Image: Bob Coscarelli for CS Interiors magazine

Name: Tereasa Surratt and David Hernandez
Location: Wandawega Lake Resort, Elkhorn, Wisconsin
Years lived in: 8

Author Tereasa Surratt (A Very Modest Cottage) and her husband David Hernandez know about reusing and recycling with style. In Tereasa's new book, Found, Free & Flea: Creating Collections from Vintage Treasures, she shares her style advice, using the couple's idyllic lakeside getaway as a setting. The retreat, dubbed Camp Wandawega, is itself a tribute to repurposing. Built in the 1920s, it has enjoyed life as a speakeasy, an organized crime hideout, a house of ill repute, a legitimate family resort (hang in there, almost done), a retreat for Latvian priests from Chicago, and finally, a Latvian church camp. Today it's a vintage-inspired escape that captures the casual bliss of summer camp, all decorated joyously with bargains found at local flea markets or at the camp itself.

Name: Lesley and Win Sager
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Size: 1,600 square feet
Years lived in: 4 years, owned

When Lesley and Win Sager bought their 1950s home, they knew it had a pedigree. The house was designed by architect Herb Fritz, an apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright, whose Taliesin school is just 40 minutes away in Spring Green, Wisconsin. Fritz designed a number of homes in the area, and is well-known by lovers of both mid-century and prairie design. The home had fallen into disrepair, but interior designer Lesley recognized its potential and took on the challenge of bringing it into the present in a green way that honored its history.

Name: Sally and Rick
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Years lived in: 38 years

When this Madison, Wisconsin home was built in 1935, its clean-lined architecture was considered avant-garde. The flat roof, wrap-around windows, and free-flowing interior were representative of the International Style—several examples of which were built in Madison by the renowned team of Beatty and Strang. (Hamilton Beatty studied under design pioneer Le Corbusier.) Bringing cutting-edge architecture to the masses was a signature of International Style; when the home was featured in the 1936 Architectural Forum as "The Five Thousand Dollar House," it was described as solving the problem of creating a "servantless house for a single lady." Today, it continues to be an example of forward-thinking design as owners Sally and Rick adapt it with eco-friendliness in mind.

Name: Robert and Maxine Wheat
Location: Monroe, Wisconsin
Years lived in: 9+

When architect Rob Wheat designed a home for his family in an established (yet eclectic) neighborhood in Monroe, Wisconsin, he made the most of what the small corner lot offered; he oriented the house for passive solar and to take advantage of shade from mature trees during muggy Wisconsin summers. But Rob also wanted to pay tribute to the regional modernist architects he admires. The result is a modern home with an open, light interior plus eco-friendly systems built for efficiency.

Name: Stephanie Rearick and Jon Hain
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Years lived in: 20

Stephanie and Jon had wanted to redo the kitchen in their 680-square-foot Madison home for 18 years. They knew the space was sad; as it was, there was little storage and workspace, cabinet doors didn’t close, and the room lacked any and all personality. Then they saw that, thanks to a grant, a local green-building consulting firm was offering design plans at a discount. The result: a kitchen with improved functionality and a look as fresh as a blue sky on a sunny day. See all the after photos below!

Name: Verona and Tom Chambers
Location: Black River Falls, Wisconsin
Years lived in: 2 years

Tom and Verona Chambers have always been passionate about sustainable living. Tom drives a Smart Car and created Wisconsin's Black River Area Green School, where students focus on sustainability, renewable energy, forestry, and organic agriculture. Sharing what the couple learns comes naturally, since both are educators—Tom a high school principal and Verona a middle-school German teacher. So when the couple found a site with amazing views of the Black River, they decided to build a dream home sure to inspire others: a Bauhaus-influenced, net-zero energy house that lets them live sustainably in style. Their bright, modern interiors may even generate a little additional energy!

Name: Toni and Rick Sturtz
Location: Neillsville, Wisconsin
Years lived in: 8 years, owned

Toni and Rick Sturtz live in a cozy stone farmhouse nestled between a restored prairie and miles of towering fir and birch trees. They see themselves as stewards of the farmstead—caretakers of their 120-year-old home and the natural resources that surround it. As they carefully adapt their home to modern living, they make changes with sustainability in mind. And their artistic sensibilities bring a grace that makes the interior as serene as the setting.

Name: Addison
Location: Madison, WI

When Addison’s fantasy-filled attic playroom was featured as part of a Green Tour on Re-Nest, it won the hearts of readers. Parents Lynn and Steve transformed the attic space—along with Addison’s bedroom and bath—when they renovated their 1860’s carriage house in Madison, WI. Creative and budget-minded, the couple found the majority of building materials and supplies at Habitat for Humanity ReStore, along with favorite thrift stores. They were happy to let us take a closer look at the dreamy spaces they created for their daughter.

Name: Lynn Lee and Steve Skaggs
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Years lived in: 2

It takes a certain fortitude to buy a 165-year-old house—especially one with a home inspection that scared off three previous bidders. If you’re on a budget, it also takes incredible amounts of work, plus creativity when sourcing materials for the renovation. Lynn and Steve were willing and able. (Being skilled and talented helped, too.) Their efforts in green renovation landed their home—once a carriage house, then a boardinghouse for Civil War soldiers, and then a duplex—on Madison’s first Sustainable Homes Tour.

City: Madison, Wisconsin
Population: 220,000
Green Cred: Built around or near 5 lakes, and with more than 200 miles of biking and hiking trails, Madison has long been home to a progressive, outdoorsy, and green-minded community.

Madison's credentials as a green town go way back. The state capital has been home to senator and former governor Gaylord Nelson, founder of Earth Day. Aldo Leopold, often cited as the founder of wildlife ecology, taught at University of Wisconsin-Madison. And landscape architect John Nolen, who focused on preserving natural beauty while incorporating the needs of urban life, has fingerprints all over the town and its park system. Today, the city has ranked highly on lists of everything from "Best Places to Live," "Top 10 Greenest Cities," "Best Farmer's Market in the Nation," "Best Outdoor-Oriented Towns," and "Top Cities for Recycling."