Budget Breakdown

Working with salvaged and donated materials (and without ferry service), the Stinns assemble a dreamy getaway piece by piece.

Two cozy living pods, one incredible oak-covered deck—and no bank loan.

Let's talk money, people. Read on for real budgets from real projects to inspire your next architectural adventure.

After discovering a rough-and-tumble 1959 getaway, Drew Stuart sets about polishing it up with period-appropriate fixtures and finishes.

Tim Vander Hoek designs and builds a 60-square-foot office using a mix of lumber and a hallmark wraparound acrylic clerestory.

In the British countryside, Stirling Prize nominee Michael Dillon builds a tiny office as an exercise in low-carbon, low-cost construction.

Avalon Rossi uses reclaimed wood, plaster built-ins, and four sets of French doors—a lucky score—to recast an 800-square-foot San Diego home.

Amy Pigliacampo and Corey Szopinski brave snow, fire, and falling trees as they transform a ’70s cabin into a Scandinavian-style retreat.

Kelli Hix creates a charming ADU off the back of her historic bungalow in Nashville, Tennessee.

Inspired by a David Hockney painting, Grant Straghan colors his London home in soothing tones of seafoam and rose.

Valery Augustin rolls up his sleeves and converts his two-car structure into a long-term rental in Los Angeles.

The friends scoured Facebook Marketplace and local salvage centers—locating such treasures as decades-old Douglas fir flooring from a decommissioned munitions plant—to remake the...

Wayne Turett of The Turett Collaborative designs his own energy-efficient holiday home in Greenport, New York, as an exercise in experimentation.

Caleb Brackney transforms a 1995 Thomas International bus into his full-time residence in Knoxville, Tennessee, using recycled and found items to repurpose as furnishings.

Shin Shin Architecture brings playful porosity and a fresh ADU to a 1923 single-family home.

Local designer and artist Briana Babani creates a luminous dream home from a once neglected and dreary interior.

Drawing on a simple material palette of plywood and corrugated metal, architect Rafe Maclean designs a certified Passive House on a steep, challenging lot in Dunedin.

Combining creative nous with careful planning, architect Mark Lawton builds a net-zero home inspired by the typology of a fisherman’s shack.

Perched on a cliff above the North Saskatchewan River, this 240-square-foot family retreat soaks up jaw-dropping views.

A humble composition of two-by-fours, plywood, and polycarbonate, the Uphill Utilitarian is a flexible storage space and studio.

In the tiny community of Cape Meares, a DIY couple turn an unassuming shingled house into a maritime-inspired getaway.

The founders of Austin-based Hunt Architecture create an elegant workspace and guest room without breaking the bank.

Moving home to Torrance, California, to take care of her dad, Monica Chang makes clever use of 170 square feet.

Emma Pereira drew inspiration from Japanese micro homes to build Atelier Lumi, a tiny studio and guesthouse.

Aimée O’Carroll of goCstudio uses color blocking to fantastic effect in her 60-square-foot kitchen.

San Francisco–based couple Tom McElroy and Scott Turco breathe new life into a dated retreat in the forests of Arnold.

On challenging terrain overlooking a wetland, Minarik Architecture creates a resilient, dual-volume residence.

A modern addition to an old London home offers ample space for a growing family, as well as a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf situated under a skylight.

Leonora Mahle gives her midcentury home a fresh new look with a pool-inspired color palette.

The eco-friendly escape is powered by solar panels and a wind turbine—and it even includes a full bath.