'd need to extend the house out a bit more than it is to make room for 3 bedrooms side-by-side.
I don't see why we couldn't keep the basement thought on some level, maybe a walk-out? Or just digging in a bit, as Dewey planned already, where the children had full-size, above grade windows in each bedroom for emergency use. That would put them maybe 6 foot below grade, then the 3 foot windows.
If the basement was a full footprint, the children could have bedrooms under the living space, and we could dig back into a hillside and go completely underground for a pantry under that bedroom area, and a storm shelter under that bathroom.
Ahh, but that's what my wonderful husband is for :o) He is most definitely the 'left brain' side of this family, where I am more the right side most times. Yeah, who am I kidding...I'm a righty all the time. That's how I roll :o)
What do you think? What would you keep, what would you change, what would you add? I am looking for something with a pretty open floor plan, lots of natural lighting, definitely something to help with keeping the cooler the better during the summer when I turn into a mush-baby.
Honestly, my only real must-haves are a good sized pantry/store room and that storm shelter. I don't really want an external storm shelter, but I'll take it if it's all I can get. Anything aside from those two musts I can work with and adjust to.
5 comments:
I like your ideas. I would make sure however that the greatroom (kitchen/living room combo) has a woodburning stove, where you can cook on as well as providing heat should you be without electricity for some reason. But you probably have that worked out. I like the pantry and storm shelter idea, something I would love to have as well at one point.
Good luck with your plans, and I enjoy reading your blog.
Marlies/ Colorado
Ah yes, it's easy to get carried away on those survival blogs, isn't it? I understand. :-) I love the idea of a basement house. So safe for so many reasons, especially here where tornados are so prevelent.
I agree with the basement idea. You can get bedrooms, pantry and storm shelter in one place. I would LOVE to have a basement so I could have a cold room/root cellar. I have a storm shelter, but it's in the garage. Under the house, I wouldn't have to go out in the elements to get to it.
Oh yes, we definitely have the plan for a central wood heater and the cookstove. It's a given no matter house plan is actually used. I want off the reliance on the grid. Dewey isn't ready to go totally off yet, but I want to lessen our reliance on it and so when it fails or when we choose to take that last step, it will be seamless and no one will even notice a difference :o)
Deanna
I went and looked here again on the layout of your home. It is kind of similar to what our house looked like when we lived in Kentucky. It looks like a really nice layout and I wish you and your family the best of luck when you all start building. I know the feeling of building my own home :)
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