Pinterest is a great source for inspiring design ideas. Readers gather their favorite images and ‘pin’ them on digital bulletin boards so to speak. Pinterest is hard to search so I use my favorite search engine to search the site.
design ideas
Earth Houses + Name of Country
Looking at photos of natural houses is a fun way to learn about natural building. Almost half the homes in the world are made with earth (adobe, cob, rammed earth, earthbag, etc.), so there are countless photos of houses made like this on the Internet. Try searching for photos in your favorite search engine using the search terms: earth houses + the name of country you are interested in. Google Images is my current favorite (although the quality is slipping lately). Try various search terms to see what works best. You could try searching: earth dome or earth dome home or earth roundhouse or earth sheltered house. You get the idea. In foreign countries you could search similar words in the local language.
Tiled Windowsills
Previous blog posts have covered accent/decorative tile, saltillo tile and terracotta tile floors. Countertops, floors and bathrooms immediately come to mind when thinking of tile. Don’t overlook tiled windowsills. Besides being practical and cost effective, tiled windowsills are very durable. Tile can easily last decades if the grout is properly applied and maintained. Moisture tends to build up around windows from condensation, and so tile is a natural choice for this area, especially if you have potted plants. In addition, tile adds a nice splash of color and helps break up monotonous areas. Another plus is windowsills are usually small and do not require much tile or great skill to get good results. Free online tile instructions and/or a library book are all you really need. Tile cutters can be rented by the day.