The Revitalist

The NY Times reports on two "traditional" home building techniques that are making an eco-fashionable comeback.

The house built out of straw (with mica-flecked plaster and a wrap around porch).

And the dirt floor (new and improved with a wax sealant and ox blood for "maroon coloration").

Both of these are modern variations on techniques used for centuries by people motivated by necessity rather than aesthetics; or, as the Times puts it, "Millions of poor people around the globe use natural materials like dirt for their homes whether they want to or not." But now people with plenty of disposable income are craving something more natural, something "really special," something unusual that screams their dedication to living green. As one earthen floor enthusiast puts it, "I think people are craving the earth. They want to be more primal. How much more primal can you get than dirt?" Indeed.