A Straw-Bale Forever Home: Efficiency and Teamwork in Ohio

Building With Straw Bales

One challenge to building an 1,800-square-foot home with straw bales, Miller points out in the video, is the labor. Chris Fox, of Strawbale Studio, took on the challenge with help from upwards of 30 volunteers. "Janet sent out emails to everyone she knew, then made a giant pot of soup to feed everyone who helped out," Miller says.

Kious adds that "Our four kids live here, dozens of people volunteered, and the builder notified people in surrounding states who are interested in straw-bale to come and work with us. Friends that didn't want to build helped us out with meals."

The straw bales are nonstructural and provide insulation. "The structure is similar to a timber frame using engineered lumber," Miller explains. A team of Amish workers did the framing and dug the basement. "It's a post and beam structure, with heavy beams. Once the frame was up and the roof on, we filled the walls in with the bales like bricks, and tied the system together." The walls are 20-inches thick and R-45. The roof rafters, filled with spray foam, are R-60.

Next came three layers of plaster on the inside and the outside. Kious mixed the final-coat colors herself. "I used red-oak sawdust mixed with clay, lime, sand, and wheat paste for the walls in the main room," she explains. A deep-blue wall in Gus's study is a mix of clay, lime, sand, and straw—stirred up in a garbage can—"with lots of pigment added."

Sustainable Building Materials and Appliances

The Kious's decided not to install in-floor heat after Fox told them they'd be too warm. Instead, they went with a small Lennox super-efficient gas furnace. The house has operable, triple-pane windows positioned for maximum cross ventilation. Ceiling fans also reduce the need for air conditioning in the hot months.  

Also included in the home are Energy Star appliances, dual-flush toilets, and Pex plumbing. The deck is TimberTech. Recyclable carpet squares cover the basement floor. 

Reuse and Salvage

Janet Kious furnished the home with antiques and salvaged materials, including the arched front door. The kitchen island is a century-old Amish carpenter's bench. "It's on wheels and has spaces for everything," she says. She purchased the Victorian-era oak pocket door between the living room and den from eBay. She also found a marble bookcase with glass shelves. The master suite has a recycled bathroom sink. "I try to reuse things as much as possible," she says.

The Kious's son Chris crafted other pieces: With the team at his company, A Piece of Cleveland, he designs and constructs furnishings from materials salvaged from old buildings in the Cleveland area.

Aging in Place

The Kious's made sure their home has universal access so they can age-in-place comfortably. Using ADA principles, the couple and Miller made sure the doors are all at least 36-inches wide. The shower is wide enough to push in a wheelchair.

Currently, the homeowners lease out a guest suite on the lower level of the home on Airbnb. The suite, which has its own entrance, could also serve as the residence for an in-home health aide or caretaker in the future.

"Janet has a good eye, and she's very self-reliant," says Miller. "Both Gus and Janet are so charismatic you can never say no to them."