“Take me to church” takes on an entirely new meaning as the sacred buildings around the world are being converted into homes and apartments. But are churches great places to live? Many think so. Church conversions make challenging construction projects but are immensely rewarding. A successful church conversion reimagines the building to work as a home or homes. This means that there is a variety of spaces- from large open spaces to more intimate ‘cosy’ spaces. Quite often this is a fundamental failure of church conversions, which provide open plan spaces but end up giving the sense of living in a big church hall. Our conversions remind you that the building used to be a church, without it being detrimental to usability and the feeling of the space. We think a house needs to feel like a house first and foremost, and a church second. Built as ‘houses of God’, churches come with a treasure trove of architectural details, from vaulted, triple-height ceilings to Gothic arched windows of glorious stained glass. Enjoy our collection of 8 Heavenly Church Conversions converted into truly glorious homes
God’s Loftstory by Leijh, Kappelhof, Seckel, van den Dobbelsteen
Dutch studio Leijh, Kappelhof, Seckel, van den Dobbelsteen Architecten completed the God’s Loftstory project. The architects converted a historical Dutch church into a unique loft living space in Haarlo, a village in the province of Gelderland, The Netherlands. This cache of churches have been converted into contemporary homes: their naves repurposed as kitchens and sanctuaries transformed into reception rooms. Crucially, the bones of these revered buildings remain untouched.
The Church Conversion by Gianna Camilotti
The Church Conversion is a project completed by Gianna Camilotti. It is located in London, England.
House In A Church by Ruud Visser Architects
Lexmond-based studio Ruud Visser Architects in South Holland has converted a wooden church built in 1930 into a spacious house for a family of four.
Located along the river De Rotte in Rotterdam, the church became a storage facility and a garage before being converted into a beautiful house.
Impressive Church Conversion in San Francisco
The owner of this former church overlooking San-Francisco’s Mission Dolores Park converted it into a single-family home with three bedrooms. The church built in 1909, was bought in 2007 by commercial property developer Siamak Akhavan. The brick exterior was upgraded, leaks were repaired, new floors added, and stain-glass windows restored.
The property underwent seismic retrofitting to better endure earthquakes. [source]
Nineteenth Century Church Conversion in Adelaide Hills
Completed in 1866, this full sandstone church is one of the two nineteenth century churches located in Houghton, a small town in the Adelaide Hills in Australia. Converted after the formation of the uniting church in 1977, the now family home offers three bedrooms and two bathrooms. From the front, the residence looks like an ordinary, modest place of worship, but inside, the high ceilings and arched windows create a sense of serenity. Paired with meticulously manicured landscaping, the unusual home was only on the market for a few days before it was sold! [source]
Divine Church Conversion in Toronto
This penthouse is the crown jewel of the Abbey Lofts, a former Howard Park Methodist church, built in 1910 in Toronto, Canada. the structure switched affiliations a few times—United in 1925, then evangelical in 1970—before turning into residences in 2008. The 2,700-square-foot four-story penthouse sits inside the bell tower of the church and features two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a media room and a 550 square-foot roof terrace.
An extraordinary space, but perhaps not for everyone. [source]
Church Conversion by Linc Thelen Design
Church Conversion is a project carried out by Linc Thelen Design. The resulting home is located in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The kitchen’s gas range is centered directly underneath an original stained glass arched window. The window’s frame is painted black. A large central island with room for five counter-height stools is wrapped in white quartz. “Adding a colored granite or marble to the kitchen would’ve distracted from the stained glass window that brings so much texture and color to the space on its own,” Thelen says. A sliding door below a smaller stained glass arched window leads to a backyard balcony. The entire first floor is covered in white oak.
Beautiful Church Conversion in Brisbane by Willis Greenhalgh Architects
Originally constructed in 1867 as the Church of Palms, this historic building located in Brisbane, Australia, was converted into a luxury home by Australian practice Willis Greenhalgh Architects.
The now contemporary residence features a large gourmet kitchen, a wine cellar, a saltwater swimming pool, three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a mezzanine area with study, a library and media room and landscaped gardens.
A Spectacular Church in Breederiver Valley, South Africa – Not yet converted, but amazing!
This wonderful building, located in Breederiver Valley, Witzenberg Municipality, South Africa, was designed by Steyn Studio in 2016. It is a church and covers an area of 430 square meters. Its dynamic external structure, which simulates the lines of the surrounding mountains, is really impressive and creates a particularly special backdrop against which to meditate. An air of peace, silence, and tranquility is present in the property, and the church seems to float in the sky. It is, without a doubt, a spectacle worthy of contemplation and admiration.
I would like to see this church converted in a house. It really looks amazing! Would you live in a renovated church home?
