Visit our Online Flea Market!

June 7, 2012

Housing - the Ultimate Repurposing

Who wouldn't love to live in a unique, one-of-a-kind home?  A place that, when people
drove by, they said, "Wow.  That took a lot of imagination and hard work."  


In 1948, shoe manufacturing tycoon Mahlon Haines built this
larger-than-life shoe in Hellam, Pa, as an advertising gimmick.
It's been used as a Bed and Breakfast and is still used today as a
guest cottage.  Wouldn't you love to spend the night here?


Quonset huts were designed during World War II for equipment storage.
They were easy to transport, construct and disassemble.  The energy efficient
arch-style shape makes them inexpensive to maintain.  Quonset huts are quickly
becoming the new 'green' home.  


A savvy lot owner on South Bass Island, Lake Erie, gives new
meaning to the term "dry docking".  Living in one of the boats,
he rents out the other one to tourists.  Smart! 


Shipping containers aren't just for transporting consumer goods
around the world.  Architects and designers are taking advantage of
the abundance of used containers and converting them into homes or
vacation get-aways.  At less than $50K, they're definitely economical.     


A San Francisco fire house was converted into a private home.
I know, I know, I want one, too. 



Folks have been converting old cabooses and railroad cars into
private homes for many years.  Most agree that the biggest
expense is simply transporting the car to their lot.


 "Big Yellow" might look industrial and imposing from the
outside but take a look at the luxurious interior:



 A Seattle architect purchased a rail car, relocated it to the
water and built a vacation home around it.



Ten years ago, a couple in Paintsville, Ky, purchased the town's
Colonial Revival-style Post Office for $162K and got to work:



Beautiful.  And, lots of parking!


These homeowners built a traditional house inside a commercial hangar:



Wouldn't these unusual old commercial buildings
make great homes?!






I just don't think I could get use to living in the middle of a freeway.

No comments:

Post a Comment