Take a look at these home remodeling ideas to spark creativity for your own DIY low cost remodeling projects using recycled wood, antiques, natural building materials, etc. There are hundreds of similar ideas to consider. It’s endless really. Besides searching online, another source of design inspiration is home design magazines. Sometimes you can buy them by the box at yard sales for pennies on the dollar.
home design
Best Energy-Smart Home 2016
“This Felton, California home combines traditional passive-solar strategies with new-age materials. Learn more about this home and other 2016 HOUSES award winners at Finehomebuilding.com
13 Most Unusual Houses
Not all of the houses in the video are sustainably built with natural materials, however sometimes it’s fun to look at something different and unusual to stir the imagination. My personal favorites are Simon Dale’s 3,000 Euro Hobbit House in Wales (perhaps the most popular natural home in the modern era) and the Flintstones House. Simon Dale’s house epitomizes why Kelly and I do what we do. This house demonstrates how people of average skill can build their own affordable, even dirt cheap, natural house in a reasonable amount of time so they can break free of the rat race and do what they really want to do in life. Which ones are your favorites?
10 Amazing Underground Homes
So which one is your favorite? My favorite underground house in this video is the Estate Lattenstrasse in Switzerland. It’s not only super beautiful, it’s also energy efficient thanks to being underground and insulated with recycled glass foam insulation. More excellent photos of this house by Vetsch Architektur can be found on Architizer.com.
How to Decorate a Small House
Everybody wants to know how to make houses more beautiful and livable. “William and Rhina do not live in a big home, which is exactly how they like it. But smart design more than makes up for what the house lacks in size.”
Proto House Challenge – What do You Think?

I’m eager to hear what readers think sustainable houses of the future will look like. Please give us your input. In your opinion, what are some exemplary sustainable houses that will guide home design in the future? Key considerations are affordability (hugely important), DIY owner-builder friendly (easy to build), small, space efficient, highly livable, nontoxic, adaptable, renewable energy, extensive use of recycled materials, and of course beautiful and appealing.