Mortar is a mixture of cement, water, and sand (and sometimes lime), used as a binding agent for bricks, stones, and other masonry materials.

Mortar has been used for thousands of years in construction, evolving from natural materials to today’s cement-based formulations. Its role is to bind and seal masonry, offering flexibility and workability essential for vertical and horizontal joints in walls and structures.

The color and finish of mortar can dramatically influence the final look of masonry work. By adjusting the sand color, cement type, and additives, masons can create mortar that matches or contrasts with the masonry units.

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An Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) is a self-contained living space built on the same lot as a primary single-family home. It includes a kitchen, bathroom, and sleeping area, making it suitable for independent living. ADUs can be detached structures, such as backyard cottages, or attached units, like converted basements or additions to the main house.

ADUs have gained popularity due to their versatility and ability to provide extra living space or generate rental income. They promote efficient land use in urban areas, reducing the need for new housing developments. With the rise of prefabricated models and streamlined financing options, ADUs have become more accessible for homeowners looking to expand their living options.

Junior ADUs (JADUs) are smaller versions of ADUs, usually under 500 square feet, often built within existing home structures. They offer a cost-effective way to add separate living areas with their own entrances and efficiency kitchens, while adhering to local codes and regulations.

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A roofing square is a standard unit used in the roofing industry to measure roof size and estimate material needs. One roofing square covers 100 square feet, or a 10-foot by 10-foot area.

How to Calculate Roofing Squares

Measure Your Roof

• Break the roof into sections.
• Measure each section’s length and width in feet.
• Multiply length by width to get the square footage for each section.
• Add all sections together for the total square footage.

Divide by 100

• Divide the total square footage by 100 to get the number of roofing squares.
• Example: A roof measuring 2,000 square feet = 20 roofing squares.

But roof measurements aren’t always as simple as length × width. Let’s look at why roofing squares are so useful.

Roofs are not flat like floor plans. Roofs with complex shapes, multiple planes, and varying pitches can cover more surface area than a simple footprint.

Using roofing squares makes it easier to estimate total material requirements, minimizing errors and waste.

Additionally, roofing squares account for roof slope (pitch), which impacts the amount of materials needed. Steeper roofs have more surface area, even if the building’s footprint is the same. For example, a high-pitched roof will require more materials than a flat roof of the same base size.

Example: Roof Pitch Impact

A house with a 2,000 square foot base footprint (length × width).

If it has a low slope, use a pitch factor of 1.07:

• 2,000 × 1.07 = 2,140 square feet
• 2,140 ÷ 100 = 21.4 roofing squares

If it has a high pitch, use a factor of 1.36:

• 2,000 × 1.36 = 2,720 square feet
• 2,720 ÷ 100 = 27.2 roofing squares

This example shows how the pitch can increase the material needed by over 25%!

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Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) is a mass timber product made by gluing together layers of kiln-dried solid wood, usually spruce, pine, or fir—with each layer laid perpendicular to the one below. This cross-lamination enhances strength, stability, and load distribution in both directions.

How CLT Is Made

• Lumber Selection: Kiln-dried, defect-free softwood (e.g., spruce, fir).
• Layering: 3, 5, 7, or more layers stacked at 90° angles.
• Adhesive Bonding: Structural glue secures layers under high pressure.
• Panel Sizes: Custom sizes prefabricated for walls, floors, or roofs.

Common Applications

1. Floors, walls, and roofs
2. Load-bearing and shear walls
3. Prefabricated modules and mass timber buildings
4. Mid-rise and high-rise wood construction

Benefits of CLT

• Structural Strength: High load-bearing capacity and stiffness
• Dimensional Stability: Resists warping, shrinking, and swelling
• Fast Construction: Prefab panels reduce on-site build time
• Sustainability: Made from renewable wood, stores carbon
• Fire Resistance: Chars predictably, maintaining structural integrity
• Acoustic & Seismic Performance: Performs well in noise isolation and earthquakes
• Aesthetic Appeal: Can be left exposed for a clean, natural look

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Split-level and bi-level homes are often confused due to their staggered layouts, but they differ in both structure and function. The main difference lies in the number of levels and how the interior space is arranged.

While both designs aim to separate living spaces, split-level homes offer greater design flexibility. Their staggered floors can accommodate more room separation, such as placing bedrooms above shared spaces or creating a private basement-level retreat.

Bi-level homes have a tighter layout, which can feel more compact but also more efficient for heating and cooling. However, they may be less desirable to buyers who prefer open-concept or stair-free living.

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Porches and patios both create outdoor living spaces, but they serve different purposes and have distinct structural features. Whether you’re planning to build or simply want to identify what you have, here’s a quick guide to help you understand the difference between a porch and a patio.

