Finding your home away from home
Check out these beautiful treehouse designs from Takashi Kobayashi, Director of Japanese Treehouse Creations. These treehouses are just beautiful!
Mr. Kobayashi has a new book out now, title Treedom. If he shows you how to build these great treehouses, it’s worth whatever he’s charging!
via BusyBoo
So, I just found it and thought it was pretty cool. NaturalHomes.org has a map with a ton of different cob, straw, and other natural homes listed. You can see what people are doing in your neighborhood, no matter where you live!
I’ve loved cob houses for a long time. They feel so natural, and look so comfortable. Over at The Little Green House blog they’ve post some sweet cob house pictures. I’ve posted my favorite above, but there are many more to gawk at. Check them out!
This house is modern, luxurious… it’s really a piece of art. The wood blends with stonework and glass seamlessly, and the patio is just beautiful. If you’re looking for an architecturally modern weekend house with Asian influences, this is it.
via Trendir and Contemporist
I don’t love everything about this renovation. The windows don’t seem practical to me, and it’s a little too boxy. However, I love rooftop patios, and this house has them in spades!
Link (via Inhabitat)
You wouldn’t think that a two-story waterfront barn-like home with roll-up firehouse doors could blend into Maine’s North Haven island, but architect Christopher Campbell was able to do the trick with with this wonderful cabin. Mimicking local architecture, the cabin hides next to a copse of trees and fits in perfectly, while providing security against Winter storms, and luxury during Summer’s relatively warm months. And I think we can all agree that the cabin looks great!
Link (via dwell)
How romantic is this? Normally, you see the word romantic, and it’s a bedroom with a nice view or a dark duvet, but this romantic gypsy caravan blows all those out of the water. It’s the romantic standard by which all others are judged. It’s the… can you tell I’m a big fan of this cabin?
Pre-manufactured in Quebec, these caravans can be towed to you land behind a standard 3/4 ton truck, and then hooked up to standard city electrical and sewer systems. Offering 204 sq. ft. of space, it’s just big enough to give you everything you need!
Link (via Small House Musings)
I love expansive decks that let you soak up the rain, wind and sun, and this Franklin Azzi Shelter House has them in abundance. By the same token, I live in the rainy Northwest and love covered decks, too. Sitting on a covered deck with a glass of wine and listening to the pitter patter of rain is about as cathartic as it gets.
This house posted at MoCo Loco looks pretty nice and gets additional points for the decks, and the inside isn’t too shabby, either. Lots of wood and windows makes for a very relaxing home.
Ecopods are from a Canadian company, and take the green refab shipping container living space to a new level. In addition to recycling the shipping container, the Ecopod also contains recycled rubber flooring and soya insulation, as well as integration with solar energy and a virtually maintenance free composting toilet. Plus you can completely seal up the Ecopod, protecting it from the elements (and vandalism). Heck, and they look great, too!
Ecopods (via TinyHouseBlog)
I couldn’t find a lot of information on these wonderful island shelters posted in Dwell Magazine, but the one picture is nice and the idea behind shelters is great, too. The family wanted a cheap way to shelter themselves on their private 24 acre island, so they build what amounts to a few large sheds interconnected by wooden walkways. They are barely one step up from camping, but I believe that’s the whole idea – they are connected to nature much more than they would be with a more traditional vacation home. It’s a great idea as a permanent home, or just as a temporary shelter while a more substantial home is being built.
