“Home is where the heart is.” “There is no place like home.” “Home sweet home.”
Most of us can relate to at least one these quotes. We design and furnish our homes in our own personal style, which is reflected as soon as one walks through the doorway.
But some folks take personal style to a whole other level. Let’s take a walk on the “strange” side of the block and check out five unusual and unique homes that really stretch the concept of what home really is:
This old, Benson Ford cargo ship is not your average houseboat. Built in 1924, this 90-year-old cargo ship spent years hauling coal and iron across the Great Lakes until 1981. After its retirement, the Benson Ford’s front half was removed and the structure was placed on a cliff along Lake Eerie. On its new perch, it was converted into a holiday home. The most impressive rooms are those that have remained mostly untouched, and which have retained their original wood finish and stately appearance.
As its name suggested, this castle home is made entirely from coral. But that’s not even the most unusual thing about this home. Amazingly, it was created using more than 1,100 tons of coral rock. Also, it was built singlehandedly by Edward Leedskalnin. He used only hand tools in its construction and no one witnessed any of the work he did — probably because he did most of it at night.
This ocean view home was built into a sand dune in 1975 by architect William Morgan. A regular task of the homeowner is mowing their roof, as the entire structure is covered with grass. The house is extremely energy efficient, using natural climate control to maintain a constant, 72-degree temperature inside.
As the name indicates, this contemporary pod house resembles mushrooms shooting up from the ground. The home was completed in 1972 and was designated a landmark in Perinton in 1989. Each pod has a separate function; living and dining area, kitchen and two sleeping areas.
Talk about a home with a view! Not only does every room in the home offer a great vista, but an ever-changing one at that. The house rotates at varying speeds, anywhere from one revolution in 33 minutes to one revolution in 24 hours. It is extremely energy efficient, and only uses up to 13 amps to cool its entire 3,700 square feet. Note that an average air conditioner uses 50 to 60 amps.
Feeling inspired to build your perfect unique home? Start by finding the perfect piece of land to put it on. Let LandCentral.com help you find that perfect spot and get you on your way to building the unusual or conventional home of your dreams.