Unplugged Home: Room-by-Room Tour

Read all over

No web surfing at home means more time for reading the printed newspaper.

Modern meets old-school

Modern lines and electricity are present in the kitchen, but there are no digital interfaces on those shiny appliances. On the floor, the kids play with toys like wood blocks, not video games.

Clutter kept tidy

A kitchen drawer plays catchall for keys and iPhones.

Simple household products

The family owns modern-day appliances like this dishwasher, but without LED interfaces.

Manual appliances

There's no fighting for appliance outlet space on the kitchen countertop. Even the juice press is manual (and therefore, unplugged).

Coffee the old-fashioned way

Coffee is made on the stovetop instead of by an electric coffee or espresso machine.

Whole foods

Even pantry goods are "unplugged": Laura Jo and Donovan prefer not to purchase processed foods.

Back to the grind

Lev (4) and Ezra (6) help Donovan grind flour (manually, natch) for bread making.

Simple pleasures

Lev helps Laura Jo with bread making, done by hand and oven--not bread-making machine. Giant maps serve as artwork around the house and also teach the kids about geography, as opposed to online maps.

Low-tech furnishings

In the dining room, the table was crafted from old bowling alley flooring and the chairs were salvaged from a local middle school library. The wool-and-cotton rug is hand woven.

Free play

No screen time for the kids means more time for play and puppet shows.

Live instruments

In the living room, guitars take the place of a sound system. And there's plenty of time for globe spinning. The low-tech couch was Laura Jo's grandfather's and was rebuilt and reupholstered for reuse.

Personal library

In the living room there are real books, no Nooks. Plus, more low-tech furniture: This table and lamp belonged to one of Laura Jo's grandmothers. Much of the living room furnishings are heirloom pieces.