Finding your home away from home
One look at this funky cabin and you can tell it’s in Australian. I don’t know if it’s the design or the landscape, but I knew right away. And even though it is an unusual design, I like it. It’s got a great patio, and the interior is room without feeling cavernous. It’s really beautiful.
View more at Contemporist
As the old saying goes, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” And in this case the necessity of a child with extreme chemical sensitivities was enough for the designer (her father) to limit the construction materials used in the home, and even come up with some novel new materials.
Though the name “Hempcrete” is a little misleading, what it does is acts as an insulator and air purifier. Placed in wall voids, it absorbs CO2, filters particulates and helps to regulate interior temperatures. It’s also made from recycled materials, and is fully recyclable.
Read more at Dornob
The Woodlands Residence is a renovation undertaken by Field Architecture. The home on the steeply sloped lot was in need of updating, and the owners wanted more of a connection to the outdoors, along with sustainable, environmentally-friendly construction materials. The owners claim that the home now uses no artificial light during the day!
Read more at Architecture4us.com
This quirky and fun villa is located along Lake Vidostern in Sweden, near the village of Varnamo. I love the exterior – it reminds me so much of cabins near where I grew up in Washington. Simple and unassuming, it’s not refined, modern, clean, or bold. But it looks comfortable and relaxing, which is the most important thing (to me, at least).
The interior… is bold. Big stuffed animals? Check. A small car in the living room? Check. Bright red ceiling in the bedroom? Check. Completely awesome stairway to the second level? Check. It’s not for everyone, that’s for sure!
View more pictures at 1kinddesign.com
This tiny writer’s cabin designed by the geniuses at Olson Kundig Architects is only 500 sq ft, but it’s gigantically awesome. Three of the four walls are almost completely glass, so the owner has excellent sight lines throughout the landscape. And I love how the walls were engineered with dual purposes in mind. They fold up when the cabin is not in use for security, or if there’s a big storm in the area. When the owner wants a little fresh air, the sides fold down and are then used as decks! Brilliant!
Read more at Dornob.com
This lovely modern cottage retreat in New York State would look right at home here in the Pacific Northwest, and that’s probably why I love it. A remodeling lead by Method Design added a formal entrance, new addition, and modern (and sustainable) recladding of the entire house. It looks awesome.
View more at Freshome
Unfortunately, I don’t know much about this place, other than it’s referenced as a “Refuge in the Pyrenees.” According to the text on the architect’s website, it’s a refuge built in the Regional Natural Park of the Catalan Pyrenees, and to be used by hikers. It certainly looks like a great place to wait out a storm, no?
via D3 Architectes
This beautiful house was built alongside a small lake in Thailand, with absolutely incredible views out the huge window walls in the small home. To keep maintenance low, the house uses mostly concrete, steel, and teak. An obviously I love the bathtub – could a bath get any more relaxing that that?
I did a double-take when I first saw the above picture. Dubbed the Dream of Robinson, it’s a cute little cabin perched on both stilts and on the slender trunks of spruce trees. And it’s accessible from a long, narrow bridge.
Check out the pictures at the Mon Jardin website to see the cute interior – it’s entirely in French, so I’m not sure if all the pictures are from the same cabin – they almost look fake they are so awesome! (via Tiny House Blog)
