When Peggy Shepherd began working on her barn, she was renting an apartment behind the old theater in Gosport, Indiana. Before long she decided to invest that monthly rent into the home she was building, instead of handing it over to a landlord. Once the basic structure of her barn was weatherproof, she made herself a surprisingly cozy living space in the walk-out basement.
Peggy's vintage metal bed with beautiful linens. Note the industrial clothes hanging rack and bare concrete wall in the background.
No stove? 
Peggy didn’t have one either. As long as you’ve got electricity you can cook just about anything in a crock pot (or “slow cooker” in the UK). Once known mainly as a handy way to make soups and stews, the crock pot has become an energy-efficient means to preparing fondue, Smoked Trout Cannelloni, and even “Frosted Carrot and Parsnip Cake.” You can find all of these in Catherine Atkinson’s Slow Cooker Recipe Book. Who knew?
Kitchen/dining area in Peggy's basement. Note the concrete walls, which bear the marks of their forms. The painted cabinet at the left of this picture served as a work counter.
Of course, there’s always the woodstove, if you’re lucky enough to have one–and unlucky enough to lack electricity. In fact, a woodstove and a cast iron pot will not only cook your meals but also heat water for bathing. (This works especially well if you’re willing to take sponge baths.)
In summer, a pond (see Peggy’s at right) makes the perfect place to wash off the workday’s sweat and grime.
Finally, there are what the English used to call “facilities.” If you lack a bathroom but live in a rural location, you may avail yourself of the great outdoors. There’s nothing like a view!
Snowing outside? Middle of the night? Grab an empty drywall bucket. It’s the perfect height and even comes with a lid!
The modern girl's chamber pot
