Earlier today Caitlin and I were looking at this amazing “natural bathtub” carved out of an immense boulder. It got us wondering — what if we got a bunch of boulders dumped on our foundation, and then built the walls around them, and carved much of our furniture out of immense stones? I mean, there’s really no reason why you couldn’t care out a couch and coffee table if you wanted to — other than the inconvenience of your furniture weighing an unmovable ton or two, it would be wonderful caveman chic, to say nothing of the thermal mass it would contribute (water in that tub would stay warm for days if the stone was at temperature).
Oh, and my daughter and I built a little tiny frame, which still needs to be painted, for one of her miniature doodle paintings (a striped unicorn-type being and a dragon climbing)…
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Because I can’t remember the name of the particular work (of course) this reminds me of the one house Frank Lloyd Wright designed for a family around a rock they used to picnic on. The rock (well, boulder) was left exposed within a room of the house, so the family was still able to sit on it.*
*Disclaimer: I am pretty sure this is 95% accurate and maybe 5% talking out of my ass because I was an idiot in high school and only partially paid attention during art history. But hey, maybe I remembered it accurately, and if so, yay me.
Yeah, I’m so tired of moving that damned bathtub all around the house. my wife brings it out for the kids and doesn’t put it away. I’m like: “this goddamned thing weighs a ton, I wish you would stop leaving it laying around!”
I apologize for that comment.
I can say that every minute you spend personally with your child doing constructive projects will never be forgotten. You are investing wisely. Smart child rearing seems to involve giving your children as much undivided constructive attention you can. I brought home an old computer from my office and my daughter & spent quite a while unscrewing the entire thing.
She learned a useful skill and found it quite entertaining. Kids love to do things constructive. It’s unfortunate this attribute gets killed off by many parents.
I’ve spent many hours, long after dinner is done, sitting at the dinner table drawing whatever whim my two asked of me.
Now I watch them draw & write. Hours pass and wonderful things spring forth!
Whatever happened to the russian doll project?
*love* that bathtub. but i love the idea of caitlin in a little white wilma dress with the red-hot bun more! and little pebbles harassing ari while she is busy painting her beautiful creations.
not that i’m saying you look anything like fred or anything :)
oh…also…
i think you should get ari one of these!
https://www.laptopgiving.org/en/index.php
That is SO cute!
When my parents had their home built -it’s on a ravine, they got the builders to haul over some dug up boulders which are now sitting in their front garden -kinda intermixed with trees and bush.
Like you said, they weigh a ton or two, they also sink a bit due to settleing in the first 2yrs. I’d say you’d either have to have your floor built around them, or have the floor and has stable PRIOR to finding a way of bringing them into your interior space. Just something to keep in mind.
Computers for children. They have their place.
Children need outdoors.
Mine read books and draw. Climb trees and defend the swing set from snails, etc.
Children need more card board boxes.
Given the choice, 10 out 10 kids would pick the box. Wanna bet?
Computers are rigid structured things. You do what they want. Card board boxes are compliant. A house, a car, an amphibious landing craft. Our world expects computer literacy.
It’s amazing how much money a talented carpenter can command.
I know a blacksmith that brings in six figures. He smashes computers with his powerhammer!
I sit here pecking out on this blog growing weaker while charley gets stronger.
Ugh. English please, Nicole- ENGLISH!
Jenn: Those are amazing. I just skimmed the site briefly but will continue reading up.
That furniture idea is pretty cool… I personally couldn’t sit on it without many blankets and cushions, but I have this weird condition where I break out in hives when I get cold – and sitting on concrete/rocks does it every time. (Yeah, it’s weird, I know, but trust me – its real lol)
I love the tub, too – its gorgeous. I wouldn’t wanna slip in it though – OUCH! LOL!
may be it’s good news : https://fotki.yandex.ru/users/lobster23/view/25481 . (hope it’s true)
Scienkoptic – totally agree with you about kids and computers (and video games and television etc. etc.). the link i posted was about a not-for-profit group that i think is incredible.
Nicole – it’s a really great organization. everyone at my work (with kids) have purchased the ‘buy one get one’..and we think they are so cool, we’re gonna buy one for us (and donate one to a kid of course!)
I think the buy one get one idea for the laptop is wonderful but should not only be for developing countries but also for impoverished children of undeveloping countries.
I think the OLPC project is cool. Laptops would be a good suppliment to any *good* education. Most of the kids that are receiving them are probably already getting a better education than we do over here in North America.
I’m just so over hearing about how all our children need in schools is more computers to get a better base education.
That is total BS.
Pay teachers more. Use the money marked for computers to offer teachers a better pay.
We pay sports players top dollar based on skills. We don’t put any premium on the folks that spend 8 hours a day with our kids. The school janitor can earn more money than a teacher if he figures out how to pull overtime.
Sorry, I’m way off topic here.
My wife was a teacher.
The Stone tub is exelent. i wonder if you could draw on the natural healing properties of certian minerals that could be present in the tub while you soaked in it.
Allahkat – It made me think of Fallingwater too … and also this place, which was apparently built around an existing tree. It cost a whopping $3,400 — the little studio, that is, not Fallingwater!
tyger burning brght: FALLINGWATER! Thank you! This has been bugging me ever since I couldn’t remember the name. +10 points for you!!
Oh, and I totally want to live in that house you posted the link to.
You see a lot of sculpted furniture in cob construction. I’ve seen plenty of the sculpted stone sinks but that tub is AMAZING!
Do you carve that from soapstone?
Ok Shannon, so what happened to those Russian nesting dolls you were working on? And, would you be willing to sell them, or make more to sell? I have been waiting to see them. I married a Russian man we plan on having kids one day. I would love to own a set.
I love that tub! as a geologist, i would be very happy with ANYTHING made out of an interesting or pretty sort of rock (mm schists are welcome…) and it’s true, heat transfers really really slowly through rock.
The down side of having a stone tub and furniture would be they would act as heat sinks, trying to get a tub of warm water would be expensive and if you let the house cool off, the stone furniture would keep it from warming up quickly, although it would not cool off quickly either.. I guess you would have to have an engineer calculate the heating requirements… If you had to leave the heat turned up constantly or wait many hours for the house to warm up…
I want that stone tub in a house like this:
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/Page/document/video/vs?id=RTGAM.20070713.wvoffgrid0713&ids=RTGAM.20070713.wvoffgrid0713
I have a friend who builds pipe organs out of stone! And they sound very good too.
Check this guys website out https://www.allan-lake.com/
his stuff would look great with the bath tub.
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