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Making It Personal: 10 Public Places That Became Private Spaces
1/10Making It Personal: 10 Public Places That Became Private Spaces
A Church RebornA former church in the Netherlands found its third incarnation as a family home. After the building's second stint, as a garage for car repair, the family enlisted an architect to transform it into a thoroughly modern residence while restoring original detailing that had been covered during the structure’s auto-shop period.
![<b>Water Tower With a Twist</b><p>Possibly the most unusual conversion on this list is an industrial water tower turned modern home. The architects added windows to provide natural light; a spiral staircase anchors the vertically oriented structure. </p>]()
2/10Making It Personal: 10 Public Places That Became Private Spaces
Water Tower With a TwistPossibly the most unusual conversion on this list is an industrial water tower turned modern home. The architects added windows to provide natural light; a spiral staircase anchors the vertically oriented structure.
![<b>A New Lesson for a Schoolhouse</b><p>Seeing beyond its dilapidated state, a resourceful couple reinvented this Federal-style schoolhouse as a cozy and colorful weekend retreat. The pair did much of the restoration work themselves, in the process weathering <a rel="nofollow noopener" href=" http://www.bobvila.com/articles/winterizing-pipes/" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:burst pipes;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">burst pipes</a> and a caved-in ceiling to create a charming Catskills cottage. </p> <p><strong>Related:</strong> <strong><a rel="nofollow noopener" href=" http://www.bobvila.com/cave-house/46211-living-like-the-flintstones-10-modern-stone-age-dwellings/slideshows" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Living Like the Flintstones: 10 Modern "Stone Age" Dwellings;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Living Like the Flintstones: 10 Modern "Stone Age" Dwellings</a> </strong> </p>]()
3/10Making It Personal: 10 Public Places That Became Private Spaces
A New Lesson for a SchoolhouseSeeing beyond its dilapidated state, a resourceful couple reinvented this Federal-style schoolhouse as a cozy and colorful weekend retreat. The pair did much of the restoration work themselves, in the process weathering burst pipes and a caved-in ceiling to create a charming Catskills cottage.
Related: Living Like the Flintstones: 10 Modern "Stone Age" Dwellings
![<b>From Horse to House </b><p>Guests might never guess that this house, with its abundance of white and polished <a rel="nofollow noopener" href=" http://www.bobvila.com/articles/2504-how-to-dye-concrete-floors/" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:concrete floors;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">concrete floors</a>, once played host to horses and hay. The design team retained the original timber beams, doors, and many of the interior stable walls to create distinct spaces throughout the home. The most unique touch? The feeding trough converted into a bathroom sink. </p> <p><strong>Related:</strong> <strong><a rel="nofollow noopener" href=" http://www.bobvila.com/treehouses/45738-treehouse-envy-12-lofty-designs/slideshows" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Treehouse Envy: 12 Lofty Designs;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Treehouse Envy: 12 Lofty Designs</a> </strong> </p>]()
4/10Making It Personal: 10 Public Places That Became Private Spaces
From Horse to HouseGuests might never guess that this house, with its abundance of white and polished concrete floors, once played host to horses and hay. The design team retained the original timber beams, doors, and many of the interior stable walls to create distinct spaces throughout the home. The most unique touch? The feeding trough converted into a bathroom sink.
Related: Treehouse Envy: 12 Lofty Designs
![<b>The No-Car Garage</b><p>A homeowner planning on renting out the main house on her property turned to the house’s garage when looking for her own residence. By taking on the role of general contractor, she was able to keep down costs for the project, which involved adding a bathroom and stove space, and raising the framing of the garage to accommodate a sleeping loft.</p> <p><strong>Related: <a rel="nofollow noopener" href=" http://www.bobvila.com/tiny-house/33953-11-tiny-houses-we-love/slideshows" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:11 Tiny Houses We Love;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">11 Tiny Houses We Love</a> </strong> </p>]()
5/10Making It Personal: 10 Public Places That Became Private Spaces
The No-Car GarageA homeowner planning on renting out the main house on her property turned to the house’s garage when looking for her own residence. By taking on the role of general contractor, she was able to keep down costs for the project, which involved adding a bathroom and stove space, and raising the framing of the garage to accommodate a sleeping loft.
