straw bale home porch

Welcome to Organicforms Design. My name is Chris Keefe and I have been designing straw bale and other alternative homes since 2003. I have an ever growing catalogue of house plans, from 200 square foot cabins, 1000 square foot cottages, on up to 2500+ square foot family homes. All my plans are highly detailed and designed to be understood by owner builders, contractors, and those curious about the alternative natural building world, and may be converted to straw bale, ICF, Faswall, or even conventional construction. In 2012, I helped my good friend Andrew Morrison with a straw bale detail book, A Modern Look at Straw Bale Construction. It is a great resource to help get you started. Additionally, many of my plans are part of Strawbale.com’s workshops happening all over the country, helping folks build their dream house. Building your own home can be challenging, and I hope that my experience, as well as my house plans, will help you navigate through this process with confidence 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.

straw bale dormers

I have been designing straw bale and ICF homes for two decades. Here is a peak into some of my projects over that time. These homes are all unique and special. Many have been built by ambitious and dynamic owner builders, some by professional builders, and a few by true artists that have mastered the craft of form. All of these projects have brought me to where I am now as a straw bale home designer. Working with people to achieve their dreams has been a great pleasure, and I hope these galleries inspire you to reach for your dreams of building your own straw bale 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

  • straw bale plans testimony

    "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

  • straw bale plans testimony

    “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

  • straw bale plans testimony

    “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

  • straw bale plans testimony

    “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

  • straw bale plans testimony

    "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

  • straw bale plans testimony

    "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

  • plans for a straw bale house

    "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

  • plans for a straw bale house

    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

  • straw bale applegate

    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

  • 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

straw bale truth window

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.