Porch Styling Tips:

• Add a classic porch swing, rocking chairs, or bistro seating
• Use seasonal planters to frame the front door
• Choose weatherproof cushions and furniture for longevity
• Keep it clutter-free to boost curb appeal

Patio Styling Tips:

• Center the space around a fire pit or dining area
• Add shade with a pergola or umbrella
• Use clean-lined furniture in neutral tones to let nature shine
• Add string lights or lanterns for ambiance

Maintenance Tips

Both porches and patios require regular upkeep:

• Porches: Sweep frequently, clean screens, and pressure wash annually. Wipe down furniture to remove dust and pollen. Enclosed porches may trap moisture and need ventilation checks.
• Patios: Sweep away leaves and debris. Clean furniture to prevent mildew. If using pavers or stone, reseal every few years to prevent cracking or discoloration.

If you want a sheltered, welcoming entryway or a cozy spot that blends with your home’s architecture, a porch may be the better option. If you prefer a flexible, open-air space for entertaining or grilling, a patio is good if your backyard offers room to spread out.

Porches offer architectural charm and seasonal coverage, while patios are more versatile and cost-effective for larger social gatherings.

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With so many types of houses, from cottages and townhomes to ranches and lofts there’s something for every style and need. A house is a structure, but a home is where you feel you belong.

Explore these house types and see which one feels right for you.

Condominium

A condominium is one living unit in a building or separate building among other units on a tract of land. Condos are typically for sale, but rentals are available. Each owner holds title to the residence, whether it’s in a high-rise building or separate building. Meanwhile, the condo building is governed by an elected board of officials.

Apartment

The key difference with apartments is that they are rental housing units. In larger buildings, apartments are typically owned by a single entity.

Co-op

A co-op physically looks the same as a condo or an apartment, but the real difference comes in the legal and financial side of the equation.  In these contemporary homes, the co-op members are essentially shareholders in the building.

Townhome

A townhouse is a single-family home sandwiched between or next to other homes just like it. Sometimes called row houses, townhomes share side walls and are often quite uniform. It can also be a semi-detached home when it shares one wall.

Multi-Family

A multi-family home is just that – a property with more than one unit that can house more than one family. These can be apartments, duplexes, or triplexes. Short-term rentals (STRs) have become a second home choice among US homeowners.

Due to increased housing demand, home prices have skyrocketed. However, because of travel platforms like AirBnB, people are renting their living spaces to short-term travels. Depending on the location, an STR can be a lucrative investment. 

Barndominium

The barndominium is the younger step-brother to the modern farmhouse. Both home styles have the same mother, but different fathers. Barndominiums have cathedral ceilings, board and batten siding, big windows, and interior and exterior barn doors.

Barndominium interior spaces feature wide-open kitchens equipped with islands and walk-in pantries.

Bungalow

A small, square, single-story house with a front porch is a bungalow. Small bungalows are ideal for couples and singles. Due to their popularity, it’s hard to find a bungalow for sale. 

One unique style feature of the bungalow is how the structure appears to rise from the landscape. The visual effect is achieved with hunkered-down lines featuring sturdy yet comfortable porches made of stone or wood materials.

Carriage House

A carriage home falls within the category of a single-family dwelling unit. The structures were first designed to provide shelter for horses and their caretakers. Today, carriage homes are either renovated buildings or modern ones that mimic the original design.  

Contemporary Mansion

The term “mansion” isn’t easy to define, but that doesn’t mean you won’t recognize one when you see it. Realtor.com said there isn’t a rule no rule mandating the square footage of a mansion. However, mansions are over 5,000 square feet, while others claim the large homes start at 8,000 square feet.

Historic Mansion

To be considered historic, a home must be at least 50 years old. Each town in the US has a committee that is authorized to classify a home as historic. 

Mission Revival

The Mission revival home style features whitewashed walls, red-tile roofs, wrought iron, wild greenery. As the crazy cousin to the Spanish Colonial home, Mission revival homes have verandas and balconies.

Other features include covered archways, half-crescent windows, stucco walls, and flat or shallow-sloped tile roofs, and extended roofs. One unique feature of Mission Revival architecture are roof parapets.

It wasn’t until the late 1880s when the Mission Revival style arrived in the US. Today, homes are popular in the southwestern US.

Tropical Modern House

The tropical modern house is the latest contender among home styles. Popular in Hawaii and South Florida, the homes are elevated instead of built into the ground. When a home sits off the ground, it’s protected from mosquitos, ants, cockroaches, and centipedes. 

If you want an elevated home, then you’ll need to build a post and pier foundation. Unlike concrete foundations, post and pier foundations are made with natural materials, like wood, which doesn’t harm the environment.

Local building codes require concrete to be included in the building process. Due to their natural elements, post and piers are easier to repair. They also offer increased airflow, naturally eliminating mold that grows in humid environments.

Swiss Chalet

The term chalet refers to a house built from wood with a substantial, sloping roof and wide eaves. The architectural style is well suited to hillsides and areas with plentiful snow.

French Chateau

The French term is translated as “castle,” however, it describes what most would call a large French country home. Similar to purchasing an old castle, a European chateau is a financial commitment to constant upkeep and maintenance.

Villa

A villa is similar to a single-family home but enjoys a reputation for being bigger and more luxurious. These types of houses often have gardens, vineyards fountains or courtyards. In the US, planned communities have units called villas, which are like apartments or condos.

