Kristie Wolfe took on an ambitious DIY shipwreck home makeover after discovering a partially submerged, boat-shaped house in a small Idaho lake. While most would have thought it was beyond rescue, she recognized its particular history and charm. Originally built in the 1960s, long before wacky homes gained popularity online, the construction showed the creator’s inventiveness.

Kristie has spent the last five years working tirelessly to restore it, salvaging wood, reinforcing its foundation, and resurrecting its particular character. The home’s multi-level architecture had open spaces beneath each floor, which she cleverly turned into hidden nooks and secret rooms, giving it a fairytale-like feel. A fun vision: The inspiration for the DIY shipwreck home.

Kristie’s DIY shipwreck home makeover began with a simple yet strong idea: prevent a unique piece of creativity from being destroyed forever. When she saw the half-sunken, boat-shaped home in an Idaho lake, she was immediately drawn to its wacky atmosphere. “I just love that someone built this lake house in the shape of a ship seemingly just for the fun of it,” Kristie told me. “It’s so rare to see adults still be playful and creative just because they can.”

Built in the 1960s, long before social media showed off odd dwellings, the edifice was a passion project with no online audience in mind. Check out the video below to see Kristie’s DIY shipwreck home: