From Field to Frame: Sarah’s Story of Building a Life and Home from Hemp

After four decades living in the southeast of England, raising a family and working in the arts, Sarah felt a quiet pull to return to her roots. The creative life she’d once known in the seaside town of Rye, East Sussex had given way to the busy rhythm of modern life. When she moved back to the countryside of her childhood, she wasn’t just looking for a change of scenery — she wanted to build something that reflected her values: creativity, independence, and connection with the land.

A Field, a Vision, and a Leap of Faith

At a small rural auction, Sarah spotted a windswept three-acre field with planning permission. It wasn’t much — just rough grass and big skies — but it sparked a vision. She bought it for £200,000 and set her sights on creating an eco-friendly home and studio where she could live, paint, and host a small creative community.

“I wanted to build something honest,” she said. “A home that breathes.”

Her plan was ambitious: a single-storey, barn-style home made from hempcrete, with a light-filled gallery and studio space. It would be her sanctuary, and her statement — proof that natural materials could create homes as beautiful as they are sustainable.

Building with Hemp

Hempcrete — made by mixing chopped hemp stems with lime and water — isn’t your typical building material. It doesn’t rely on plastics or chemical additives, and it creates walls that regulate temperature, resist mould, and store carbon instead of producing it.

“It’s healthy to live with,” Sarah explained, “unlike modern materials that trap moisture and off-gas toxins.”

Her local builder, David, was sceptical at first. “I’ve been in the trade since ’81,” he said. “Never seen anything like it. Might be the first — and the last — in these parts.”

But once the timber frame went up and the team began mixing hemp, lime, and water in buckets and tamping it into the walls, the beauty of the process became clear. Each lift of hempcrete dried into a soft, stone-like surface — breathable, tactile, and warm to the touch.

Trial by Lime

Nothing about pioneering a hemp build came easy. Midway through construction, Sarah discovered that the sustainability consultant’s material estimates were far too low — she’d need nearly double the hemp and lime binder.

“It was a moment of panic,” she admitted. “I’d promised myself not to borrow money, so every extra tonne came out of what savings I had left.”

Still, she pressed on. Her total build budget of £330,000 stretched to £520,000 by the end — everything she owned. But as the walls rose and the light poured into her gallery, she knew it was worth every pound.

A Creative Sanctuary

Three years after that first auction, Sarah’s dream finally stood finished on the hillside — a series of stone-clad barns linked by a bright plywood-lined hallway that doubles as an art gallery. The open-plan kitchen and living space blend raw hempcrete walls with timber finishes, while the studio’s high ceiling and vast windows look out across the grasslands.

“It feels alive,” she said. “The house seems to breathe with the landscape — it’s energising, but calm.”

Her sons, Noah and Hector, now have rooms at one end of the home; Sarah’s studio fills the other. Between them sits the heart of the house: a gallery for art, conversation, and connection.

More Than a Home

For Sarah, the project became more than a build — it was a reclamation of independence. “I’ve spent everything I had,” she said, smiling, “and it’s still the best decision I ever made.”

The home stands as a quiet rebellion against wasteful construction and a reminder that building differently is possible — and beautiful.

A Growing Hemp Movement

Across Australia, similar stories are unfolding as builders, artists, and families turn to hemp for healthier, more sustainable homes. From the first hempcrete holiday rental in Margaret River to communities exploring hemp-based construction for fire-resistant housing — the movement is growing fast.

Hempcrete’s natural insulation, carbon-negative footprint and BAL-FZ bushfire rating make it a standout for Australian conditions (learn more).At Margaret River Hemp Co, we’re proud to champion stories like Sarah’s — proof that innovation and artistry can coexist with sustainability. Every hemp home, whether in England or Australia, reminds us that living lightly on the planet doesn’t mean giving anything up — it means building a future that feels like home.