Manor House

A manor house is a house that has land associated with it. Historically, it was the principal house of a landed estate, according to Castles and Manor Houses.

Mobile Home

A mobile home is mobile, but the irony is how the homes don’t move that much. When you have a home on wheels, you can’t park it wherever you want. The structure is a large trailer or pre-built structure that functions a permanent residence. These manufactured homes can be situated on slabs and connect to utilities like single-family houses.

Dome Home

Geodesic dome homes might be the future of the modern home. Geodesic domes were made famous by Buckminster Fuller in the 1960s. The domes offer a lower carbon footprint. As the dome homes required fewer building materials and took up the least surface area, in the long term, the homes would reduce the amount of destruction left behind by home building

Floating Home

A floating home is attached to a dock, like a boat or oil barge. The home floats but that doesn’t mean you can sail around the world on it. 

Tree House

Those who desire to live off the grid are discovering how treehouses a unique and peaceful living experience. These types of houses have architectural styles ranging from modest structures made from upcycled materials to luxurious versions designed by architects.

Container Home

When the idea of living in a shipping container was introduced, it was immediately embraced. Container homes are appealing because they’re easy to build, mobile, and durable. 

By design, shipping containers offer a single space, open layout floor plan. The structures are ideal for single living. Also, their resale value is quite high.

Cave

Caves might have been the earliest type of housing, but they can still serve as homes for people today. In fact, for those who want to minimize environmental impact, cave homes are a popular option, writes Earth Homes Now.

Underground Earth Shelters

According to the US Department of Energy, an earth-shelter is a home that’s built below grade or entirely underground. The home is below ground, built on a flat site. The living spaces surround a central outdoor courtyard.

Windows and glass doors are built into the exposed walls facing the atrium. The design provides light, solar heat, outside views, and access via a stairway from the ground level. The US is home to more than 6,000 underground homes.

Bermed Earth Shelters

A bermed house isn’t submerged below grade and can be built above grade or partially below grade. Earth covers one or more walls. The front of the house faces south, providing natural light and heat. The floor plan features common areas and bedrooms that share the natural heating source. Some homeowners will strategically install skylights to ensure ventilation and natural light in the northern sections of the house

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Black modern house designs are becoming increasingly popular. They look chic and different, plus they make a huge design statement. However, when considering colors for the exterior of your house, it’s not likely that many people will suggest choosing black. For accent trim, sure, but for the whole house?

Yes! Especially on modern and contemporary styles, black can be an amazing color for the outside of a home. Often, the exterior of a black modern house is a different material from plain wood or black siding, ranging from metal or special wood cladding.

These types of homes are ideal for locations where the black will add to the drama of a landscape, or help the black modern house blend with its surroundings.

Black Mansion

Modern black homes can be pretty large and mostly the exterior styles are modern or transitional. This is because a traditional mansion with a black exterior is exceptionally rare.

In fact, they’re almost nonexistent. You can find lots of exciting, large black mansions that have unique architecture. Sometimes, the black cladding is combined with stone, metal, or natural wood for an interesting look.

Dark Modern House

BBVH Architecten of Rotterdam created this modern villa in a new suburb of Den Haag. The modern black house has a dynamic architecture with large cantilevering terraces.

It faces the waterfront, which gives it great views. Overall, the structure is steel around a concrete core. Inside, the walls are lightweight prefab timber. Actually, the house is not just black. It has gray glass-fiber-reinforced concrete panels, anthracite plaster and warms brown wooden cladding.

All Black House

This modern black house in Zagreb, Croatia is contemporary. DVA designed the structure, which. covers an area of 590 square meters. In fact, the owners asked the architects to design two identical black modern houses, one to be rented out.

Connected by a series of walls surrounding the site, each house has two basic elements: the shell and the glass membrane. The shell or frame protects the transparent core and provides privacy.

Modern Black and White House

Black and white is a classic combination, including for a home exterior. Parasite Studio of Romania created this black modern house as a dark box. White walls mark off the semipublic spaces and link the house with the environment.

A system of courtyards helps transition the public and private spaces. The black and white theme continues in the house. Living spaces are white while the private areas are enclosed in the black box section.

Black House Trim

Maybe you love the color but aren’t ready to go all black. Instead, black trim is a great way to use the bold color as an accent. This transitional white brick house is even more striking with the black trim. Window frames, drainpipes and the front door are all pure black and create a striking contrast.

Black Modern Farmhouse

This black modern house is a new take on the farmhouse trend. Instead of going with the typical white, this modular home opts for dark drama.

Dark stained vertical wood cladding emphasizes the height. In fact, the stain lets the wood grain variations show through, adding chic charm.

By contrast, the gray building in the back has horizontal wood cladding that’s more traditional.

Innovative Black Modern House Extension

A modern black exterior can be an ideal choice for an extension to an existing home. Christopher Polly Architect used a finish of black corrugated metal panels on the expanded portion of the yellow brick home in Sydney, originally constructed in the 1960s. The panels match the lines on the roof of the main part of the home. This gives it a natural feeling of belonging.

