Dropping church attendance and an embarrassment of historic buildings mean that chapel and church conversions are a booming market in the U.K. The BBC series Britain's Dream Homes ran a program looking at a range of deconsecrated churches from London to Scotland...
From small abandoned chapels to midsize and voluminous churches in various states of disrepair, living in a deconsecrated church is an increasingly popular option for people looking for an unconventional space -- from small, single-family chapels to voluminous church compounds transformed into condos. Depending on the situation, a graveyard may or may not be included.
Would you live in a converted church?
- Kristin Hohenadel blogging from rue Vieille du Temple, Paris, France. She can be reached at kristin @ apartmenttherapy . com
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Lots of people will see this as sacrilege, but this brings to life one of my favorite childhood fantasies. When I was a kid stuck in Mass (at least twice a week), I used to mentally redecorate our church into my own huge bedroom, including converting the baptismal pool into a jacuzzi! I wanted to take out all the pews and use it as a giant dance floor (hey, I was 10).
Little wonder I'm not a believer. :)
Yes, yes, a thousand times yes! This is one of my fondest dreams. I remember reading a YA novel many years ago about a family living in an old church and I've wanted to live in a church ever since. It would have to be deconsecrated, though, since otherwise I'd feel as if I needed to make a trip to the confessional/laundry room after every debauched weekend!
i'd LOVE to! there are two churches on mt. auburn in watertown, ma being converted into condos. they are taking the longest goddamn time. which is great, for me, because maybe when they FINALLY finish i'll be in a position to buy :) yeah, right.
what timing! We're on our last vacation day and are staying in an old dutch church in the catskills, and we love it.
We just moved into a church that was converted into condos in Atlanta! We were so lucky to get the old choir loft--our windows are 13 ft tall and let in the most beautiful light. The building has so much character, but is finished with modern bamboo floors and fixtures. White, light and airy, we definitely consider it heaven.
Hell yeah!
funstraw - where?
Do tell!
a small church or school house would be great
I would totally do this.
they look so pretty and with many over hundreds of years old it would b sad to knock them down, i think this is great, especially as most churches go unused in the UK. i'd love to live in one, all that light and space, and gargoyles to keep the salesmen away.
I have friends that lived in a GREAT old church for over a year. It was great for parties because the whole floor plan is open on the bottom (entryway, kitchen, living, dining) and then there were two floors of loft space going up into the rafters, which gave them three bedrooms and a bath! Not to mention that they also had a balcony off of the topmost bedroom, which looked out over the whole city. It was just beautiful... But they had to move out because of the rent and EXORBITANT security deposits due to the enormous stained-glass windows.
We still mourn the loss of that place.
I agree--so many of those old churches and chapels are just so gorgeous and some have interesting histories. It would be a shame to knock them down. I'd much rather someone convert a church to a home than have it torn down. I think it would be wonderful to live in one.
Here on Capitol Hill, a church was converted to condos.
A former convent in Delmar, NY, was converted to a restaurant -- "The Heavenly Inn" -- when I was a kid. I don't know what the structure serves as now.
tahitianpearl
http://www.vrbo.com/96271
Absolutely. It would feel quite comfortable.
First let me say that, as a practicing Christian I am always sad to see a church not being used as a church. But, this does happen, and it is even sadder to see one falling apart, or being demolished.
All that said, I saw the master bedroom with that magnificent rose window, and thought what an utterly beautiful place for a married couple to make love; to celebrate the love God gave them with light streaming through that window? Wow. Talk about a perfect place to celebrate physical and spiritual ecstasy!
What a beautiful room. Well Done.
I love these conversions! I would live in one.
Our neighbourhood has more and more conversions being done.They are popular and very beautiful.The integrity of our 'old' part of the city remains with them.
We have a beautiful church here that has gone to ruin.I would love for someone to buy it and not do a tear done.Unfortunately,it has been empty for decades now.Very sad.
Friends of mine live in a converted chapel and on special occasions they let the neighborhood kids ring the bell in the bell tower.
not sure about living in one, but one of my favorite restaurants to go to (with my dad, the minister) is a brewery in an old church: http://www.churchbrew.com/
they've preserved a lot of the interior and it's a really beautiful place. also kick-ass beer and pierogies. :)