Five homes made out of the darndest things

Green building -- designing homes and businesses to maximize energy and water efficiency and minimize harm to the environment -- has been gathering steam across much of the world.

In New York City, architects are exploring the exciting potential of growing fresh food in the urban landscape through green roofs and vertical farms. In the heartland, more folks are taking advantage of home energy tax credits to tighten up their home's seal, invest in more efficient systems, and install renewable energy. Folks are even taking green digs on the road with them!

There are many ways regular folks can green up their current residences, from swapping out those light bulbs to planting shade trees. This article isn't about those things. It's more along the lines of the famous "hobbit house," which combines elements of the old-fashioned prairie sod-house with a whimsical, aspirational attitude of "why not?"

We don't expect most people will be moving into reclaimed trains, planes, and automobiles any time soon. But we do think these home designs are a lot of fun. They show what's possible if we think outside the ticky-tacky box and dream of something different. You may not be reusing an airplane wing today, but maybe you can reuse some second-hand lumber or furniture or perhaps switch to paints that are better for your air quality.

(Photo: JoAnn Ussery)

Houses made from airplanes

A number of creative individuals have taken to converting used airplanes into living spaces. Some relish the novelty and connection to aviation, while others trumpet the toughness of the frames themselves, not to mention low cost.

In 1994, a hairstylist in Benoit, Mississippi, named JoAnn Ussery lost her 1,400-square-foot house to an ice storm. Ussery had a relative who worked in aviation, and the two came up with the idea to salvage a Continental Airlines 727.

It cost her $2,000 to buy the plane, $4,000 to move it to her lakeside lot, and about $24,000 to outfit it comfortably. Ussery did much of the renovation herself and took advantage of the ample windows and storage bins, as well as lavatory. Ussery told reporters that she was mainly attracted to the idea due to the plane's affordability and durability.

Mercedes-Benz dealer Francie Rehwald of Malibu, California, has been working on a unique home built from an entire recycled Boeing 747, at an estimated cost of $2 million. Rehwald told reporters she is interested in green building, and that her project involves turning the wings into a roof, the nose into a meditation temple, and the trademark "bulge" into a loft.

(Stan Fader / Flickr )

Boat houses

Lots of resourceful people have converted boats into living quarters on dry land.

One fine example can be found on South Bass Island in Lake Erie at Put-in-Bay, Ohio. After 50 years of service on the Great Lakes, the good ship Benson Ford (built by Henry Ford!) was sectioned by an enterprising Ohio couple, who turned the most elegant cabins into a private residence.

In the 1920s, a southern California architect and recycler by the name of Miles Minor Kellogg built two distinctive homes in the shape of boats, out of bits of material he found locally.

(Photo: Courtesy of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage)

Converted grain bins

Another intriguing idea is making your home out of an existing grain bin. Many of the houses are surprisingly attractive with decent lighting. Used grain bins are common in many rural areas and can often be bought for a song. They aren't even that daunting to move, given the right gear of course.

The sustainable living center known as Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage in Rutledge, Missouri, converted a grain bin into a two-bedroom apartment.

According to the center, "We chose the grain bin because it already had walls, a roof, and a concrete floor. This made for a simpler project that we could complete in the three months before winter." The pleasant dwelling is insulated with locally sourced straw bales, is powered by solar panels, and is heated with wood stoves.

(Photo: Adrian Wright)

Converted churches

Over the centuries, church buildings have occasionally been reused in different ways, from emergency shelters to storage areas. In recent decades, some have even been turned into thumping nightclubs and modern homes.

Entrepreneur Adrian Wright recently converted an 1870s Anglican church in East Cambridgeshire, England, into a beautiful living space, which he sold in 2007. Wright recently purchased another Victorian Anglican church and is repeating his success.

Wright's finished work is a marvel, with underfloor gas central heating, a comfortable living/dining/kitchen area, master bedroom suite, and ample parking. It includes a study and 2,275 square feet of open-plan space.

(Photo: Silohome.com)

Missile silo homes

In the fascinating Chris Smith documentary Home Movie, viewers meet an affable couple who made a comfortable home on the sweeping plains of the Midwest … in a decommissioned missile silo.

The self-proclaimed pacifists relished the challenge of turning an object of mass destruction into a welcoming abode. And they aren't the only ones. A number of relics from the Cold War have been converted into homes and other purposes, from storage to an astronomical observatory.

Own your own piece of history with the recently renovated Silohome in upstate New York. Located in scenic Adirondack State Park near Lake Placid, the former Atlas-F Series silo is a "pristine mountain property with panoramic views in combination with the ultimate level of security and privacy," according to restorers Bruce Francisco and Gregory Gibbons.

Silohome features a small runway, hangar, and spacious living areas on the surface. Below ground, the former launch control center has been converted into a two-level residence, with three bedrooms, two and a half baths, and an open living area and kitchen, adjoined by a spiral staircase. Star Wars-like doors open to the tunnel that accesses the silo.

Not everyone has a house like that!

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Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc