Earth homes, underground homes, and hobbit houses have become one of the most sought-after architectural styles in recent times. The reason is simple: People want homes that self-regulate their temperature, are full of quirky personality, and provide an energy-efficient, sustainable lifestyle. One such sustainable earth home is currently up for sale in Black Forest, Colorado, and can be your personal slice of heaven. Of course, you’ll need to fork up $1.3 million.
Handcrafted in 1997, using recycled materials, this earth home is secluded on nearly a 6.81-acre parcel of land. It is built from more than 1,500 recycled tires, mud, aluminum cans, and glass bottles over a period of three years. While the unique residence is a feat of engineering, the way it blends sustainable design, artistry, and luxury living is nothing short of marvelous.
The Colorado earth home maintains an internal temperature of about 65 degrees Fahrenheit year-round, making it energy efficient through passive and active solar systems. EPDM rubber membrane roof, stucco exterior, slanted windows lining the front wall of the mud house, and five skylights keep the interior bathed in natural light, maintaining temperature and reducing reliance on the grid. You get a whole-home generator for backup on the property.
The window-lined wall serves as a personal greenhouse if the new owner wishes to create a small garden indoors. The earth home is designed to maintain privacy and a modern lifestyle through its deft layout. Inside, you find custom mosaic features, mandalas integrated throughout, and an entrance art piece that can work as a water feature.
The self-sustaining dwelling is an ideal option for someone who loves and cherishes living in nature. Its biophilic elements, paired with sustainable materials, let the residents feel more connected to nature. The poured earth floor deepens that feeling, while also helping to maintain the indoor temperature.
The 4-bedroom, 3-bath dwelling is marked with exposed wood ceilings and enormous beams dotting the living spaces, giving it a modern treehouse charm. An organic flow shapes the home with curved rooms that seamlessly bleed into one another.
The 4,461-square-foot interior of the mud house is marked with a kiva fireplace, built-in storage, and built-in seating, a split kitchen with prep area, pantry, and dining space, providing perfect family gathering spots. Modern appliances are included to make full-time living a breeze.
The primary suite is spacious with dual closets, a spa-like bathroom with a heat-retaining tub with stones, and a walk-out patio. There are two nonconforming bedrooms with exclusive access to private observatories. It also features “two jack-and-jill baths, a dedicated office, an additional non-conforming Murphy bed bedroom, mudroom, laundry, and utility room off the attached 2-car garage.”
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This Black Forest sustainable earth home offers a once-in-a-lifetime chance to own one of Colorado’s most luxe properties. Its location on the property is ideal for rearing horses with cross-fenced acreage, and also includes a barn with 2-3 stalls and hay storage. There is also a heated tack shed with water, additional storage sheds, multiple patios, a pergola, a water feature, and a pond.
So, if you think paying $1.3 million just for a home is a lot, think of the additional areas you are getting in that price tag. Currently listed for sale on Realtor, it can be expanded into a compound-style estate or kept as is; regardless, the sustainable earth home is one of its kind and will likely be off the market by the end of the month.