Set in the Canadian forest, this chalet getaway uses a steeply pitched roof and vertical lines to blend with the trees that surround it. Actually, the home is two structures, one of which holds the living space while the other is a storage shed.

Designed by APPAREIL Architecture, the chalet is angular and austere on the exterior, which offers no clue to the light and airy inside of the home. Wooded areas are great locations for a modern black house because, at a distance, the house blends with the dark forest home.

Sinus House Featuring a Black Roof

The Sinus House gets its name because the two spaces look like they are sliced out of the home. The Danish countryside home is more dramatic with its black facade. While it could have been painted any neutral colors, the white “sliced-out” sections highlight the modern black of the fillets on the roof and anthracite gray brick walls.

CEBRA Architecture designed the house, which aimed to meld large sections of glass windows with the overarching desire for privacy by the homeowners. As a result, these slices also ensure that sunlight will enter the home no matter the angle of the sun.

Small Black Suburban Home

Amid the generic home designs outside Munich, Buero Wagner created this small black house that stands out in more ways than one.  It is set near Lake Ammersee, between two existing homes, an office building and a multifamily home.

The wood cladding on the exterior wall is carbonized and belies the light wood interior found throughout. Moreover, the process of carbonizing the wood seals it, making it water-repellant and fungus-resistant without the use of any chemicals.

Faceted Black House

Designed by Benjamin Heller, this black house has a jewel-like appearance with its black panels shining like facets on a gemstone. Locates in Öhningen, a health resort near Lake Constance, Germany, it sits at the cliff of the neighborhood.

The architects say that the building has the feel of a hand-cut stone with its varied angles and black surface. The different ways that it reflects light make it a very interesting structure.

House in Silhouette

Designed as a large family home in Melbourne, House in Silhouette was conceived by Atelier red + black. The neighborhood sits at the edge of the outer suburbs and straddles the world between rural and suburban.

The black facade of the home is ideal for a low-density 1.6-acre lot, where there is plenty of green space. The unique dark house lends a distinctive air and helps set it into the landscape as a complementary structure.

Black Riverside Home

Choosing to have a dark facade is a bold and brave move, and this home in Užliedžiai, Lithuania uses it to its best advantage. Set on the side of the Nevezis river in a forest home setting, this house blends with the surroundings in an effortless way. 

Nebrau designed the home actually with two sections, one for living and the second for resting, both situated by a small private pond. Surprisingly, the unique black exterior wall puts it in harmony with all the elements in the setting.

Angela Waibel of Hajnoczky.Zanchetta Architekten created the concept of this tall and slim two-family home in a grove of trees near Zurich. As with other forest modern homes, the black exterior helps it melt away against the background of trees, leaves and topography. By contrast, in the snowy winter, the home stands out like a dark gem. The triangular shape of the house makes it a distinctive design. Also, the black exterior only serves to highlight its unusual silhouette.

Sustainable Australian Home

A dark-gray and black exterior is the perfect finish for this unique home. Actually, it’s also a model of sustainability in Fish Creek. Australia. The exterior of the home, designed by Archiblox, uses corrugated Woodland Grey Colorbond cladding.

All this echoes the sea, sitting just off the property. Vertical lines in the cladding mimic the tall slender trees of the forest. Dulux Black Ace window shrouds, frames, pergola and flashings highlight the building’s outline. Thus, they make the interior that is visible through the large windows even more vibrant

Haus D

Positioned in a very unlikely spot, Haus D rises from a small house plot in a suburb of Tuttlingen, Germany. It is actually squeezed in between traditional-style buildings that have been constructed over the centuries.

Playing off of the proximity and the shapes, topography of the plot. Two stories on one side and a single level on the other, the black exterior makes the most of a structure that would already stand out.

Mountaintop Cabin With a Twist

The dark gray/black exterior enhances the mountain ridge location of this cabin in the Czech Republic’s Ore Mountains. Stempel & Tesar Architects designed the striking silhouette, which has a good deal of character. Depending on the weather, the home either stands out or blends in against the open sky.

Black Urban House That’s a Little Mysterious

Located in Zagreb Croatia, this black house is actually two modern homes, not one. The owners asked DVA ARHITEKTA to create one to live in and the other to rent out. The quality facade unites the two buildings into one cohesive visual. The plentiful use of glass creates small house spaces away from the street. Mainly, the dramatic exterior and its modern design expose very little of the interior. This helps increase interest by adding a touch of mystery to the home.

Black Barn Villa

Like a black barn plopped on the Taiwanese landscape, this black house by C3 architects and interior designer Po-Lin Chen is actually a villa for guests. Part cafe and part hotel, the building features a stunning matte black exterior.  The arrangement of the small windows is more like a graphic element. Unlike anything nearby, it will likely become a landmark because of its black exterior.

Inexpensive Minimalist in Chile

The architects this design that uses a matte black exterior that is exceptionally alluring against the surrounding landscape.

The house is in Calafquén, Panguipulli Commune. Importantly, an asphalt membrane completely covers the exterior, which helps it hold heat. The pitched roof gives it a traditional element within the overall contemporary approach. Finally, white framing adds an accent to the black and helps the windows stand out.

