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NARRATOR: Not everyone lives in a suburban tract house, or wants to.
But a greenhouse?
A winery? A sheep wagon?
People say, "What -- you have a sheep wagon? Do you have sheep?"
[ Sheep bleats ]
NARRATOR: What about a cave?
KENNARD-TROUGHTON: I wanted a party house.
We can fit 20-30 people in here.
Any excuse for a party.
NARRATOR: Stick around for a tour
of some amazing living spaces,
and meet the people whose creativity and vision
made it all possible.
-- Captions by VITAC --
Closed Captions provided by Scripps Networks, LLC.
NARRATOR: Downtown Durham, North Carolina,
is in the midst of a renaissance,
where old tobacco buildings
are being converted into urban lofts.
Interior designer Heather Garrett
created a spacious home in only 1,150 square feet.
This used to be
a Liggett & Myers tobacco warehouse,
and now it's my home.
NARRATOR: Her third-floor condominium includes a long entry
that leads to a main living room,
dining area, and an open kitchen.
The master bedroom sits just off the big room
through the double doors.
Heather's son Walker has a bedroom on the first floor.
The steep staircase leads to the second floor,
where daughter Blaire has a cozy loft.
Across the hallway is a comfortable television room.
There's only one bathroom for the family to share.
But thanks to soaring, 22-foot-high ceilings,
the space feels much larger.
I was looking for someplace
that would be a little reminiscent
of the apartment I had in New York City, which I miss.
The first moment I walked in and saw the windows,
the ceiling heights,
the original floors, I was sold.
NARRATOR: For more than 100 years, Durham, North Carolina,
was at the center of America's tobacco production.
Liggett & Myers was just one of several big companies.
Other well-known brands
left their imprint on the area, as well.
Today, the center of Durham's restaurants, shops, and lofts
is located in these historic warehouses.
GARRETT: This building,
which was originally a drying facility for tobacco,
was one of 3 built for that purpose in 1926.
NARRATOR: Heather started with one big space
and first constructed walls to create the rooms.
So, when this was a tobacco warehouse, it was entirely open.
So once I established bedrooms,
I then had to create closet space, storage space.
NARRATOR: Heather built kitchen shelves
instead of cabinets for china and glassware,
and she created an unusual pantry.
I decided to take a showroom sample credenza
from my design studio and turn it into a pantry.
I found a pair of lovely lady lamps
at a local consignment store,
painted them white,
and we have what doubles as a lovely sideboard credenza
and a kitchen pantry.
NARRATOR: Heather owns a design firm
just a few blocks from her loft.
She describes her personal style as "organic traditional."
These are original tobacco warehouse doors.
What I love about them is the chicken-wire glass
which obscures what's on either side
but still allows light to filter through.
NARRATOR: The restored red brick walls
and warm, honey-colored pine floors are original.
New windows let in bright sunlight in the morning.
But in the afternoon, they cast soft shadows
across the main living room and master bedroom.
I'm a big fan of natural elements.
I think that it's hard to find something man-made
that's more beautiful
than what's available to us in nature.
Really, this building's humble beginnings
were all about organic --
a drying facility for tobacco leaves.
So, I feel like I've found my home.
NARRATOR: Heather plans to add an additional upstairs bathroom
and update her daughter's bedroom.
At 300 square feet,
the main living area is large enough for friends and clients.
Mmm. That's my favorite.
Guests are reminded, ironically,
that the old tobacco warehouse is smoke-free.
In the village of Hammondsport,
located in the Finger Lakes region of New York state,
the L.R. McCorn winery operated for almost 40 years,
from the 1880s until Prohibition.
By the time Jeff Ingersoll and his wife, Sandra Parker,
discovered the property, it had been empty for decades.
Its poor condition is what drew them to it.
We're involved in architectural preservation
in the city of Buffalo.
And so Jeff's eyes light up
every time he sees an old building
in need of restoration or repair.
Restoring the old winery
was easier said than done, however,
and the project defied Jeff's timetable predictions.
And I said, "That looks like a nice 10-year project."
Turned out to be 18 years in the making.
To turn the aging winery
into the three-story, four-bed, five-bath home it is today,
they had to repair a leaking roof, patch holes in the walls,
and stabilize flooring.
Additional structural issues
required that they lift up parts of the building
to repair the foundation.
The two-story porch
that has the stream running underneath it
was about ready to fall down,
so we had to jack that up and rebuild all the walls.
Today, the ground floor serves as Jeff's workshop,
and the second floor plays heavily
into Jeff and Sarah's retirement plans.
