This is my first 1.8 world, and I spawned right next to a sweet looking ravine so i just had to build my house in it. The house itself is at the bottom of the ravine, so i built a nice staircase to the bottom or you could take the jump into the nice pool. (Marked by a Stone Slab structure) This is mostly legitly built, with the exception of one or two blocks. (points to the one who comments what they were!) The ravine is outlined in a cobble stone wall so its easy to find and so i didn't fall in.
My house has...

• Look-out tower
  
• Storage house (above ground)
  
• Small boat dock
  
• Bedroom (in the house)
  
• Throne room (in the house)
  
• Kitchen (in the house)
  
• Main Hall (in the house)
  
• Storage room (in the house)
  
• Nether room (pull the lever in the main hall)
  
• Farming area (in the house)
  
• Pool (bottom of the ravine)
  
• Ultra secure Vault (jump in the water jump...)
  
• Full sized Ship!
  
  
• And a fountain (not that great.)
  
• CASTLE! (6 minor towers, and one central tower.) (WIP)
  
  

Comment and let me know if you like it...or with suggestions to make it better!
The texture pack im using can be found here ----> www.minecraftforum.net/topic/306617-32x-tydoku-19/