Insider

Because the earthen floor has been layed and is now drying (and can't be walked on), it is tough to get photos of the interior. Luckily, Mike and I decided to incorporate a brick floor extending from the entrance to the woodstove hearth. This has provided a countless number of benefits:

1. One can still step inside while the floor is drying - I can take photos, visitors can take a peek, we can store tools safely inside at night, and I can sleep warmly on the brick on the cool nights that are becoming more and more common as we move into October.

2. With brick taking up 1/4 of the entire floor, we were left with less earthen floor to do: fewer materials to haul, mix, and pour.

3. We had to custom cut all of the bricks that run along the wall - we also decided to make the transition between the bricks and the earth a really voluptuous "s" shape, so we had to cut those too, which provided us with our first opportunity to get some beers and work late into the night with some extension cords from the solar panel and a light. It was great to see the cottage lit up at night.

4. As a personal benefit, I really enjoyed using the brick, and love the look. It went straight to the top of things I want to use on my next project.

I'll get a better photo of the brick once I can walk across the floor, but here's the best peep:


The Northwest corner:


The Southwest corner. I love the orange light on that window reveal at dusk.