The Solar Saltbox in North Idaho

A passive solar saltbox home built from the plans in mirror image, with the sunroom, the wrap around porch and hydronic heat in the floors.

Updated 12-17-09

two story saltbox house with pale gray siding and dark green trim, a shed roofed porch across the front on peeled log posts and a pop-out bedroom alcove above — The front wrap around porch with pop-out bedroom alcove above. This is a reflected version of the blueprint plan.

Here are photographs and the story of the Yeats home and how it has evolved.

Here’s a report from Dave Yeats:

“This is a mirror image of the Solar Saltbox plans with all the original extentions. I used only 450 gallons of propane during a very hard winter last year. We use hydronic floor heating as you had recommended, running the 1/2 inch pipe throughout the downstairs, including sunroom, and under the upstairs living space. House always feels warm with Thermostate set at 67°.”

Note: The plans Dave worked from were sold as the Solar Saltbox at the time. The same set is sold today as the Solar Farmhouse.

More of the outside

glazed sunroom running along the ground floor of the house, with two skylights in the shed roof above it — View from the sunroom

rear of the house with the long saltbox roof slope and a two story addition at the right end — Rear of house and 2nd floor addition on the right.

the same house under deep snow, with a foot of snow on both roof slopes and icicles at the eaves — Winter has its own look up here.

Inside the house

kitchen and dining area on a wood floor, with an eating bar, a pass through to the sunroom on the left and the stair on the right — Sunroom is to the left and stairway to the upstairs at the right.

living room under an exposed beam, with a bay window, a bookcase and a desk set into the alcove beyond — Looking into the living room and the bay window. The alcove is here used as a home office.

living room seen past the stair and a timber post, with the bay window and sofa at the far end — A view of the living room from the stairway and dining area.

sunroom with a sloped wood ceiling, skylights, a tile floor, a desk and file cabinets along one wall and interior windows into the kitchen — Sunroom which is heated and used as an office and family room.

A final view and a note from Dave

side of the house showing the full saltbox roof slope, the clerestory window band above the porch roof and the porch wrapping the corner — A final view of the side of the house and porch..

Oh, and a note from Dave: “We added a 20’ x 28’ carport to the west side this Fall. Fits the house well. Want a pic?”

So, check back for an update to these photos.

Where to go from here

See another house from the same plans: the strawbale Solar Saltbox in Ontario.
Visit the CountryPlans home page.
Browse the Owner Builder Gallery for stories of other projects.
Ask general questions about building cabins and small houses in our forum.