It will become a bed and breakfast.
The so-called barrel room,
with support beams salvaged from an old church steeple,
will serve as a common room.
Everything in the room is sort of wine-related theme.
The theme continues with tables made from wine barrels,
railings made from barrel staves,
and guest rooms named after different kinds of wine.
But the real question is -- where is the wine?
This is the original wine cellar for the building,
so this is quite old.
Jeff and Sandra have taken up wine-making,
and this is where they produce and store their wine.
Up a flight of short steps is the third floor,
where Jeff and Sandra spend most of their time.
Originally, this is where grapes entered the winery.
Today, it's an inviting space with a kitchen,
dining room, and living area.
We didn't want to separate the rooms by walls,
but we did want each room to be separated
by concept and use.
Cedar ceilings, cherry floors,
new windows, and radiant-heat flooring
are a few of Sandra and Jeff's additions.
They blend in well with older artifacts
like wine barrels and jugs,
a mirror made from a wine barrel ring,
and a wood-burning stove.
Just off the living area is the master bedroom,
which features barrel-vaulted cedar ceilings.
This room was added on later.
You can see on the wall here,
which was the exterior siding,
the old roof line.
So, we left that.
We thought that was an interesting part
of the history of the building.
That history is never far from the mind here,
thanks to reminders inside and out.
One of our goals was to retain the historic nature
of the outside of the building,
including repainting the original sign,
which I did.
Despite the lengthy renovation,
this old winery is now a home worthy of a toast,
thanks to Jeff and Sandra.
Not all new home conversions
start with old, crumbling buildings.
Some start with wheels.
In fact, we've had wagons that,
once we completed them,
we've even had old sheep herders
want to know how old the wagon is --
"100 years old?"
And we say, "No, it's a week old."
NARRATOR: Welcome back.
We're on a journey
to uncover the most interesting home conversions,
including a tobacco warehouse in North Carolina
and a winery in New York.
[ Sheep bleating ]
In today's modern world,
sheep herding may seem like a relic from the past.
But a little community along Idaho's Salmon River
is preserving the historic sheep-herding lifestyle
with a 21st-century spin.
It may sound odd, but the folks who live in these wagons,
like massage therapist Renee Silvus,
are accustomed to raised eyebrows.
People say, "What -- you have a sheep wagon?
Do you have sheep?"
NARRATOR: She may not have actual sheep,
but Renee does have a unique home
that she plans to retire in,
thanks to the restoration work of Kim and Kathy Vader.
Before they can construct the 12-foot-by-7-foot structures,
they first have to locate the running gear.
This original running gear
was probably used for, like, a covered wagon --
mid 1800s, late 1800s.
On this particular model,
the condition of the running gear was really, really bad.
Usually, a lot of people look at it
and they think it's unrepairable,
but we look at them and think it's a good opportunity.
It really is something different.
All wagons are crafted to the customer's specifications.
Some have aluminum tops,
while others are built with high-grade canvas
to give it an old-world feel.
Regardless of the materials,
the sheep wagons all feature a look so historic,
it's hard to tell that they are almost completely new.
KATHY: In fact, we've had wagons that,
once we completed them,
we've even had old sheep herders
want to know how old the wagon is --
"100 years old?"
And we say, "No, it's a week old."
In the 19th and early 20th centuries,
many sheep herders lived in horse-drawn sheep wagons.
When they went out on the range,
the herders had to have a place to stay.
Usually, a herder is all by himself out there.
Today, it's less about solitude
and more about living a simpler life.
Darcy Williamson provides a place
for sheep-wagon enthusiasts to stay.
Luxuries, such as Internet access and showers --
not available in the wagons --
are provided in the cabin on the property.
So, here we are at my sheep wagon.
Let's go inside.
This is a Dutch door.
So, come on in!
The interior of the sheep wagon is so elegant.
The Vaders have designed a little kitchen,
so we can have a spot of tea, if you'd like, on the stove.
NARRATOR: The wood-burning stove is the only source of heat.
This stove actually heats up this wagon
in about five minutes.
It gets toasty, toasty warm in here.
So, when I come in in the evening,
I get that going, and I'm warm in no time at all.
NARRATOR: The wagon also houses a queen-size bed
and a window that offers incredible views.
Well, when I wake up in the morning, there's the river.
NARRATOR: There's some creature comforts that the wagon doesn't have.
One is power, so solar-powered lanterns
are used for lighting.
Another thing missing is a full-size toilet.
So, here we are.
We have our lovely, lovely, lovable loo.
It's a little chilly in the winter
to sit there and use the facility, and...
that's the way it is.
NARRATOR: While it may not have all the conveniences
of modern living,
for most people here, like Michael Davis,
sheep wagons are the perfect place to call home.
It's downsizing
to just minimal amount of things that I need,
and it's worked out great.
And I'm relaxed. I'm happier.
There's no way I would change my small space of heaven
for a larger home.
NARRATOR: In the small community of Belfast, Maine,
a century-old church has become an old-world, Gothic home
for Loanne and Bruce Spaulding.
It took three years of work,
but the couple has found a perfect blend
of comfort and heritage.
The building was originally a Dutch Reformed church.
It was built in 1906.
Today, it is a 2,000-square-foot residence
with 3 bedrooms...
1 1/2 baths...
kitchen...
and a great room with living and dining space.
As an interior designer,
Loanne had the skills and artistic vision
to drive the project.
Well, I had always admired this building,
and every time we'd ride by,
I'd say, "That would make a great house."
And we were on our way to church one Sunday morning,
and the "For Sale" sign went up.
And I said to Bruce, "Let's go see it."
And I fell in love immediately.
Loanne and Bruce felt it was important
to respect the building's history,
so they restored many of its original features,
like the arched Moorish windows from the church's sanctuary.
Today, they use this space as a grand living room.
Originally,
these all would have been stained-glass windows,
and the stone would not have been covered up
by this Sheetrock.
NARRATOR: Now the restored windows bring in
plenty of natural light to fill the room.
But restoring the floors was a different matter.
Over the years, the building's multiple owners
introduced a variety of styles to the space.
LOANNE: It had layers of plywood,
and then on top of that,
pink wall-to-wall carpeting
that matched the lovely walls.
NARRATOR: Loanne hoped to find something else
hidden underneath all those layers.
When they pulled up the plywood,
she was happy to discover the original hardwood floors.
Using the old church entryway,
the couple created a guest bedroom
with Gothic stone walls.
Loanne was even able to restore an original Gothic light fixture
she found during the renovation.
It now hangs proudly over the dining area
near a few of the couple's own additions to the home.
LOANNE: The pews are from a boys' school in Scotland,
and the stained-glass window,
I just fell in love with and felt that every church
should have at least one stained-glass window.
NARRATOR: Loanne restored the church's oak doors
and installed them in the master bathroom
as a nod to the original occupants.
A friend of ours refers to this as the bishop's bathroom.
NARRATOR: She repurposed classic materials
throughout the house,
including hand-carved, century-old oak paneling
once used in the original lectern.
I wanted to salvage it and use it somewhere,
and so I knew that probably the smallest room in the house
would be the bathroom.
NARRATOR: Loanne and Bruce went through an arduous renovation
to save the church.
It was worth it not only to them,
but for the community, as well.
Everyone knows where this church is.
It just feels so good to be here.
LOANNE: I think we both felt that we needed an adventure,
and this needed saving,
and the two things meshed perfectly.
After finding their dream home in an old-world treasure,
Loanne and Bruce haven't looked back.
It was love at first sight,
and this Rhode Island homeowner
was convinced that she had to buy a greenhouse.
We bought the house thinking, you know, "How cool.
We have this great greenhouse."
But when we saw these windows, that was it for us.
We just fell in love.
Light just flows in here all year round.
NARRATOR: We visited unique homes
that at one time were a winery,
even a sheep wagon.
We're on to Newport, Rhode Island.
Rows of notable estates line this port city,
revealing part of its rich history.
Some of the wealthiest and most influential
people in the country vacationed here.
They built magnificent cottages and mansions on the island,
many of which have been preserved.
Our next home was located on the property
of one of the island's mansions.
Its original purpose was totally utilitarian.
It was a greenhouse.
At 4,000 square feet,
the house now has five bedrooms, three bathrooms,
and is home to Amy, her husband, Rob,
their two kids, and dog.
AMY: This is my house.
It is the greenhouse to the Bonniecrest mansion.
In the '50s, somebody came in
and decided to turn it into a home.
We purchased the home about 10 years ago
and have currently been working on it,
you know, weekly.
NARRATOR: A lot of the tough work was completed
before Amy and Rob moved in.
But they still had their hands full
with some unexpected challenges.
This being a greenhouse, everything here is custom.
So, any time that the house has been upgraded,
we've had to, you know, be up against
a custom-size doorframe.
You can't just buy a new door.
It's just not gonna be the right size.
