Posted by: Ross Lukeman
Categories: Inspiration, Lifestyle, Reduce Building Costs
I am in the middle of reading Mortgage Free! by Rob Roy and it is fantastic. It guides you step-by-step through what it takes to build a home and live thrive without a mortgage. I have to admit, the ideas in the book are definitely outside-the-box. As I read Roy’s words, ...
Posted by: Ross Lukeman
Categories: Inspiration
Several months after returning from my trip to Indonesia, I’m still reeling from the immense diversity of architecture, craftsmanship, and nature I found there. With one of the highest rates of biodiversity in the world spread over 17,000 islands, it’s easy to see how the people of Indonesia are as inspired as they ...
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This week I’m excited to be writing to you from Jakarta, Indonesia. After several long flights via Houston, Los Angeles and Hong Kong, I arrived last Sunday to this country of over seventeen thousand islands. In the coming weeks I hope to bring you some of the awesome architecture and craftwork of the ...
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These days it seems like everywhere you turn, people are taking notice of the “do what you love” train of thought and the “find your passion” mantra. In a world of shifting economies, globalization, and the internet, hacking it out at that boring job is no longer the rite of passage it once ...
Continue Reading →Posted by: Ross Lukeman
Categories: DIY Projects, Energy Savers, Gardening, Green Home Tips
These days there are a gazillion devices and ways out there to keep your house from overheating during the summer months in hot climates. Blinds, solar screens, and ever-improving air conditioners all work together to bring us that sought-after escape from the summer heat. However, one of the most overlooked ways ...
Continue Reading →Posted by: Ross Lukeman
Categories: Blog, Book Reviews, Innovative Design, Natural building, Videos
At only a few points in our lives, there comes an event so profound that it causes a foundational shift in who we are and where we’re going. The book I’m about to show you was one of those critical focal points for me. I discovered it a few years out of architecture ...
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A friend and I recently sat down to watch a groundbreaking new documentary on the subject of complacency. “I’m Fine, Thanks“ explores the lives of over 60 people and how they went from a scripted existence to pursuing a life they love.
One of the recurring themes was ...
Continue Reading →Posted by: Ross Lukeman
Categories: Blog, Home Building, Home Design, Home design innovators, Innovative Design, Reclaimed Materials, Reduce Building Costs, Reducing home costs
Artistry is not usually a word you think of when it comes to sustainability. Maybe the Toyota Prius, solar panels, or granola. But for Dan Phillips of Huntsville, Texas, artistry is the keystone that brings together his one-of-a-kind homes. This past weekend, I headed out to tour a few of Dan’s creations which ...
Continue Reading →Posted by: Ross Lukeman
Categories: Build for Less, Green Home Tips, Home Building, Home Design, Innovative Design, Natural building, Reduce Building Costs, Reducing home costs
After a hard week in the city, a friend and I headed out of town last weekend to rent a river cabin in the historic Texas town of Bastrop. After a day or two of looking around the place, I realized there were some great sustainable home features I had to share with ...
Continue Reading →Posted by: Ross Lukeman
Categories: Blog, Minimalism, Reducing home costs, Tiny Houses
This week I’d like to take you on a trip over to Jay Shafer’s 89 square foot house. Having grown up in a massive American home, Jay turned the tables in the early 2000′s by deciding to drastically downsize.
