A tiny flowerpot house, a spaceship rental and a home in the shape of a shoe. We thought theses designs were April Fool’s jokes. But these topsy turvy designs are actual properties.

Airbnb wants you “to have a blooming good time” in the tiny Flowerpot house on a seasonal flower farm in Burley, Idaho. In addition to a cozy sleeping loft, kitchenette and full bathroom, guests enjoy a seasonal rooftop patio, hot tub and fire pit. Feel like you’re living in a bouquet July-to-October when the surrounding fields of flowers are in full bloom and awash in color.

Photos courtesy of Atlas Obscura; Courtesy Arquitectura Orgánica / Javier Senosiain

She may sell seashells by the seashore, but this seashell shaped home is nowhere near the ocean. Located in Naucalpan, Mexico, Nautilus House was designed by Javier Senosiain of Senosiain Arquitectos in the shape of a psychedelic shell. Senosiain used a technique called “ferrocement construction, a frame of steel enforced chicken wire… coated with concrete, allowing for rounded, natural curves” (AtlasObscura.com). The interior is comprised of organically shaped rooms, spirals and circles, features hundreds of stained-glass windows, and even has a flower shaped couch that is surrounded by flower beds and grass.

Photos courtesy of Airbnb

SK’s project manager and designer, Tatiana and family had an out of this world experience when they stayed in Airbnb’s “spaceship” rental in Brush Prairie, Washington. The 1960‘s futuristic lodging, “landed” among the woods and creek in the rural Hockinson hills and boasts a Lunar Lounge bar, futuristic décor and space related reading materials.

Photos courtesy of Iwan Baan, Arch Daily

You better not mind nosy neighbors in Tokyo’s Transparent House. Built in 2011 by Sou Fujimoto Architects, “House NA” as it is called, was designed for a young couple in a quiet residential neighborhood and “was inspired by human ancestors who lived in trees” (ArchDaily.com). The architect explained that the interior is comprised of 21 individual floor plates linked by a variety of stairs and ladders and configured like branches of a tree (ArchDaily.com). In contrast to the typical concrete block walls of dense Tokyo neighborhoods, the home is entirely windowed with a few curtains installed to provide temporary partitions for privacy and separation. The home has expansive city views and lots of natural light.

Photo courtesy of hainesshoehouse.com

Photo courtesy of Airbnb

“There was an old woman who lived in a shoe” … and now you can too! Mahlon Haines built the 25-ft high shoe house in Pennsylvania in 1948 to promote his shoe stores. It’s been a vacation rental, museum and even an ice cream shop. Sleep in “Shoelace Space”, “Instep Suite” or the “Ankle Adobe”. Rooms are filled with “shoevenirs” and memorabilia. Vintage pieces and retro appliances combine with modern amenities to create a whimsical and curated vibe.

Other unique homes and rentals include converted silos, an artist’s tower on the sea, a suite 40 meters above ground in a transformed crane, and even a giant Acorn shaped “nut house” suspended among the trees. These actually exist, no foolin’!

Topsy Turvy Designs