NARRATOR: Additional renovation difficulties
occurred in the center of the home, now the MacMillan's den.
ROB: Some of the other challenges we've had
in dealing with this space
are just the aftereffects of it being a greenhouse.
Over here, we have what used to be a fireplace.
We had to do some refinishing of that
to make sure, structurally, it was sound.
We had a doorway that used to be there
that went into the western wing of the greenhouse.
And on the eastern wing,
there was a doorway going to the greenhouse side that way,
which has now become a fireplace.
So, the whole room is a little bit more enclosed
than it used to be.
NARRATOR: The main hallway is one of Amy's favorite areas,
even though it is an add-on.
The sunlight spilling through the wall of windows
reflects the look and feel of a greenhouse.
This is also an addition
that was put onto the original structure
to widen the home.
We sort of saw it more as a flop space.
With the sunlight in here being so beautiful,
we just love to spend our days in here.
NARRATOR: The greenhouse's original purpose
is evident in the kitchen,
where Amy and Rob have retained the roof line and windows.
We bought the house thinking, you know, "How cool.
We have this great greenhouse."
But when we saw these windows, that was it for us.
We just fell in love.
Light just flows in here all year round.
The windows, though the glass has been replaced,
are the original windows for the existing greenhouse.
And the cabinets were built
to mimic the shape of the greenhouse windows,
which is pretty unique,
though some of them are not easily accessed.
It's great, 'cause they mimic the shape that's over here,
and I just love that.
NARRATOR: The MacMillans continue making updates
but are extremely pleased with the look and feel of their home.
As with all repurposed buildings,
there are bound to be challenges.
But living in a converted greenhouse
has some unique benefits, as well.
How cool to live in a greenhouse, where, you know,
anybody can just come in here and grow something?
Living in a greenhouse has given me a green thumb,
and I love that.
NARRATOR: It may not look like a party house,
but that's exactly why this homeowner
made her home in a cave.
KENNARD-TROUGHTON: We can fit 20 to 30 people in here.
We have big Christmas parties, big New Year's Eve parties.
In fact, any excuse for a party.
NARRATOR: Welcome back.
We're on a journey to uncover the most unusual homes
from around the world.
Surrounded by mountains and glacial waters,
the Benamaurel region of Spain is often referred to
as the Spanish Lake District.
The active yet laid-back lifestyle
is what drew Matilda Kennard-Troughton
to turn this cave into her home.
My name's Matilda,
and the house is called Escondite,
which is an old Spanish word for "the hideaway."
NARRATOR: Aptly named,
Escondite lays 17 feet below ground.
It boasts 22 rooms in total,
including six bedrooms with en suite bathrooms,
a full kitchen for entertaining,
and a great room with a cathedral ceiling.
But it wasn't the rooms
that attracted Matilda to this cave house.
It was the view that I fell in love with first of all.
It didn't really matter what the cave house was like,
because it could be altered.
NARRATOR: Saying that the cave needed to be "altered"
is putting it mildly.
When Matilda first saw the house,
it already had a few residents.
[ Sheep bleats ]
KENNARD-TROUGHTON: It was just full of sheep.
So, there was no electrics, no water, no nothing.
Sheep inside with field mice --
abundant field mice population.
NARRATOR: But even in its dilapidated state,
the potential was obvious.
KENNARD-TROUGHTON: I opened, you know, the doors,
and the hallway was just astounding.
And I just had to have it, really.
[ Chuckles ]
NARRATOR: The cave is mostly clay
which is dug out by hand,
so adding plumbing wasn't a problem.
Getting electricity, though, was another matter.
The house is on solar power,
literally because we couldn't get mains power
without spending a fortune on it.
So, why not go with solar power?
We've got plenty of sun -- about 300 days per year.
NARRATOR: Escondite is a family home now,
but it didn't start out that way.
It was originally a mine for saltpeter,
a mineral used in gunpowder.
In fact, the valley below
is still called the Valley of the Musketeers.
Matilda loves hosting guests at Escondite
and feels that the cave is a great space for entertaining.
KENNARD-TROUGHTON: I wanted a party house.
We can fit 20 to 30 people in here.
I have caterings privately for birthdays or just for fun.
We have big Christmas parties, big New Year's Eve parties.
In fact, any excuse for a party.
NARRATOR: Living in a cave house isn't all fun and games.
It requires a lot of ongoing maintenance.
Dust from saltpeter can accumulate quickly.
The only way to keep the dust out and the barrier strong
is fresh paint.