Swiss Stand-Out

This house already stands out in its traditional Swiss neighborhood. This is because of the modern, minimalist silhouette, and the addition of a dark facade makes it even more so. Schuler Villa in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, which sits on a narrow lot. Overall, the dark exterior and minimal windows facing the street give it intimacy. All the large windows and living spaces are on the private side of the house in back.

Hadar’s House on the Norwegian Coast

The black exterior of this small home on the coast of Stokkøya, Norway allows it to melt from view against the rugged hill when seen from the water. Designed by Asante Architecture & Design. for a chef, the house is supported on stilts on the side where the hill drops away.

The entryway s like a separate box attached to the main house and it sports a green roof. Also, the main part of the home, called Hadar’s House, features very large windows that overlook the amazing water view.

Forest-Facing Black Modern House

Sitting at the edge of a forest in Denmark, this one-story home features large glass panels that allow those inside to appreciate the woods day and night. The shell of the home, designed by international architects C.F. Møller, is finished with an exterior of dark patinated zinc. Thus, the industrial feeling of the cladding is a contrast to the natural surroundings and distinguishes the building from any other homes nearby.

Swedish Sheet-Metal House

The brainchild of Tham & Videgård Arkitekter , this vacation home on the outer Stockholm archipelago has a soaring roof and a black metal-clad exterior. The metal is in various widths to add interest and accommodate the windows as well as three sliding glass doors that open to the outdoors. However, as with most black houses, the exterior is a direct contrast to the light wood used inside to create an airy and open feeling.

Modern Hillside Marvel

Surprisingly, this house is located on a plot with a rather unforgiving landscape. StudioFour created this residence to fit on a steep slope with just one tree. Consequently, to amp up the drama, the exterior has black wood installed horizontally.

The house is located on Ridge Road on Australia’s Mornington Peninsula and is the only one in the neighborhood to work with the topography instead of fighting against it. Hence the multiple parts of the black home cascade down the hill, making the most of the angled land.

Black Desert House

Retained by a client to design a home in Yucca Valley, California, Oller & Pejic Architecture had a tall order: Build a house like a shadow. So of course, the designers chose to give it a black exterior. Actually, they say that this is very relevant to the desert.

That’s because “sunlight is often so bright that the eye’s only resting place is the shadows.”  They put the house on a small flat area in a saddle between rock outcroppings. As a result, it is on a precipice with nearly 360-degree views.

Black Modular House

For example, a modular house by A-cero Architects shows that you don’t have to sacrifice modern style to get more affordable house construction. This home in Madrid, Spain is the first of two prefabricated models the architects are offering.

Generally, the look is far more modern and sophisticated than almost any other modular home. That’s thanks to the black glass and other cladding elements on the exterior, which bring modular homes to a whole new style level.

Modern Individualist

Unlike any other house on the street, this Vancouver home sports a black exterior and modern style amid a street full of traditional silhouettes. In distinction, the black wood facade mixes horizontally placed wood with vertically installed pieces.

Of course, this gives it more interest and mimics the wood black siding on the adjacent homes. Hence, Scott Posno Design created this black siding house that is distinctive but still fits naturally into the neighborhood.

Budget Black Chalet

Differing from the usual, this Canadian chalet in Clearview, Ontario stands out as a black form against a white blanket of snow. The budget-conscious, low-maintenance cozy chalet was designed by Atelier Kastelic Buffey (AKB).

In fact, the need to be economical drove the decision to make the facade of the house from board and batten paired with a steel roof. The exterior is such a comparison not just to the snowy land, but also to the interior of the house, which is light and bright.

Modern Take on a Cabin

“Modern and open’ but with a quintessential ‘cottage feel’. That’s what MacLennan Jaunkalns Miller Architects set out to create for a client. The result is the Clear Lake Cottage in Parry Sound, Ontario, Canada. Clad in black with a vertical sensibility, the vacation home is located in the middle of nature. In fact, the structure is built into the land and has views both into the forest and toward the shore. On the whole, it’s a black modern house that blends well with its rustic surroundings.

Money-Making Addition

Ultimately, homeowners in Fremantle, Australia called Philip Stejskal Architecture to build an addition. In general, the addition aims to provide a living space while the main 1930s bungalow rents out to vacationers.

The modern, modular addition has a facade of black panels that highlight the plentiful doors and windows. The two-story addition has a main floor that provides living and sleeping areas. The client uses the upper story as an art studio.

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More people are turning to alternative housing as sustainable living becomes a priority. With growing awareness of environmental impact, eco-friendly and off-grid homes are now both practical and stylish. Here are some of the most popular designs reshaping the way we live.

Cob Houses

Cob is an ancient clay building material, similar to adobe, that uses materials like straw, sticks, and other fibrous materials mixed with subsoil and water. A cob home is made with lime, sand, or clay.

The material is ideal for home construction because it’s cheap, fire resistant, and can withstand earthquake damage.

It’s easy to mold and can be used to create houses that are curvy, thatched-roof style, or more modern versions that look like a typical residence. 

