7 Architects Who Pulled out All the Stops for Their Own Homes

It's always fascinating to ogle the houses architects build for themselves, because without constant client demands, they can take their visions all the way. Here's a look at some of the most intriguing new examples of homes architects built for their families, many of which, unsurprisingly, take on big challenges—converting a grain silo, making the most out of a $175K budget, and creating a system for indoor treehouses, just to name a few.

Italian architect Paolo Carlesso built this house for his family using all sustainable and locally sourced materials. Just like other architects who've designed their own homes, Carlesso knew to spot opportunities for saving money during the building process, such as choosing to reuse wood discarded from other construction sites.

Phoenix architect Christoph Kaiser recently transformed a 1955 grain silo into a 340-square-foot home where he and his wife get to enjoy curved cabinets, a lofted bed, and sliding 9-foot-wide door. Kaiser designed almost everything in the interior, including the cabinets, dining table, sofa, and ceiling light that does double-duty for hanging pots and pans.

Stockholm-based architect Leo Qvarsebo designed a triangular home with a climbable facade for his family. The interior, which features a spacious living room, multiple mezzanine areas, and bedrooms up top, is entirely lined with birch plywood acquired from a closed-down puzzle factory.

Austin-based architect Shane Michael Pavonetti managed to build a gorgeous modern home with $175K. The 1,600-square-foot dwelling combines Modernism with the regional farmhouse vernacular, which translated into lots of large windows, clean lines, exposed wood, and a barn-red front door.

Irish architect John McLaughlin wanted to blur the inside and outside with this family home. The result is a timber and glass structure that maximizes views out to the garden as well as direct access to it.

Japanese architect Ryo Yamada set out to build his family a house with an "ever-evolving interior" so that they'll be entertained throughout the long winter. The result is an 880-square-foot home that looks like a big timber obstacle course, with a grid of wooden beams and pillars that can hold up small treehouse-like play spaces.

Norway-based Canadian architect Todd Saunders essentially gave his family a haute Modernist treehouse: the blackened timber-clad dwelling has a long second floor perched on a podium-like ground volume. Inside, broad windows let the sun in while the interiors are as crisp as you'd expect from our Scandinavian friends.