KENNARD-TROUGHTON: Every single year,
the minute the snow finishes in January
and it's drier weather,
all the furniture comes out onto the patio
and we respray the whole lot, every single square inch.
NARRATOR: All the upkeep is worth it for Matilda,
because in Benamaurel, where cave houses are the norm,
Escondite stands out for its unusual history and design
and its first-rate conversion into the home it is today.
When this homeowner tore out the decrepit stairs
in a 90-year-old bank,
he suddenly had a whole new problem on his hands --
how to access the bedroom.
MINTZ: Not many people have a bridge in their homes,
but it sounded like a good idea at the time.
NARRATOR: Our journey to find
the most interesting homes around
has taken us to a sheep wagon in Idaho and a cave in Spain.
Now we're going to Washington, D.C.
In the shadows of our nation's Capitol
is a colorful neighborhood
where the streets date back to the 1800s.
At the turn of the 20th century,
this building was a branch of the neighborhood bank.
After 90 years, the bank closed,
and the building fell into disrepair.
That's when Gary Mintz decided to give it a new life.
Now it's a 1,600-square-foot, 2-bedroom,
2 1/2-bath, single-family home.
In 1993, I was looking for a commercial space
to turn into a home,
and a Realtor told me about this old bank building.
NARRATOR: Despite being boarded up and trashed,
the building had potential,
so Gary took a risk.
It needed a lot of work.
Even the front doors were missing.
Gary added new ones that matched the original design,
complete with ironwork.
But instead of leading inside, they now open to a new garden.
Where a side window once was, Gary created a new front door.
Other additions include
the living room's two-story fireplace,
made from diamond-plate metal,
an industrial material commonly reserved for cellar doors.
The fireplace defines the space
and separates the living room, dining room, and kitchen.
MINTZ: The breakfast bar
is where the teller cages were located
and where customers came to do their banking.
NARRATOR: Gary selected cherrywood cabinets
and soapstone countertops,
which continue into the dining room.
The kitchen sink is also soapstone
and weighs in at 800 pounds.
The dining room doubles as an art gallery,
but it previously housed other valuables.
The vault used to be here.
It was large on the outside and fairly small on the inside,
because it was a thick concrete wall with a steel lining.
NARRATOR: The 7-ton vault
took four skilled laborers seven days to disassemble,
which involved breaking through the sides
in order to access the bolts holding it together.
There was just nothing that could be done with it
from a practical standpoint.
NARRATOR: In the back was a small manager's office
that Gary converted into his guest room,
with a full bathroom suite.
Gary still needed more space,
so he broke with tradition
and went industrial with steel steps and flooring.
He created a study above the kitchen,
leaving the high ceiling intact
over the living and dining rooms.
Steel seemed like a logical choice
because it's an industrial element,
which is a nice counterbalance
to what was a 100-year-old, classical building.
NARRATOR: The perforated steel is lightweight
and has a structural advantage.
MINTZ: It occupies very little space.
You know, it's an eighth of an inch thick,
plus the open web metal joists.
So, it's very, very light and airy-feeling.
NARRATOR: The study has a second fireplace
that shares the same chimney
as the fireplace in the living room below.
The flues from the two fireplaces
go through the decorative molding without destroying it.
NARRATOR: At 13-inches high and 13-inches deep,
most of the molding is original,
but a few patches needed to be restored.
On the other end of the second floor is the master suite,
which Gary accesses in a very unique way.
I'm standing on the bridge
that connects the study to the master bedroom.
NARRATOR: He built the bridge after tearing down
the only stairway that led to the back room.
Behind me was the stairs
leading from the first floor to the second-floor storeroom.
The wall separating the master suite from the dining room
couldn't be moved.
It was load-bearing.
There were changes in ceiling heights,
and it would've destroyed the crown molding.
Because we couldn't move that wall,
all the elements of the master bedroom,
including the master bath that's now behind me,
had to be engineered into a predefined space
almost on an inch-by-inch basis.
NARRATOR: Gary merged the traditional features
of a 100-year-old bank
with modern industrial structures
to revitalize this historic Washington, D.C. neighborhood.
The county of Devon, located on the west coast of England,
has a centuries-long agricultural heritage.
These days, the seaside towns are also known for
adventurous outdoor activities like hiking and surfing.
But it wasn't just the salty surf
that drew Jon and Claire Bibby to Devon.
It was a 200-year-old barn that they lovingly call New Oaks.
And I'm Claire.
And welcome to New Oaks.
It was Jon's carpentry that lead to the name New Oaks.
