form over function

reading a blog that a hog farmer from northern vt writes.  he starts each post with a picture and the writes something about it.  he and his family live VERY simply.  it's something i very much admire.  they are very much in function.  they are so concerned with funtion they seem to have zero concern for form.  their farm, at first glance, looks to be a series of shacks that have been abandoned for years.  but reading his blog, you see that everything has a purpose.  nothing is wasted.  he lives in norther vt and uses 3/4 cord of wood a YEAR to heat his home. 

while i don't fully rule out function, i think i could benefit for thinking about form a bit less...