Would you believe the two homes shown above are actually the exact same home?

Well, sort of. Dwell.com has the story of a young Portland, Ore. family that took advantage of the FHA 203K loan program to nearly double their home’s square footage en route to a more modern and livable residence:

With its slim profile and sleek gray exterior, Lola Oyibo and Eric Boardman’s home in Portland, Oregon bears little resemblance to the house it used to be. Unable to afford the 40% down required to build a new house, the couple instead opted for a FHA 203K renovation loan that let them put just 3% down—and hired architect Ben Waechter of local firm Atelier Waechterto give the place a massive facelift. Formerly a nondescript 1947 Cape Cod-style structure, the house “had a horrible kitchen and had no built-ins or historic elements worth keeping,” says Waechter. Plus, it was only 625 square feet, which was overly crowded for the homeowners and their two year-old daughter, Mena. Keeping the footprint, foundation, and framing intact, the architect stripped the structure down to its bones, opening up the interior and adding a second story to give the family 1250 square feet —and a sweet modern space—in which to live.

My favorite feature – the rooftop patio. That’s not something you see from most Cape Cod remodels.

Think your dream remodeling project is too ambitious? This restoration proves nearly anything is possible if you have the vision.

[Photos from Dwell]

We’ve covered plenty of tiny houses before, but this one would probably take the cake.

Luckily, it’s not actually meant to live in! It’s an art installation in San Francisco by artists Jenny Chapman and Mark A. Reigelman II. We wonder how many passer-by stop and wonder if they’re seeing things–”A cabin on a building? What on earth??”

Images courtesy of Laughing Squid.

It seems like Japan often leads the way when it comes to small but innovative housing. It’s no surprise of course, since this island nation has a large population and often limited land. However, Japan has long been known for its impeccable aesthetics. Combine that with an efficiency obsession and you’ll find that some of the best tiny houses in the world are from Japan.

This house (via Apartment Therapy) is especially cool–squeezed between two highrises, it still manages to have five stories and gardens on every floor. It might not be the most practical house, but it sure is a beautiful oasis in the middle of the city!

Images courtesy of Apartment Therapy.

A stunning restoration and renovation of a historic plantation home on the Eastern Shore of Virginia by Stephen Muse and William Kiwan of Muse Architects, this project was awarded because of its meticulous attention to detail, authenticity and preservation.

Originally constructed in 1784 and expanded in 1829, the brick-ended clapboard structure with twin Georgian entry porches follows a one bay deep linear plan typical of Tidewater homes.

Along with complete renovation and restoration of the original house, the scope of work included removal of recent out-of-character additions and construction of additional living space capturing the view of nearby Hungar’s Creek.

To accomplish this, the twin porches from the drive side of the house were replicated on the waterfront side and a new kitchen with breakfast bay was connected to the existing structure by a one-story hyphen.

Additional work included the restoration of all outbuildings, construction of a new garage and the restoration of all driveways, walkways and gardens.

Marvin products used in the project included Ultimate Double Hung Windows, French Casement Windows, Ultimate Casement Windows, Stationary Windows and Transom Windows.

To see more winners and learn more about the Architect’s Challenge, please visit Marvin.

Here’s another example of a tiny house that is built imaginatively and attractively. It comes from Japan, a place where space is at a premium, but has a long history of beautiful architecture. We found this house while perusing  Design Milk; you can check out the rest of the Mizuishi Architect Atelier-designed house here. It may be only 312 square feet, but it houses three people comfortably. We’ll let the pictures do the talking…

Images courtesy of Design Milk

You’ve probably heard of retractable roofs on stadiums, but what about a totally retractable house? We found this very unusal housing idea from our friends at Design Milk.

Basically, you have a flexible material on hinges that can be changed about to suit your needs. Design Milk very aptly compares it to a transformer. Maybe you only need a home office some of the time. Or maybe what you need is a sunroom. No problem! M-House by Michael Jantzen delivers.

What do you think of this adaptable house?

Image courtesy of Design Milk.

Secret places in a home are the sort of things you see in movies, like a bookshelf that turns into a door to a hidden room when a book is pulled out. But these rooms do exist in real-life houses, as this slideshow from MSN Real Estate proves. Why would you want a secret room? Well, for security, for a bit of extra room squeezed in and of course, just for fun! Here are a few of our favorites. Let us know what you think, and check out the rest here.

It’s the classic pull-out-a-book-and-a-secret-room-is-revealed move!

This Arizona home has a secret room hidden by a staircase. To move the staircase, the homeowners use a remote control to lift it.

To get to this child’s secret room through a crawlspace hidden by a dresser, one of the clock’s hands is turned to 12:00.

Images courtesy of MSN Real Estate

The “man cave” has become the commonly accepted term for a living space reserved for all things masculine. There’s no fighting it — boys love their toys. But a man cave can be about more than massive high-definition televisions, plush leather furniture and pool tables.

Check out this wooden crate inspired staircase from Funky Junk Interiors. It features several classic logos painted on and made to look distressed, blending the world of antiques with the old body shop vibe. The staircase provides an excellent transition to a man cave tucked away in the basement (as they so often are).

This design doesn’t require hunting down actual vintage stamped crates and signboards. Rather, one can use stencils and latex paint, then finish with a stain and varnish to give the logos some character.  Even better, a design like this looks even more authentic after some general wear.

[Images courtesy of Funky Junk Interiors]

Starting in 1912, Marvin Windows and Doors has committed to providing the best made-to-order wood windows and doors in the industry. But the commitment doesn’t start and stop with the construction. Marvin staff work on architectural support, customer service, product support, research and development, sustainability and more.

Taking a closer look at the dedication given to each and every Marvin window, we’ve created the video series: Inside every Marvin window.

This is the third of four videos: Inside every Marvin window: Architectural support

Meet Dan Rood, III. He manages the architectural department at Marvin Windows and Doors, a team of 17 experts. Each of the experts ensures that the Marvin Windows and Doors’ catalog is just the starting point for the window or door each homeowner wants. From a custom design to a unique size, the team provides support throughout the entire window and door-making process to ensure that each product is “Built around you®.”

Would you ever choose to live in a broom closet? MSN Real Estate has a story about someone who did — a college student, not wanting a roommate, creatively looked for some extra space around his dorm. Voila! A room with a broom.

We might all not want to live in a closet (although some do), but living in a small space can be rewarding. More applicable to a general audience, though, are these tips from MSN Real Estate on how to live with less clutter and maximize your useful space. Check out the article to read more!

• Edit: Yes, you have to pare down ruthlessly. There’s no room for clutter in a tiny space. On the bright side, this is a golden opportunity to decide what things you really need.
• Divide: You can still have different rooms in a small space; it will just take some ingenuity. Bookcases, screens and curtains will become your new best friends.
• Get out:  Sometimes you just need to escape. MSN Real Estate suggests an outdoor space like a patio or balcony, but there’s a whole world out there. Think of some fun places in your neighborhood like a coffee shop, park or library to be your “extended living room.”

What’s the smallest place you’ve ever lived in? Did you like it? What are your tips?

Image courtesy of nicolas.boullosa on Flickr