Modern & Efficient House Plans and Design
My name is Chris Keefe, and I’ve been designing straw bale and alternative homes since 2003. Over the years, I’ve developed an ever-growing catalog of thoughtfully crafted house plans—ranging from 200 square foot cabins and 1000 square foot cottages to 2500+ square foot family homes. All of my plans are highly detailed and created to be easily understood by owner-builders, contractors, and anyone curious about the world of alternative and natural building. Each design can be adapted for straw bale, ICF, Faswall, or even conventional construction, offering flexibility without sacrificing integrity.
In 2012, I had the pleasure of collaborating with my good friend Andrew Morrison on A Modern Look at Straw Bale Construction, a comprehensive straw bale detailing book that remains an excellent resource for those just getting started. Many of my designs are also featured in Strawbale.com’s workshops held across the country, helping people turn their dream homes into reality.
Building your own home can be both exciting and challenging. My goal is to share my experience and provide well-designed, accessible house plans that help you navigate the process with confidence, clarity, and peace of mind.
Specializing in Straw Bale, Faswall, ICF, and more…
Have questions?
Let’s set up a FREE 20 minute consultation. I would be happy to answer any of your questions about plans and design.
For over two decades, I’ve been designing straw bale and ICF homes that balance performance, structure, and form. The projects shown here represent a cross-section of that work, each one a unique response to site, climate, materials, and the people who brought it to life.
These homes have been built by committed owner-builders, experienced professionals, and, in some cases, true artisans who have mastered the language of proportion, texture, and craft. Every project has informed my approach as a designer, refining both the technical rigor and creative expression behind my work.
Collaborating with clients to transform ideas into buildable, enduring homes has been a deeply rewarding process. I hope these galleries not only demonstrate what’s possible with straw bale construction, but also inspire you to pursue your own vision of a thoughtfully designed, high-performance home.
Have questions?
Let’s set up a FREE 20 minute consultation. I would be happy to answer any of your questions about plans and design.
Testimonials
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"I came to Chris with a house plan based on an existing strawbale home. Chris took my design wishes, site placement, and a county requirement, put them all together and created a home that resonates with life. Thank you Chris"
Susan R. - Willowmina, OR
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“Well, I finally can say we are very close to get to see our dream to completion. It has been a real pleasure to be associated with such a professional and nice person. Thank you again for the great job. "
David G. - Magnalena, NM
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“We were very happy with the service Chris gave us throughout the design phase. He incorporated all of the features that we wanted as well as enhancing it with some of his own ideas. Chris was very professional and easy to work with considering all of our communication was done by phone and internet."
Scott and Carol F. - Merritt, BC
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“Chris's great design sense and intuitive inputs imparted usiblility of living spaces, charm, beauty and originality...it was a great benefit working with him."
Matt D. - Ashland OR
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"Thank you so much for doing your part to make our dream come true. You have done an amazing job and have been so patient with us through this project. We can’t wait for you to see the final product."
Jessica and Brian B. - San Andreas, CA
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"Chris was very pleasant to work with, he is dependable and reliable. He takes his work very seriously and was thorough in all phases of the project."
Ketzia S. - Ashland, OR
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"I hired Chris to come up with a design for a straw bale home based on a design I had come up with. Having no experience in building a home it was important to me to have a sound design. Chris was quite helpful in answering all of my questions. He even visited the build site. I would recommend him to anyone who is looking to build a straw bale home."
Michael B. - McNeal, AZ
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Chris understood our vision and turned it into beautiful, readable drawings that sailed through the county plan review process. His skill, persistent attention, and genuine care enabled an amateur like me to build the house we'd been dreaming of.
Dillon and Sarah P. - Oregon City, OR
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We chose to build our own strawbale house with little experience in construction. Chris was so helpful and knowledgeable along the way. It’s as if he designed this house for this lot. Where the sun is located, the slope, the views…it’s like this house was meant to be here.
Margaret and Matt K. - Mancos, CO
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Trust... isn’t something freely given. In designing our home, Chris has gained our trust through great communication, clever insights, abundant skill, and promptness. Thus, our home build has progressed efficiently due to the design inputs and detailed plans/drawings Chris provided.
Jeffery J. - Comanche, TX
Things are always changing in the world of straw bale. My friends over at Strawbale.com have an incredible handle on all things straw bale, from how-to videos, straw bale workshops, plans for straw bale homes, straw bale e-courses, and other helpful resources. This blog is a humble account of my experiences within the world of straw bale design and plans. I offer my thoughts and ideas to help you navigate and make the best decisions for your experience on your road to building your own straw bale home.