061209_cave000.jpgTalk about unconventional! Our friend Melody sent us this link featuring the home of The Sleeper family (Curtis, Deborah, and their three kids) who live in a cave. Literally. It's a 17,000 square foot gouge in the earth that dates back to a 1930s sandstone mine in Festus, Missouri. Measuring in at 45 feet underneath a forest, this unusual home has to be seen to be believed. Check it out after the jump...

061209_cave005.jpgInspired by the serenity and privacy Curtis and his wife Deborah felt when they first visited the site, they chose to create a three-bedroom home constructed from glass doors and used materials from a local store. Insulation sealant keeps the inside of the home at a cool 65 to 70 degrees year round.


061209_cave001.jpgThe inside of the home feels very loft-like with its vast open spaces. The living and dining areas are located on the ground floor with the bedrooms on the mezzanine above the kitchen. A spring that runs underground of the forest but above the home deposits about 150 gallons of water a day into a pond filled with goldfish.


061209_cave006.jpgDespite their unusual home, the Sleepers decorated with antique furniture, creating an interesting juxtaposition with the modern lines and natural textures within the space.


061209_cave002.jpgThe kitchen area. The family keeps a dehumidifier going which sometimes results in the home feeling a bit like a greenhouse. To prevent sand from falling into their food, they've constructed a ceiling over the kitchen and put an umbrella over the living, eating, and sleeping areas.


061209_cave003.jpgBedroom of 15-yr-old Kian. All the bedrooms on the second floor feature high windows that allow in more natural light.


061209_cave004.jpgKian cozying up to their cat Garfield on the second floor sitting area.


061209_cave007.jpgThe living area. The cave is divided into 3 distinct areas: Family main quarters (the front, about 2000 square feet); a middle chamber (about 720 square feet with 25 ft high ceilings) that is used as storage, laundry room, and playroom; and the innermost chamber which was formerly a 1950s roller skating rink where the kids use the room to ride bikes and skateboards.

Check out more of this incredible cave home at KPLR11 St Louis.

(Images: KPLR11.com)

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