Related: 11 Tiny Houses We Love
![<b>Church, Revisited</b><p>To create a cozier, human-scale living space within a cavernous church, the architect cleverly created the illusion of a separate house structure within the original building. </p> <p><strong>Related: </strong> <strong><a rel="nofollow noopener" href=" http://www.bobvila.com/lattice-boathouse/46172-10-see-worthy-boathouses-around-the-world/slideshows" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:10 "See Worthy" Boathouses Around the World;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">10 "See Worthy" Boathouses Around the World</a> </strong> </p>]()
6/10Making It Personal: 10 Public Places That Became Private Spaces
Church, RevisitedTo create a cozier, human-scale living space within a cavernous church, the architect cleverly created the illusion of a separate house structure within the original building.
![<b>Gothic Turns Contemporary</b><p>The designers of this revitalized space took a dramatic step—one of the oldest tricks in the renovating handbook—by slapping a coat of <a rel="nofollow noopener" href=" http://www.bobvila.com/paint-guide/2263-paint-guide-10-essentials-for-successful-house-painting/slideshows" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:paint;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">paint </a>on the interior of an 1870 Gothic church. The newly white interiors are the perfect backdrop for a minimalist aesthetic and contemporary furnishings. </p> <p><strong>Related: <a rel="nofollow noopener" href=" http://www.bobvila.com/the-mountain-shack/46414-house-tour-mountain-re-shack/slideshows" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:House Tour: Mountain Re-Shack;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">House Tour: Mountain Re-Shack</a> </strong> </p>]()
7/10Making It Personal: 10 Public Places That Became Private Spaces
Gothic Turns ContemporaryThe designers of this revitalized space took a dramatic step—one of the oldest tricks in the renovating handbook—by slapping a coat of paint on the interior of an 1870 Gothic church. The newly white interiors are the perfect backdrop for a minimalist aesthetic and contemporary furnishings.
Related: House Tour: Mountain Re-Shack
![<b>A 21st Century Schoolhouse </b><p>This still true-to-form exterior of this 18th century schoolhouse belies the sophisticated, modern interiors within. A contemporary addition complements the original structure while providing additional <a rel="nofollow noopener" href=" http://www.bobvila.com/living-room-paint-ideas/46364-what-s-the-best-color-for-living-rooms-the-experts-weigh-in/slideshows" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:living space;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">living space</a> for the family that now occupies the building. </p>]()
8/10Making It Personal: 10 Public Places That Became Private Spaces
A 21st Century SchoolhouseThis still true-to-form exterior of this 18th century schoolhouse belies the sophisticated, modern interiors within. A contemporary addition complements the original structure while providing additional living space for the family that now occupies the building.
![<b>A Storefront Faces the Future</b><p>One design decision was key to this former storefront's transformation into a modern home: Installing a wall of glass <a rel="nofollow noopener" href=" http://www.bobvila.com/articles/390-how-to-work-with-mosaic-tile/" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:mosaic;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">mosaic</a> in place of the store’s façade made this the most unique home on the block. </p>]()
9/10Making It Personal: 10 Public Places That Became Private Spaces
A Storefront Faces the FutureOne design decision was key to this former storefront's transformation into a modern home: Installing a wall of glass mosaic in place of the store’s façade made this the most unique home on the block.
![<p>If you're interested in more about tools, consider:</p> <p><a rel="nofollow noopener" href=" http://www.bobvila.com/which-wood-is-best/46483-10-great-woods-for-woodworking/slideshows" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:10 Great Woods for Woodworking;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">10 Great Woods for Woodworking</a> </p> <p><a rel="nofollow noopener" href=" http://www.bobvila.com/articles/diy-wood-clamps/" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:How To: Make Homemade Clamps;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">How To: Make Homemade Clamps</a> </p> <p><a rel="nofollow noopener" href=" http://www.bobvila.com/articles/hang-pegboard/" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:How To: Install Pegboard in Your Workshop;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">How To: Install Pegboard in Your Workshop</a> </p>]()
10/10Bob Vila's 7 Essential Woodworking Tools
If you're interested in more about tools, consider:
