In September 2020 I bought an abandoned stone barn in Central Portugal and moved in the following spring. It’s still a chaotic building site, but I’ve been working hard since then to turn it into a little off grid tiny house to live a more simple life homesteading.
Progress is slow because I’m doing all of the work myself and what I don’t know how to do, I’m trying to learn. Plus, the old stone building is set on an 1,800 m2 (half an acre) bit of land and, while that’s relatively small, it’s keeping me busy and juggling the DIY building work with land maintenance has been a fun challenge. I’m trying to do as much of the work was possible using natural materials like clay, lime, cork, and stone and it’s been a wonderful journey so far!
I’ve set up all of the infrastructure so far including solar power and water systems as well as renovating the inside of the barn from an empty shell into what you see in this video. I’ve been living inside the small stone barn since April 2021 which has been a challenge as I renovate, but I’ve loved the entire process of trying to turn this abandoned stone building into a comfortable tiny house and homestead.
I’ve got a long way to go but it’s the process that I love the most so I’m not in a rush! I hope you enjoy this tour inside my tiny house as it is now, along with a list of all of my hopes and plans. I’m open to any ideas and I hope you enjoy following along in the process as I continue to build the house and other small structures and tend to the land.
For photos of the early days of the build, you can check out my neglected website: http://www.portugalfromscratch.com
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00:00 Welcome!
00:30 Rainy Day Tour of the Land
01:27 Intro to My Tiny House Tour Video
02:27 Shots of Inside the Stone Barn Conversion… Pre-Tidy
06:09 Tiny House Tour Begins with a Building Overview
06:31 Corner Closet & Cob Wall
08:44 Floor Details and Plans
10:30 Wood Stove & Flue Pipe
11:34 Ideas for the Main Living Space
16:10 Tiny House Kitchen Tour & Ideas
22:06 Plumbing & Electrics
25:21 ‘The Bezzanine’ (Bed/Mezzanine… Together at Last!)
28:44 Shower & the Bathless Bathroom
34:15 Bed & Storage
36:32 Pitiful Festive Efforts & Christmas Greetings
37:27 Mezzanine Ladder
38:00 Stone Barn Ceiling Ideas
39:00 Window Hole of Doom
40:30 Front Door
42:02 Chatting About the Look I Want
42:57 My Building Philosophy (Why I Go So Slowly)
44:05 Bye! Thanks for Watching! Happy Holidays!
28 Comments
Great video this week. It was interesting to see the work that you’ve done. I look forward to the daunting window project you have planned. Have you any thoughts on getting volunteers to stay and help you like some of the other off grid you tubers. Merry Christmas and happy New Year to you.
Wow amazing drawings. Your house will look realy pretty in deed. Maybe you need a shed too. You need so many stuff and tools for the farm and the house is not soo big. Kristy have a very Merry Christmas with your friends and a Happy New Year🎄🎅🏼🐈⬛💫🍻
I wish you a merry christmas and congratulate you to the great work you have done sofar, although it seems neverending. I myself would create a little garden house where you could put in your skills, the bike and the wood. That would give you so much more space inside the house. I love seeing your videos.😃
Lots of projects to keep u pottering for years. Wondering if you cld hv a removable extension to create an L shape surround to your kitchen when you need it then it can slot on the side of the bench when you don’t. It cld rest on a supporting leg and hook into a thin groove along the edge of the bench. Also thought u cld feasibly hv a cat flap where the grate is in the door. Regarding the ‘elephant’ window problem I’ve seen folks making concrete lintels in situ by boxing out the shape needed. Looks quite nice if u choose a suitable colour mortar. But not sure if that’s helpful until yv broken right thru the wall. Re flooring maybe a one size fits all broken into areas by rugs aside from bathroom area which is already partitioned neatly. You cld hv a narrow kitchen runner that can be rinsed off by a hose outside if made of appropriate fabric if yr a bit spilly in the kitchen! Enjoy. Looking forward to watching u solve it all.
You’re one brave lady! Love your down to earth humble approach to everything you say and do! Wishing you a Merry Christmas! 🎄🎅❤️🙏🏻
Interested in how water proof the techniques are around bathroom. You could perhaps put a fold down desk (like murphy bed) and sit on your bed when using it? Love the coloured bottles near fire … would you use square bottles to make sure you have the depth in the wall? Maybe a fold out top breakfast bar to double the space? Merry Christmas Kirsty. Oooh you could picture a picture of your view over the window hole 😉
Great video. Nice to see your'e vision. It will look fab when its finished. Once you have the shed you will have more room to work. Merry Christmas. 🌲🥰
You can draw verre good
Your drawings are very cool and inspiring — a skylight in the bathroom is a great idea. Would love to see a timber framing video!
I absolutely love the music you chose both for the hoppity piano accompanying the outside rain tour and the sinister tone of the “before” tour of the house. Definitely hilarious!
But especially thank you thank you THANK YOU for saying ET cetera correctly!!!! So refreshing!! As a linguist, I know that it is a silly normative fixation of mine, but I can’t help cringing when I hear (mostly Brits…) saying EK cetera over and over again as they like to do… even doctors, who have surely had to study Latin and should know the meaning of those two words. Why do they think it is abbreviated as etc? Okay, I will stop the rant now and step down from my soapbox! 😅🤣
You so so need a tool shed/work shed that way your tiny home will have much more space. Well done so far and Merry Christmas.
What about a fold down table fitted to the wall to the shower as your work station? When you're more 'done' have you thought about doing word working work shops? (say that when you've had a few Crabbies ginger ales). Would be good to see your earliest videos when you first started. Thanks for the vids. Best wishes and a Happy Christmas to you.
Just watched MAKE. DO. GROW utube latest video regarding hydrated Lime/Hemp mix for your walls that you might find of interest. Also l left a reply re more kitchen space regarding pushing your drainage tray towards the sink which leaves you 1/2 the sink's draining board for adding perhaps an L shaped marble table top with shelves breakfast bar/desk ? Squeeze out every inch 📏
On your bathroom area, what about bi-folding doors on a track top and bottom? Or even 4 panels for space saving?
Enjoyed the tour, my idea is just too hard for me to explain 🤪 and still make sense 🤪, so i hope you dont mind i've emailed you a very BASIC drawing of my idea, hope it makes sense, its what i would do with the space.
Merry Christmas and Best Wishes for 2023, officially the year of the Tool Shed 🤣🤣
I really liked this video! You have some really good ideas and I think your place will look amazing :-). I'm guessing "the bane of your existence" that window over your sink has given you a lot of comments. I have to admit, I would love it if you could get that window installed, but everything in time. :Mikey continues to charm and I just love him. Oh, also really like the tile you picked for your bathroom floor!
Speechless
Merry Christmas from your loyal fans up in Manchester 🎄🎉🎁❄️ Justine, Phil, Jeremy and mum 🎀🎅
You are a talented artist
Did you find out about the cat?
enjoyed seeing your art Kudos. your very creative. in both making your house, garden & drawing. Wishing you & your parents & friends a Very Merry Christmas!
Salvaged parts are a good to for windows, doors and other items. They can be jewels in your home. I don't know if there are places in Portugal where you can find such things, but it is worth a try.
Thanks for the tour, you've achieved so much already & it evolves as you go which is the best way.
You could have a pull out worktop under the existing one by the dish drainer so you'd have more food preparation space but be able to push it out of the way the rest of the time. Even use as a desk sometimes with views out of the door when it's open.
Shelves under the worktop & a door.
A couple of feet above the existing work surface a cupboard with a couple of shelves & a door to hide everything, could have hooks on the side to hang your jacket on as you come through the door.
The strange cat was Siamese looking wasn't it, very pretty.
I think the kitchen window would make the biggest difference to you of all the jobs on your list.
Have a happy whatever you do for Christmas Kirsty & Mikey. 🎄
Thanks!
one step at a time
Merry Christmas 🎄
Merry christmas you had a stray cat outside listening to you lol
The day you build the tool shed your life will improve so much, you will be able to declutter and enjoy the interior a lot more!
Many projects ahead! Enjoy the process 😊
I think all your jobs would be easier with a bit more lighting your indoor space. A good window would have to be my priority but you do well in the space you have xxx