When Katja and Adam Thom call their Georgian Bay cabin "off the grid," they aren't kidding. It's eight miles from the nearest road and only accessible by boat or seaplane.
In the past, we've questioned whether or not vacation homes can ever be considered green; but, regardless on where you come down on that issue, this cabin still warrants some attention.
Katja and Adam, both architects with backgrounds in sculpture, were obviously dedicated to giving their summer cabin the smallest environmental footprint possible. From the Dwell article:
The house is powered only by solar panels; it uses a graywater system, attached to the home’s only sink; and there is a composting toilet. At night, the Thoms heat their bed with rocks warmed beside the wood-burning stove and fireplace—and the ambient heat that these generate keeps the home’s temperature within a comfortable range.
We love the idea of heating a bed with warm rocks. It's so low-tech, so rustic, and such a throwback to a smart, simple way to stay warm without turning up the thermostat. Actually, we wish we had some warm rocks right now...
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My mom told me her mother tucked her in with warm sweet potatoes (tied in a sock) in her bed, by her feet.
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