He crafted the wooden windows, beams,
stairs, and molding from oak.
But Jon wasn't always this hands-on.
I never actually saw the building.
Very trusting, I think.
Well, I've got good taste.
Clearly.
The New Oaks barn is actually a stone structure
over 200 years old.
Now it features a modern, open floor plan
with a kitchen, dining room, and living room,
as well as two bedrooms and two baths.
It's a significant upgrade from the barn's previous condition.
Walls were falling down and leaning over.
Tin roof.
No windows.
No nothing, really.
Four walls and a tin roof.
Even in terrible condition,
Claire knew the barn had potential.
So when it came up at auction,
she bought it and convinced Jon to dream big.
I thought the picture looked bigger
in the auction magazine.
I couldn't quite see it
until we actually started putting pen to paper, I suppose,
and, you know, drawing things up.
With no electricity or indoor plumbing,
the barn was literally a shell
that was falling down around them.
Luckily, Claire's father is a builder
and combined his skills with Jon's carpentry
to transform the uninhabitable barn into a modern home
in less than one year.
I took five months off work
to come in after we got the roof on,
and I basically did a lot of the woodwork.
Both Jon and Claire's modern tastes
have brought this old barn up to date.
Their influence can be seen in the kitchen, living room,
and upstairs bathroom,
where their favorite TV program can be enjoyed while bathing.
But their first renovation plan was not quite this elegant.
When we started,
we hadn't actually planned on putting oak everywhere.
But we kind of put a little bit in
and then a little bit more and a little bit more,
and then, kind of, everything just had to be oak.
So, we kind of went over budget
a lot more than we ever anticipated,
but I think it's worth it.
Jon and Claire invested a lot of hard work,
but they reap the benefits every day.
This Devonshire barn turned modern home
puts a whole new spin on country living.
What's the downside to renovating
a three-story northern California castle
with sweeping views of the bay?
We've calculated over the 20 years we've lived here
that we've climbed about 145 vertical miles.
Hauling a 4x8 sheet of 3/4-inch plywood
up those stairs like 50 times!
NARRATOR: We're back on our tour
of the most interesting places people call home,
including a Rhode Island greenhouse
and a Spanish cave.
Located on northern California's foggy coast
is old town Eureka,
home to a number of historic buildings.
This one in particular
served as the castle and meeting place
for the fraternal organization
known as the Knights of the Pythias.
The third floor remained vacant until 1989,
when artists June Moxon and Ken Beidleman discovered it.
They had just completed a trip across the country
and were looking for a place to call home.
Their friend who owned the building
suggested they consider the third floor.
Today, their home is a funky, arty, and stylish abode,
but that wasn't the case when they moved in.
This room was a couple of cabinets
and a sink, a stove, and a water heater,
and nothing else in this building.
Ken and June's third-floor home in the former Pythian Castle
consists of a large downstairs studio, bathroom,
laundry room, kitchen, and an upstairs living area
complete with a bedroom and a half bathroom.
They share the home with their two cats.
With such a blank slate, Ken and June had a lot of freedom.
But they first had to tackle the biggest challenge of all --
the stairs.
We've calculated over the 20 years we've lived here
that we've climbed about 145 vertical miles.
Hauling a 4x8 sheet of 3/4-inch plywood
up those stairs like 50 times!
The third floor also lacked a bathroom,
so June and Ken improvised.
Ken made this really nice box
with a shower curtain around it and --
Hooked up a hose.
Yeah, hooked up a hose.
After a year of roughing it,
Ken and June installed a real bathroom
on the studio level.
This floor serves as their primary working area
and houses everything
from Ken's creations to historical artifacts.
These old cabinets are the original
from when we moved in here.
'Course, June's shoe wall.
It's a small portion of what's up there.
This is just a small portion of them.
The home's kitchen on this level
was a dining hall and kitchen during its former life.
The original counter is still in place.
One thing we did find in here
was the Pythian Sisters sign,
and this is where the women were allowed to come
and cook for the men.
The Knights of Pythias fraternal organization
was founded in 1864 to spread the core beliefs
of friendship, charity, and benevolence
through community outreach.
There are over 2,000 Pythian lodges in the United States,
some of which meet in buildings called Pythian Castles.
This castle was renovated after a 1952 fire.
The castle has several secret spaces
that most people never knew about
until Ken and June discovered them.
BEIDLEMAN: We're not really supposed to tell anybody,
but we might show you.
Now we're in the Knights of the Pythias's dressing room.
This was where they kept all their costumes and stuff.
