Tinajo · Lanzarote

We built this from nothing.
Here’s how it happened.

A personal log — from finding the land to opening the doors. Our own house is still being built next door. Newest entries at the top. Scroll back to find the beginning of the story.

Cornelia and Gunnar at the construction site with truck and workers in background.
White modern building with wooden beams, solar panels on roof, and desert landscape with ocean in the background.
Cornelia in a kitchen holding a gray cloth, with a surfboard and wooden furniture in the background.
Sketch of a modern two-building house with solar panels on the roof and a wooden deck patio.
Gunnar standing on a chair fixing or installing wiring on a white ceiling.

August 2025

Minimalist bathroom with wooden sink vanity, irregular mirror, green tiled wall, and beige towels hanging.

The bathroom — green tiles, Moroccan floors and a lot of patience

The tiles took three weeks longer than planned. The vanity we built ourselves. Watching the first room come together told us we were making the right thing.

Cornelia in shorts painting a white pillar on a scaffold outside a stone building near a hot tub.
Crane lifting a large glass window frame against a clear blue sky with one small cloud.
Sketch of a kitchen interior with cabinets, sink, towels, and a sliding glass door overlooking a fenced yard.

October 2024

Four men carrying a long wooden beam up stone steps outside white buildings.

The beam for the pergola is on its way—teamwork moves several hundred pounds

Every pair of hands counts. Thankfully, our carpenter brings several pairs of hands with him.

Gunnar in a pink shirt kneeling while spreading adhesive on floor with a trowel near a bucket.
Cornelia painting a wall purple while standing on a step stool in a room with a white ceiling.
Sketch of a modern outdoor patio with pergola, seating area, table, and plants.

August 2024

Three men working with shovels in a dirt area beside a stone wall and stairs outdoors.

Shell construction atmosphere—the lighting gives a hint of how beautiful it will be.

An old oak beam from mainland Spain is being put in place, and the cables are being fed through the pipes.

Cornelia holding potted plants standing on stone steps in rocky garden under blue sky with tractor behind.
Black ink sketch of a succulent plant with long pointed leaves on a beige background.
Three men working with shovels and tools on a dirt path next to a stone wall and white building stairs.
Ink sketch of a modern house exterior with a patio, chairs, plants, and an outdoor staircase.
Construction site with rebar foundation, plants in pots, rock landscaping, and a worker near a white van.

March 2025

Two men install a window in a room, one standing on a ladder, with outdoor stone walls and fields visible.

The first windows go in - a natural next step in building a house, but a significant one for us.

We thank all friends for their help! Together it's easier.

Black ink sketch of a modern building with multiple columns and flat roof on a beige background.
Construction site with partially built concrete block foundation and workers in a rural landscape.
Construction site with excavator, piles of dirt, and cleared earth under a cloudy sky near buildings.

March 2025

Terraced volcanic soil vineyards with stone walls under a partly cloudy blue sky.

Finding the land — a story about patience

We almost gave up twice. Then a local farmer showed us a plot in Tinajo that nobody else seemed to want. We knew in five minutes.

Both houses are open. Our own is still taking shape. The garden has begun to grow.

An honest account of where things stand. Two houses ready, one next door still being built, a garden in its first year — and a rooftop view that makes all of it feel worth it.

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