Like diamonds in the rough, these dilapidated churches, factories, and warehouses sat abandoned for years. But then a bit of imagination (and a whole lot of work) transformed these offbeat typologies into shining homes with character to spare. Read on for 16 of our favorite adaptive reuse projects that polish up unlikely spaces.

A 17th-Century Parchment Factory in England

A Propeller Factory in Jersey City

A Cement Factory in Barcelona

An 1822 French Mill

A Shoe Factory in London

A Brick Church in Quebec

A Dye Factory in Rhode Island

An Old Long Island Laundromat

A Vegemite Warehouse in Sydney

A 1939-Built Church in Austin, Texas

An 1860s Brooklyn Carriage House

A 16th-Century Spanish Church

A 19th-Century Factory in New York

A Hotel in a Chinese Sugar Mill

A Banana Warehouse in Barcelona

Despite the damage, local architect Valentí Albareda of Metric Integra saw potential in the building’s stone walls, handmade rasilla bricks, and vaulted basement. Albareda worked to transform the crumbling building into a 1,389-square-foot triplex residence." layout="" credit="Photo by José Hevia" photoUserId=""/>

A Warehouse Used to Repair Tanks in Wartime Austria

7 Repurposed Churches Around the World

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An 1860s Brooklyn Carriage House Packed With Midcentury Charm Lists for $5.5M