10 unusual homes where people actually live
Liz Hurley once said, "I love moving. I love new houses. I'm always looking for somewhere else." However, most people may find it hard to agree when the boxes containing precious family heirlooms start tipping over and the stress levels rise. Once everything is finally sorted, you're probably more likely to say, "Never again!" Even so, there is something magical about moving house, as it heralds the start of a new beginning.
With the "real world" to think about and maybe a family to look after, we're often limited in choice when it comes to wanting a change of scenery. Though adventurous decisions are not usually an option, at least we're allowed to dream. Here are some of the most unusual living spaces on our planet...
The narrowest house in the world — Warsaw, Poland
The facts: 150 sq ft of living space is spread over two floors.
At its narrowest point, the house is only 2½ ft wide; its widest point is 4ft.
There's a bed, desk, beanbag ...
... and even a kitchen and bathroom.
While there's not much space to stretch your legs, it's a complete apartment.
And it certainly doesn't look too uncomfortable.
A completely see-through house — Tokyo, Japan
This transparent house in Tokyo is certainly larger than the apartment in Warsaw, boasting 900 sq ft of living space.
But there's something missing: your privacy.
Even so, you can't complain about poor lighting in this building. The house's architects wanted to recreate life within a tree — it certainly takes creativity to a whole new level.
An old water tower is transformed into a designer home — Steenokkerzeel, Belgium
The building was constructed in the 1930s and operated as a water tower up until the 1990s.
In 2007, the water tower was renovated into a six-storey apartment.
You'll need to climb plenty of stairs to make use of the 4,300 sq ft of living space.
The house of slides — Nakameguro, Japan
While this 2009 house may seem fairly normal from the outside, it has some secrets hidden inside.
This "fun house" features two slides. That's one way to get the kid's down for breakfast in the mornings!
You only need the stairways when it's time to go up to the bedrooms.
A house inspired by The Flintstones — Malibu, United States
Yabbadabbadoo! This is a home for true Flintstones fans!
However, you won't find any dinosaur household appliances, bird cameras or Stone Age peculiarities here.
Instead, you'll find plenty of comfort in a home that incorporates every detail from the hit 1960s TV show. You might want to start saving though — the house was sold for $3.5 million a few years ago!
The "boarding" house — Malibu, United States
This house was built by former skateboarding world champion Pierre Andre Senizergues.
You can skate and perform tricks on everything — including the furniture!
The smallest house in the world (3 sq ft) — Berlin, Germany
It only cost $300 to build this miniature house.
It's obviously not intended as a serious place to live, more a one-finger salute to gentrification and eye-watering rent prices.
The stone house built around two large boulders — Fafe, Portugal
This house was built in the 1970s. The walls are so stable that they'll probably still be standing in 2970.
The house features spartan facilities; there's also no electricity.
A house in the shape of a seashell — Mexico City, Mexico
Can you hear the sound of crashing waves?
The building was constructed in 2006.
Just breathe in the house's beauty!
Attention has also been paid to every last detail.
And it doesn't look like you can stub your toe on any corners!
A church converted into a family home — Utrecht, the Netherlands
Over last few decades, hundreds of churches have closed throughout the Netherlands. Some of them have since found a new purpose.
This house is a perfect example of how you can transform a former place of worship into a stunning home.
While some of these buildings are probably best suited to the Guinness Book of World Records, most make excellent homes with a unique charm. It's great when architects can break the mold and come up with something wonderfully creative.
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