Frisian House

Sender: Alienne

"Friesenhaus in Steenodde Auf Amrum". (Frisian House in Steenodde on Amrum)

- Amrum is an island in North Frisia on the German North Sea Coast. It is one of Germany's most popular seaside resorts. 

- Steenodde is the smallest village district on Amrum. 

- A Frisian house is a type of farmhouse, the walls are made of red brick and have a thatched roof and white or blue window frames and doors.

I love the look of thatched cottages, they are so rustic. I have never been to Germany and so have never seen a Frisian house. But the UK has long been synonymous with thatched cottages. Once they were a familiar sight to me as some were situated along my bus route. It is alleged that there are over 60,000 thatched cottages in the UK alone, mostly having listed building status, where owners are prohibited from making unacceptable alterations, or even using the wrong type of straw when the time comes for the cottage to have a brand new "hairdo". I once passed by a thatched cottage having its thatched roof redone, and it was quite a comical sight. Like a Beatle-haired cottage having its thick fringes trimmed! I have also experienced staying in thatched cottages with delightfully odd-shaped rooms and sloping ceilings. Loved it! But their wooden floors and joints creaked all night. Oooooo..  

Pro: A thatched roof will ensure that a building will be cool in summer and warm in winter. 

Cons: Thatched houses are harder to insure because of the perceived fire risk; thatching is labour intensive therefore it is much more expensive to thatch a roof than to cover it with slate or tiles; birds or rodents can damage a roof; thatched roofs need ongoing maintenance to avoid rot setting in.