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If you’ve ever wanted to design a home from scratch, now’s your chance—but it’s got to be spectacular. Airbnb just announced the Unique Fund, a program to find and finance the most unconventional and creative residential spaces in the world. The company will award 10 people who show they can build the most exceptional listing with a $100,000 budget.
Here’s how to get started: Applicants must submit a personal essay online detailing why their story and dream space makes them the perfect recipient. Then a judging panel, which includes award-winning actor Billy Porter, architecture firm MVRDV, and super-host Kristie Wolfe, will choose the top 10 by May 15. Psst: You’ll get bonus points for sustainable construction.
Who says you can’t put a hot tub in a tree house or turn a covered wagon into a suite? There are a lot of quirky rentals out there, from a boot-shaped abode in New Zealand to a bamboo house in Bali, to get your ideas flowing. Here are three far-out spaces to inspire your blueprints.
Pick Any Location
Love being on the water? There’s no need to compromise by putting your house on solid ground. This two-bedroom floating structure at the foot of the Mantiqueira Mountain in Brazil runs on solar-powered systems and even has a fireplace for when nights on the lake gets chilly.
Don’t Overthink the Shape
Wolfe’s famed Big Idaho Potato Hotel will get you thinking outside the box—literally. The exterior looks like a potato, but inside it’s a cozy cave with textured white walls and Flintstone-esque niches that make the most of its arched silhouette. There’s also a silo-turned-spa just outside for soaking and stargazing.
Let Light In
One thing a lot of these unexpected spaces have in common: tons of windows. It’s easy for guests who stay at this snake-inspired home in Mexico to disconnect and get back to nature, thanks to the built-in reading nooks. We wouldn’t mind sitting here and staying a while.
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