Curved Walls

Because cob is easy to mix and manipulate, it’s an ideal material for people who want to build a small house with their own hands. Even those new to construction can learn to use this material quickly and easily.

Building with cob is like sculpting with clay and it can be augmented or reshaped even after it has dried.

Eco Friendly Alternative

Cob homes are weather resistant. The structures can withstand rain and cold temperatures, meaning they’re suitable for most cold climates.

Earth Berms

These beehive-shaped homes are made of exactly what is in their name: bags of dirt.  Plastic bags of earth are stacked to create straight or curved walls. Often barbed wire is used in between the layers for extra stability and to keep the bags from shifting.  

They can be built up tall to create a roof without the need for trusses or other supports. In addition, long tubular bags of soil are sometimes used, stacked up in coils to create another, sturdier variation.

Once finished, the outside is covered with plaster or adobe to preserve the bags holding the earth. 

Straw Bale Home

From waste product to wonderful building materials, straw bales are an excellent environmentally friendly building material. Besides being inexpensive, the straw is a very efficient insulator. The bales are plastered from both sides. Surprisingly, the homes are airtight, pest and fireproof.

Log House

Although they are still made of wood, log houses can be an eco-friendly type of alternative housing. The large logs don’t go through the milling and treatment process and are very good for energy efficiency. Studies have shown that logs absorb heat during the day, which helps keep the home warmer at night in the winter.

Greener options for wood stains and the chinking — the material that seals the gaps between logs — are now available, increasing the home’s sustainability factor. Last, but certainly not least, sometimes log homes can be built from dead trees instead of using living trees.

Earth Home Ideas

An Earth home uses natural terrain or other elements to create a living space that will not harm the environment. A few traits of an earth home include thick earth walls, which help the home remain cool during the summers.

Here are a few Earth home styles that are popular today:

Hobbit House

Does an underground home appeal to you? These underground homes — also called earth-sheltered houses  — are energy-efficient and environmentally friendly options. The low profile also means they are safer from hurricanes and tornadoes, as well as soundproof. Those who build these homes and also use solar panels could potentially eliminate most utility expenses.

Underground House

Underground homes are no longer relegated to childhood dreams. The home style is becoming a reality. Taking the concept of the earth-sheltered house a step further, underground homes go completely below the surface.

The houses are protected from storms and inclement weather. They have eco friendly benefits along with temperature control features. The front faces outward and offers views of the outdoors, while other types take advantage of slopes to add windows to other parts of the house. 

Green Roof Home

Green roof homes are another Earth home option. The homes that have a green roof — also called a living roof — are gaining popularity in urban areas as well as suburban locales. This type of alternative housing is beneficial in several ways: Its main feature is how the roof absorbs water and provides a natural habitat for birds and small wildlife.

In more densely populated areas like inner cities, a green roof has a cooling effect on the temperature and a calming effect on the people who are around it. In addition, plants help clean the air, which is a great benefit, particularly in the city.

Shipping Container Home

Homes made from shipping containers first came to popularity among those who were looking to live in a tiny home because the smallest ones are about 100 square feet.

Since then, more and more people are opting for this type of alternative housing because they see it as a great method of recycling. Larger homes can be created by combining and stacking the containers in different configurations.

This is a great alternative housing option. There isn’t much of a building process as the container is already built. With container houses, there isn’t any unnecessary space. 

If you want a minimalist lifestyle, a container home is for you. The most popular types of container homes have one wall that’s all glass. In many cases, they’re a favorite alternative to the tiny house. The home style is almost like a modular igloo. 

Pallet Homes

Pallet homes have been popular DIY projects for years. They’re built from scratch with old wood pallets. The pallets are cheap. Before you buy the pallets, make sure they’ve been treated to resist rot and insects. 

Tiny Housing Options

Beloved by those who want to downsize and leave a smaller footprint on the earth, tiny houses are economical and environmentally friendly.

The small homes are coveted for the low cost involved in running them and the freedom that comes with living in a small space.

Tiny houses come in an endless assortment of sizes, styles, and degrees of ingenuity. Besides requiring less energy to heat and cool, tiny homes use less water and often have compostable toilet systems instead of regular plumbing. 

Tiny House On Wheels

Much as some people used to turn to recreational vehicles — RVs — to live on the road, today versions of tiny houses on wheels are becoming the popular route to logistical freedom. 

This type of alternative housing has all the benefits of living in a tiny house, but with the bonus of mobility. Hitch up the house to a vehicle and off you go.  

This style of home often eliminates property taxes and creates extra savings by not being permanently sited.  These homes rely on expertly designed multifunctional spaces and plenty of creative storage to make life comfortable.

Tree House

A far cry from the childhood plaything, treehouses are now a stylish form of alternative housing. From rustic versions for living off the grid to magnificent modern, professionally designed houses that have all the comforts of a regular home, treehouses are attracting a good deal of attention.

A desire for novelty or a yen to be closer to nature often brings homeowners to these homes, which are eco friendly. Large trees are stable, long-wearing foundations for these structures and can withstand weather and the effects of the environment. 

