Welcome to our virtual embassy
You will find here:
A blog about how we built our house from scratch
Info, photos and videos about our home-festival "Acrofestonia"
Info about ordering an Acroyoga workshop
Silver + Ester = SilvEster
We have always lived a little differently and practiced an alternative way of life. That became possible because we grew up in post‑Soviet, independent Estonia and inherited a mindset that “everything must be used” and that you should “resourcefully repurpose the materials at hand.” We often find ourselves using what others don’t prefer or even consider trash. It takes time, energy, and creativity — and also a “good nose” for judging the real value of things.
We live an “eco” life — as ecological and economical as possible. With the help of friends and volunteers, we built our home using a hundred‑and‑one (sometimes unconventional) materials: used car tires; natural raw clay straight from the ground; reed as wall insulation; beams, windows, floorboards and timbers rescued from demolition of “outdated” buildings; round logs from our own forest; many finds from behind the barn; ceramic floor tiles thrown into a dumpster by a commercial surplus store; and many other things our attentive noses have sniffed out.
Living from the leftovers of an (over)consumption society, it is possible to create a luxurious life. Besides drawing resources, we are also connected to Tallinn through education — Ester is working toward a special education teacher qualification at Tallinn University, and both of our children attend a Waldorf school.
Reading
This article was published in Müürileht and is about creating a home, DIY building, and log‑raising as a practical and social way of life.