Good stuff, huh? Magic!
NARRATOR: The space is rich in history
but not bedroom space.
So Ken and June built a new sleeping area
and a staircase to reach it.
This was only a bunch of rafters and a burnt-out room,
'cause you can still see all the black
from the charring from the fire in 1952.
And we just kind of reclaimed it with free plywood,
and put in a door and a staircase.
Up behind, over here, is the bedroom area,
and underneath, in the corner, is the bathroom.
In that far corner, over in there,
is all the computer stuff, and then...
...in the far corner,
that's where June does all of her makeup
and, you know, primping and stuff, you know.
She doesn't need any.
Oh. [ Laughs ] Aww, you're so nice!
[ Both laugh ]
The living area also features original doors
that Ken and June have creatively repurposed.
We just made a wall out of them.
We used what was here.
Ken and June are settled in comfortably,
but they still have to deal with the lack of an elevator.
They have to climb 78 stairs to reach their bedroom pillows.
Once they've reached the top,
guests find this whimsical place to be worth the climb,
just like June and Ken do.
Located on prime downtown real estate
in historic Savannah, Georgia,
a firehouse dating back to 1886 still stands today.
Now it's home to retired diplomat Bill Simmons.
This was Fire Station Four,
and these were the bay doors for the fire --
well, I guess they were horses, originally --
to enter the building.
NARRATOR: Bill first spotted the abandoned building
while taking a stroll through the neighborhood.
Despite its dilapidated condition,
the building had huge potential in Bill's eyes.
It was in terrible shape,
but the intrinsic opportunities were there --
namely, the size of the lot
and the fact that I could live at one level,
which was what I was looking for.
NARRATOR: The former fire station is still a hot commodity,
built on one of the few double lots in downtown Savannah.
Bill turned the building into a double-unit apartment complex.
On the first level,
the impressive 3,200-square-foot layout
features beadboard ceilings
and cast-iron columns from the building's original structure.
The home contains a grand circular foyer...
a large kitchen and sitting space...
an expansive living room...
two bedrooms...
two baths...
and an outside patio with a garden and lap pool.
When it came time to renovate the round foyer,
Bill and his team had to get creative.
The only challenging thing was making the door.
What they did is they soaked the wood in water
on a form,
and so it's sort of circular-ish.
NARRATOR: Today's gracious living room
was once the fire station's garage
and housed the horse-drawn carriages.
SIMMONS: These were the rear bay doors,
so they would come in the bays in front
and could pass through the entire building
out onto a back street.
It's much easier to come in and exit
without having to turn the trucks around.
So, this was all one level from street to the rear,
and we had to raise this 18 inches
so we could put the plumbing pipes and so forth under here.
NARRATOR: The separate unit upstairs is now a rental,
but it was once home to the station's fire brigade.
Over here was the staircase which led up to the dormitory,
which was where the firemen slept.
It's an area of about 1,500, 2,000 square feet,
so I assume you had maybe 20 firemen
at one time in that area.
NARRATOR: Through the living-room doors,
you enter a serene garden overlooking the pool,
an area which had more utilitarian beginnings.
This area was used for stabling the horses
or feeding the horses or watering the horses.
NARRATOR: During the excavation of the garage,
Bill discovered a rare treasure --
bricks that were once used to pave driveways
back in the 1800s.
They're glazed bricks, which are kind of hard to come by now,
and I think it adds a certain character to the place.
NARRATOR: Renovations were expensive
and took over a year to complete.
But if you ask Bill, it was all worth it.
Now he lives in a one-of-a-kind home,
frequently hosting events
and sharing stories about the building.
SIMMONS: Well, I think the thing I like best about this spot
is really the layout of the house
and the garden and with the pool and the garage.
I mean, they're the reasons that I really got it.
I'm very happy, very satisfied.
NARRATOR: Bill saw hope for this abandoned firehouse
in downtown Savannah,
and now he is happily living in his dream home.
What happens when you take six shipping containers
and begin stacking them on top of each other?
If you're homeowner Glen Donaldson,
you get lots of questions from the city
and even more raised eyebrows from your neighbors.
They were sort of pushing back a bit and saying,
"What is this made of?
What's the structure gonna be made of?"
All these questions that I really didn't have answers for.
NARRATOR: We visited homes around the world that at one time
were a sheep wagon, a winery,
and even a greenhouse.
In the shadows of downtown Atlanta, just blocks
from Martin Luther King's first church,
is the transitional art district neighborhood,
home to the infamous residential shipping containers.