Cordwood House

Using the cordwood method to build a house is just as the name suggests: Using short sections of trunks and tree limbs, the structural material is held together with cobb or masonry.This alternative housing building method is sustainable because it can use different logs and wood that aren’t typically used in home construction.

Cordwood walls is also an excellent insulation and provide the natural balance between the thermal mass and insulation, without the need of using any further methods inside or outside the house.

Camper Trailers

Imagine spending your life roaming from one RV park to another? Today, that’s possible more than it’s ever been, and thanks to remote working conditions. Similar to a tiny house on wheels, a camper trailer provides instant mobility to its residents.

As a form of alternative housing, camper trailers are ideal for people on the go who want the lowest level of home maintenance possible.

Living in a camper trailer is a lot like a tiny house on wheels because space is limited and organization key. With these homes, it’s easy to spend the night in a park, campground or in the wild.

Living in a camper trailer is also a wonderful way to travel while keeping expenses down by eliminating hotel costs and allowing greater enjoyment of the outdoors.

Barn Transformation

Transforming a barn into a home is another example of an environmentally friendly way to repurpose a structure as alternative housing. The large, high-ceiling buildings are perfect for the open floor plans that most people favor these days.

Rather than tearing it down and building anew, converting a barn into a home offers unique design possibilities thanks to the wide open space inside. Whether the barn is large or small, it can be turned into a comfortable and highly liveable family home, if the rustic details of the original structure are left intact whenever possible.

Factory House

Rather than lapsing into disrepair, former industrial buildings are finding new life as stylish factory homes in the hands of creative homeowners and cutting-edge architects. Highly durable structures with plenty of open space, these buildings make a great base for alternative housing.

The industrial interiors offer a range of original details and design options for creating a modern, comfortable residence that can easily include home office space and plenty of room for space dedicated to hobbies and activities.

Silo House

Transforming old grain silos into homes is one of the newest trends in alternative housing.

Using one silo can make a small yield a small home and those who want more space can use multiple silos. Aside from being more affordable to build and maintain, silo houses offer interesting options for decorating and design thanks to the round shape.

And while the outside might be plan corrugated metal, the insides of these homes offer just about every comfort you might want in a home. And, if the idea of having your whole family in a silo home is not appealing, these structures make great guest quarters.

Floating Houses

Maybe you’ve dreamed of living on a boat but have you considered a floating house for alternative housing?  Different from a basic houseboat, a floating home is a real house that is constructed atop floats and anchored to a location on the water. A house barge is another type of floating home that has a hull built for towing or moving down the river.

Because it floats on water, it doesn’t need to meet local building and utility codes. Floating homes can be modest constructions that minimize living costs, or they can be grand, budget-busting luxury abodes. Whichever kind you choose, it will let you live on the water — literally.

Water Tower House

As towns grow and old water towers are abandoned, creative homeowners are turning what could be eyesores into stunning, comfortable residences. The round base structure and large section at the top are both ideal for creating a modern home that offers great views too.

Water towers are very unique home-building opportunities because the supply of old ones is limited, making them a real conversation piece. Of course, they’re also a great instance of upcycling.

Bus House

In another twist related to the tiny house trend, more and more people are rescuing retired buses for another form of alternative housing. A bus house can be like a motorhome, allowing for an easy life on the go with no utilities or property taxes. 

Or, a bus house can be stationary, attached to local services on a private lot of land. Just like tiny houses, these leave a very small environmental footprint thanks to the upcycling of the vehicle and the small size of the house.

Tent House

Spawned by the rise of glamping, tent houses are a form of alternative housing for those who want to go off grid either temporarily or permanently. 

These tents have plenty of creature comforts that are installed atop a wooden platform to help keep the base dry. Some companies even offer tent bungalows, which combine the tent with a wooden platform, and some other more permanent features such as a door and windows.

Yurt House

Mongolian herders have been living in yurts for centuries, so it’s no wonder they are gaining popularity as alternative housing in many other countries. The engineering of the basic round shape makes it strong and durable and the exterior material is weatherproof.

As with any type of housing, the inside can be as basic or luxurious as your desires and budget allow. Yurts are also great for use as a guest house or separate home office or studio.

Geodesic Domes

The Geodesic Dome was popularized by Buckminster Fuller in the 60s. While the domes aren’t common today, that might be changing. It’s a cheap home to build, energy efficient, disaster-proof ,and can be built with a kit. 

Hemp Concrete

Hemp is a building material dating back to Roman times. The homes are made with a mixture that combines hemp’s woody fibers with lime to make light concrete. The material is a good insulator, pest- and mold-proof, and creates good acoustics. 

Moreover, a hemp plant grows quickly to maturity in just about 4 months. The stucco-like material can’t be used for foundations or come into contact with the ground. Although it needs to be coated for protection, hempcrete helps contribute significantly to energy efficiency.

Glass Bottles

Millions of plastic bottles are discarded every year and in many places, they are being transformed from trash into totally usable building materials. Developed by Ecotec Environmental Solutions from Germany. The bottle wall technique is already widespread in countries where there are millions of homeless people.

