Traditional Romanian houses are closely connected to actual land ownership. Romanian peasants are often both the architect and the decorator of their own houses. Using wood as the basic material for construction, mostly in the mountain area, the peasant farm (including the main house, the annexes and all the furniture) fits perfectly in the background.
Often built without a second floor, peasant houses in Maramure║ have solid foundations, made of oak pillars set in stone, and usually comprise two rooms, the sleeping quarters and the entrance hall. The latter extends outside, in front of the house and sometimes on two other sides, as a porch. The walls are made of oak logs connected at the ends in such a fashion that they extend longer than the wall proper. They may also be made of beech or fir tree. The walls are painted blue, unlike the traditional houses in Moldavia or Wallachia, which are more commonly made of brick, or the stone houses in Transylvania, deeply hidden behind their closed gates. The windows, of modest dimensions, are adapted to the harsh climate of the region. Some houses are supported by a main beam made of carved wood. Roofs have four sides, are very tall, and are covered with shingles nailed to the roof.