Each one is made from six containers.
They're a standard 40-foot container,
but they're actually high cubes,
so it's a foot taller than the standard one,
which is 8 1/2-foot tall.
NARRATOR: The homes are literally built out of shipping containers
from the nearby shipping yard.
The first house belongs to Glen Donaldson.
The top floor is an open living area
with a kitchen, office, and a half bathroom.
On the lower level is his master bedroom and bathroom.
Next door is a home that Glen rents out.
It has 3 bedrooms, 2 1/2-baths,
an open living space,
and a balcony with a beautiful view of Atlanta.
When Glen first started construction,
the housing authority didn't know what to make of it.
They were sort of pushing back a bit
and saying, "Okay, well, what is this made of?
What's the structure gonna be made of?"
All these questions that I really didn't have answers for.
NARRATOR: After an architect reviewed and approved Glen's plans,
construction was smooth sailing.
Finding shipping containers was easy.
Atlanta is a transit hub,
and hundreds of containers are just down the road
from Glen's property.
A new container can cost $2,000 to $5,000,
but Glen's cost a little more.
DONALDSON: I wanted one-use containers.
I wanted them to have clean sides on them
so that they weren't banged up or anything like that.
NARRATOR: But stacking shipping containers
takes considerable skill.
DONALDSON: Just imagine a box, if you would,
and you just cut out the whole side of one side of the box.
Where there's two put side-by-side, the middle walls
of each one of those containers had to be cut out,
and then structural steel had to be added in
to support the walls that were cut out.
NARRATOR: In comes the foundation.
Containers are made of steel,
so contact with the soil's moisture
could cause them to rust.
By raising the foundation up,
Glen was able to protect the structure from rust
and incorporate a garage.
Glen does most of his living on the third floor,
home to his office, kitchen, dining area, and living room.
To take full advantage of the view,
Glen replaced the container doors
with floor-to-ceiling windows
reinforced with steel cross bracing.
DONALDSON: The "X" bracing had to be put in
to prevent the containers from rocking back and forth,
potentially, in, like, a strong wind or something like that,
because the doors actually provide some structure
to the container,
and once those were removed,
then we had to add this "X" bracing in
to prevent any of that rocking.
NARRATOR: Glen kept much of the original structure
to give his home an industrial look.
DONALDSON: This is where, actually,
you see the two containers, where they come together.
There's a seam here in the floor.
And so, on this side is the one container.
On this side is the other container.
And so there used to be two walls here,
and we cut these walls out here,
and we had to add in these support beams right here.
NARRATOR: The floors are the original container floors.
And the reason why they have a wood floor in a container
is because they have to sometimes, I guess,
secure whatever they're shipping down to the floor.
And so the wood actually allows them to do this much more easily.
And they seal them underneath
using sort of like an undercoating,
so it becomes, then, watertight.
NARRATOR: One floor down is the master bedroom.
He used a lot of glass and mirrors
to help a small space feel more open.
The garage is on the lowest level.
One of the things that was important to me --
'cause I love cars -- was to have a big garage.
And so here we have two cars side-by-side,
and the 40-foot length of the container
allowed me to put them one behind the other.
It took a little creative thinking
to get the fourth one in, but I managed to do it.
NARRATOR: When Glen built the second home next door,
he made a few changes.
The most obvious is the lighter color
that absorbs less heat.
On the inside, this 3-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath house
has a less-industrial look.
One of the things I wanted to do differently in this house
is I wanted a completely open living space.
We've got trusses up in the ceiling here
that are hidden behind the drywall.
NARRATOR: The dropped ceiling
also allowed him to put in insulation,
which will help cut down the electrical bill.
For the flooring in the second house,
Glen went with hardwood oak
instead of the container's original flooring.
And the tinted windows also help with the bills.
You can really see the difference when I open the door.
And another benefit of this is it actually enhances the view.
It cuts down on the glare.
NARRATOR: The biggest difference is the balcony.
We took a little bit away from the inside of the container
and added a little bit on to create an 8x16-foot balcony.
And this is where the container ended,
and this is where the doors used to be,
where the hinges are.
Those are the locks where the doors used to attach to.
NARRATOR: Glen's two homes are a study in contrast,
but they share one thing --
an industrial look that is right at home here in Atlanta.
DONALDSON: The house is very solid.
It feels like it's gonna be here forever,
and I'm very happy with the result.
NARRATOR: From shipping containers to caves,
fire stations to sheep wagons,
these domestic pioneers have proven
that you can take almost any space and make it home.