Designed by architects, built by the owners (for the most part) Usually when you hire an architect, a builder comes with the package. Not so with this house in Nijmegen, The Netherlands. A couple hired Dutch firm Reset Architecture to design them a home that was simple enough that they could handle the majority of the construction on their own.
The result is the DIY House?a colorful cube that has some truly stellar touches. The architects designed the house with an open, loft-like layout. The entrance leads into a living room and dining area that?s separated by an open staircase. A loft with a glass partition overlooks the ground floor and makes the home feel spacious and airy.

Reset Architecture via Design Milk

Reset Architecture via Design Milk
The owners wanted a striking facade that was expressive but not showy, so the architects came up with the idea of a gradient paint job meant to evoke a house in the misty countryside. The owners ended up painting the 50 layers of wooden cladding different shades of blue-green, creating a subtle gradient effect that contrasts perfectly with the black panels at the top of the house.

Reset Architecture via Design Milk

All told, it took the owners three years (and a little help from some contractors) to build the house. It?s a lot of work?and a lot of time?but how many people can say they built their home with their own two hands"
Via: Design Milk

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