Since the winter nights were cold, the Cherokees needed warm places to sleep and an "o-si" was always constructed near the entrance of their regular houses. A fire would be built in the "o-si" during the day, and when ready to go to sleep, the Indians removed the coals, blocked the entrances with skins and slept warm.
The regular houses varied in size, some had flat roofs, some had gabled roofs. Some of the regular houses had two or three rooms, having been added to just as we do now when one of the daughters or sons get married. The doors were narrow and low to conserve heat. Cooking was done for the most part out-of-doors, but a fireplace was used sometimes in the regular house.
The houses were built by placing poles in the ground vertically, then weaving between then cane or branches basket style, until the walls were completed. Mud was plastered on both sides to form a fairly solid house for that time. Some were "whitewashed" on the inside with a material made from crushed seashells, which they traded with other Indians. The roof was made similar except they covered it with bark or thatch.
Beds were made of branches or woven can, placed alongside the walls, and covered with skins.