The house is made with discarded bottles. The bottles are filled with sand, stacked sideways, and plastered together with mud or cement. The walls are 20 times stronger than brick, fire resistant, and well insulated. The cost of these homes is generally about 25 percent of a conventional house.

The post Eco-Friendly & Off-Grid: Trending Housing Alternatives appeared first on Homedit.

A rammed earth house is a structure built with walls made by compacting a mixture of damp soil under high pressure. This natural building method creates thick, durable walls that are both sustainable and visually striking. Although the technique has ancient roots, it’s making a comeback as an eco-friendly alternative in modern home design.

The walls are formed using locally sourced earth and gain strength as they dry. Their high thermal mass helps regulate indoor temperatures—absorbing heat during the day and releasing it at night—which can significantly lower heating and cooling costs.

Observation Tower 

Designed by De Gouden Liniaal Architecten in Belgium, this example of modern rammed earth walls is an observation tower at the Maasvalley Riverpark Nature Reserve. It was the first public building in the Benelux Region to use rammed earth.

Thick Walls

The former gravel extraction area needed a tower for visitors to experience the entire Negenoord landscape, so the architects used learth, clay, and gravel excavated from the Maas area. 

The surface of the thick walls will erode, highlighting the gravel mix, which includes clay, ochre-colored earth, and stabilized with lime. Building over a temporary frame, the rammed earth structure took seven weeks to build.

Sparrenburg Visitor Center

Max Dudler Architects felt rammed earth would be the best material for a new entrance to the disparate elements that are left of the ancient Sparrenburg in Bielefeld, Germany. 

External Walls

Rather than echo a historical era of the standing structures, the new rammed earth building puts a contemporary spin on the site that ties together the structure.

Internal Walls

The remarkable appearance comes from the striations of color and texture in the wall that evoke the materials found in the ruins of the castle, blending the past and present with new construction methods.

Rammed Earth Homes

Casa Caldera is more of a shelter than a traditional house. Situated in the Canelo Hills in Southern Arizona’s San Rafael Valley, the home blends with the landscape to have a minimal impact on its surroundings.

Earth Construction

DUST Architects designed the 945-square-foot off-grid building so it would almost disappear into the trees and grass. So, rammed earth construction material was ideal for the entire home.

Constructed from poured lava crete, the walls have a color that subtly contrasts with the vegetation and changes in quality as the light shifts throughout the day. 

Earthen Materials

Pioneered by Paul Schwam, the building material is a mix of pulverized lava rock called “red scoria,” along with cement and water.

Indoor Air Quality

Rammed homes offer superior air quality as they don’t rely on central air or heating. You’ll never have to worry about toxic dust particles flying circulating through your home. The cost effective homes also produce low greenhouse gas emissions.

The designers relied on construction methods that used semi-fluid material which is rammed into a mold, similar to rammed earth construction methods. 

Soil Mix

This rammed earth home in Monterrey, Mexico looks like it almost melts into the ground. Designed by Tatiana Bilbao, the Los Terrenos home sits in a residential area comprised of forested highlands.

Earthen Materials

Earth architecture is all about creating a thermal mass. Its layout was meant to mimic the surrounding landscape, with the main room overlooking the trees and most of the bedrooms built underground. 

Powered Rams

The combination of the rammed earth walls, rocky landscape, and organically built stone walls create a very natural presence for the home on the outside and a natural, relaxed vibe on the inside.

Jalisco Summer House

Fulfilling the client’s desire for a low-maintenance summer residence, Tatiana Bilbao Architects designed an angular structure formed from rammed earth walls that echo the color variations in the nearby mountains. 

Retaining Walls

This example is from Chapala Lake in Jalisco, Mexico. The rammed earth house features cube-like components that offer beautiful views while shielding the interior from northern winds. 

Quarried Aggregates

It’s not uncommon for aggregates to be used instead of earth. Sometimes you’ll see plywood forms applied to parts of a rammed structure. Either way, rammed earth can contribute to energy efficiency.

By using materials from the surrounding area for the walls, this construction technique helps the building blend with its surroundings in a very complementary way.

Great Wall of Western Australia

The longest rammed earth wall is in Western Australia. The design from Luigi Rosselli Architects is a 750-foot long wall that zig-zags along a sand dune and 12 homes with soil roofs.

As you can see here, rammed earth requires the same attention as any building unit. The home units here, meant for short-term accommodations for cattle workers, feature a 450-mm-thick rammed earth facade and living space that is set into a dune.

Embodied Energy

The design makes them cool in the hot weather and is a departure from the corrugated metal shelters used in the region. The wall materials include iron-laden, sandy clay, and gravel from a nearby river.

Vineyard House 

The serene landscape surrounding this vineyard house near Montijo, Portugal led the Blaanc Architects to design a residence that minimally interferes with the landscape. The resulting rammed earth structure holds all the common living areas and features a long terrace.

The earth walls are also thermally efficient, creating an interior environment that is cool in the summer and mild in the winter. Market research has proven that natural air is healthier than what is provided by central air systems.

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