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A $500 Home in Hawaii

072709_hawaii01.jpgTalk about shoestring budget! Chelsea Kohl, a 22-year-old native of Hawaii, built her home on her father's property for literally...$500. Featured in Dwell magazine a few months ago, this home could pass as a mixed media art installation of found objects: old wine bottles embedded in the wall, windsurf boards as part of the roof, even the flatbed part of a truck for a sleeping loft. Check out some of photos of this home after the jump...

 
 

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(Images: Dwell magazine)

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Look!, hawaii, Dwell magazine, $500 home

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Comments (24)

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that Chelsea is a pretty fuckin' rad person.

posted by NorNor on July 27th 2009 at 11:44am
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I will take it.. then I would not care if I lived in a trailer the beauty of Hawaii is you don't need much.

posted by LoriSF on July 27th 2009 at 11:48am
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Cool! I.m inspired to build my own version of this! Did you need any special permits?

posted by keifers on July 27th 2009 at 11:48am
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that is totally awesome and I think Chelsea should call me so that we can be best friends. Immediately. And, if as a byproduct of being best friends, I learned a little about exactly how she accomplished this, that would be okay too.

http://onlysaysficusblog.blogspot.com/

posted by annekeo on July 27th 2009 at 11:54am
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Absolutely incredible. I would LOVE to live there. I would love love love it.

Emily

posted by Emily Sneds on July 27th 2009 at 11:55am
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This is fabulous. But it's a $1,000,500 house when you count the property value.

posted by ilima on July 27th 2009 at 12:18pm
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This is so cool! It reminds me a little bit of the house on Nim's Island! I would love to live there!

posted by cafegurl19 on July 27th 2009 at 12:18pm
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I would love to know more about the design and construction! And I second the first comment!

posted by Jennifer Squires on July 27th 2009 at 12:40pm
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I couldn't find a related article on Dwell. More info, if you please! This one looks too good to pass up.

posted by JoJenks on July 27th 2009 at 12:46pm
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I could do this too if my father had property in Hawaii. Dad, you have failed me.

posted by jooly on July 27th 2009 at 1:05pm
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neat idea, but I'm guessing building codes were tossed out the window. Not sure I'd want to be in her home when the first storm of with strong winds hit.

posted by modern on long island on July 27th 2009 at 1:28pm
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Words can't express how much I love this. Every single part of this house is a work of art. I especially like the desk that's been repurposed as part of the stairs.

posted by Blandwagon on July 27th 2009 at 11:31pm
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NorNor, we don't need that sort of language here. Show a little decorum.

posted by Blandwagon on July 27th 2009 at 11:36pm
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Hold everything: where's the bathroom, folks? (Otherwise, I'm totally sold on this.)

posted by Shazza_Sylvr on July 28th 2009 at 3:12pm
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As awesome as this is, there is no way it only cost $500 unless a lot-most of it was given to her for free..

posted by Honey Child on July 30th 2009 at 11:54pm
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I love the pick-up truck bed bed! Way cooler than the racecar bed I wanted as a child.

posted by Benjy on August 2nd 2009 at 12:31pm
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Moderator, can we get an ixnay on the f-bombs? Thanks!

posted by johnsodana on August 2nd 2009 at 12:48pm
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I'm guessing much of the materials was salvaged from chi-chi homes in Hawaii when they do reno work, it all goes curbside. I'm also hoping the bathroom is an outdoor shower rigged from rainwater....sigh.
Katy
http://fengshuibyfishgirl.com

posted by fishgirl on August 2nd 2009 at 1:00pm
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If only my dad had property in Hawaii to give me...

posted by nick0326 on August 2nd 2009 at 1:49pm
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Land around Haiku on Maui probably costs as much as a space shuttle, but there are more affordable parts of the state. I built a modest cottage in the Puna district on the Big Island not far from the town of Hilo. You can still find a small building lot within walking distance of the beach for $25K. Did I mention the volcano? Still, if you really want a house in Hawaii on a tight budget it can be done. I built my place for about $30k.

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la/small-cool-2008-southwest/southwest-1-kolins-where-poverty-takes-a-holiday--046856

posted by wherepovertytakesaholiday on August 2nd 2009 at 5:30pm
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SHUT UP. I want it. And I want to be Chelsea's new BFF. AND I want to go live in Hawaii. Man...there are a lot of things I want after reading this post...

posted by sara Stubbert on August 2nd 2009 at 7:46pm
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This is pretty darn sweet. At first I didn't notice the desk in the stairs. How neat. I like the loft bed too. And the glass bottle wall...Nice design. :)

posted by sherigirl on August 3rd 2009 at 1:40pm
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OMG, now THAT is just sooo cool.
Gotta love those lovely lovely Hawaiians!

posted by Austinmodern on August 3rd 2009 at 7:29pm
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that's wicked! what island is she on?

http://fiftyone-fifty.org

posted by eilEnemy on August 10th 2009 at 5:11pm
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