An English sculptor decided to get out of his comfort zone and turn the shell of a grain silo and transformed it into a stunning tiny silo home that mirrors the beauty and elegance of an industrial castle.
Bob Campbell is more than just a sculptor and a scrap metal artist. His creativity is also out of this world and his innovative tiny home is proof of this. For 20 years, he has been making things out of reclaimed materials, but mostly scrap metals.
The game changed for Bob when he found a £1 ($1.27 US dollar) shell of grain on eBay. At first, he was just thinking of making an art project out of it but it turned into an unimaginable tiny house project.
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His £1 grain silo was 16 feet tall so he had to reduce it to make it fit. With the help of his wife Caroline, he put it up and saw what would develop.
The couple’s tiny home is surrounded by trees and nestled behind their immense garden which has always been their hideaway.
There are bits and bobs everywhere, showcasing Bob’s artistic prowess. Inside the house, there’s a mishmash of metal and timber, giving an elemental vibe. It also gives out an artistic and cozy feel.
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The whole idea of their tiny house is impressive enough but what’s more amazing is that everything was crafted by Bob, including the fireplace made out of a gas bottle.
He would collect scrap materials and turn them into furniture and home decor. He likes heavily rusted scraps and he gives them a new glow after polishing them.
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Chains are an ongoing theme in the Campbells’ little silo home. The armrest of their couch was made of chains, which are deceivingly comfortable.
Their dining table was made of an old saw blade, inlaid in concrete while there were chains in the middle. The walls were built from bits of old pallets cut down into brick, sat on the wall, and polished up.
Since the silo is a cold metal structure, the couple uses recycled plastic as insulation and a vapor barrier on top of it to fix condensation problems.
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“It was pretty difficult to properly insulate the roof. You’d probably be better with spray foam to get full coverage so you get a little bit of condensation when it’s frosty on the inside of the roof but you get the fire on and that’s burnt off in 10 minutes,” Bob explained.
The tiny house also has a back door that leads to a little gray water treatment that filters everything from their sink. The kitchen, though small, is filled with all the necessary equipment and appliances.
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It also has ample storage for goods and spices. To wash their dishes, the couple uses a 130-year-old basin given by their neighbor. Their bathroom has a circular shower, a composting toilet, and functional shelves.
Above was their beautiful sleeping loft with a functional ladder which Bob also built. “I wanted to make something that you could pull down to use and move out of the way to just create a feeling of extra space,” said Bob.
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Caroline loves this cozy space and thinks it’s nice waking up in the morning and seeing all the wood around her.
The total cost of their tiny home was only around £4,000 including setting out the base, building, and doing a bit of landscaping. Thanks to Bob’s creativity and exceptional crafting skills, the couple did not spend a lot to build this dreamy tiny home.
At first, the couple did not expect that the place was made for a long stay. Now, they have been living their best lives here for over five years.
For Bob, an accomplished artist, it is nice to live inside his own artwork. “I guess you constantly got a little ego boost. You’re looking and you’re thinking ‘Wow, this looks great, I made this. It’s great living in something you’ve built yourself.”
