Cedar slats help this Ontario lake house float soundly atop still waters. Photo by: Raimund Koch

To access a secret play area in the 2 Bar House by Feldman Architecture, children clamber up climbing holds purchased from a local sporting goods store.

The site includes a boat shed and a tractor the family uses to pull their boat to and from the ramp.

The couple asked for a “no maintenance, not low maintenance” backyard. However, Shino tends to “Carlsbad's largest public bathroom for cats” (otherwise known as their Japanese-style rock garden) about once a month. Don't miss a word of Dwell! Download our FREE app from iTunes, friend us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter!

Choosing not to make a big to-do of itself, this cottage blends in with its surroundings. A wall of glass on one end allows a merger of the outdoors with the interiors, while white trim leaves the appearance of a snow-kissed façade year-round. Berlin, Germany. By Atelier st Gesellschaft von Architekten mbH from the book Rock the Shack, Copyright Gestalten 2013.

Transformer or beach hut? Positioned in a coastal erosion zone, this holiday retreat for a family of five is completely capable of being relocated. An oversized shutter allows for protection from the elements when not in use and opens to allow sun in during the winter or provide shade on hot summer days. Waikato, New Zealand. By Crosson Clarke Carnachan Architects, from the book Rock the Shack, Copyright Gestalten 2013.

Across the path is the resident's favorite spot from which to take in the aquatic tableau: a rock garden and sitting area created by landscape designer Tory Polone. Chairs rest near the a hidden grade-level gas fire pit—an on-demand campfire.

The bathroom features white and black tile and a small rock bed.

Built with timeless materials - stone, plaster and a range of woods - this house reflects regional Pacific Northwest design. Sited along Lake Oswego, this home’s views, boathouse and terraces all gracefully connect to the water’s edge.

The view from inside the Floating House's boat dock.

Another water-saving project in Menlo Park includes a rock bed with succulents.

In the master bedroom, the rocking chair is by Thonet and the bespoke rug is by Armadillo & Co.

A pair of deck chairs from the Conran Shop brighten up a deck designed and built by Mark Congdon Landscape. Visible through the window are a Praying Mantis floor lamp from White Furniture and a fiberglass rocking chair from Modernica.

Dotted with colorful footholds, a climbing wall covers one side of the home, allowing roof access.

A vintage Eames rocking chair occupies a corner of the living room.

Updating the A-frame of yore, this home’s liberal use of windows makes the most of panoramic views spanning two valleys. Catalonia, Spain. Cadaval & Sola-Morales from the book Rock the Shack, Copyright Gestalten 2013.

A wooden home nestled amongst a cluster of Japanese larch trees offers a perfect sanctuary from nearby Tokyo. Chubu, Japan. By Koji Tsutsui & Associates from the book Rock the Shack, Copyright Gestalten 2013.

Those seeking isolation and inspiration to tackle their work need look no further. A minimalist cube set against a picturesque background form a studio free of distraction, except maybe that view! Newfoundland, Canada. By Saunders Architecture from the book Rock the Shack, Copyright Gestalten 2013.

Rates start at $225 a night for four people.

Livable sculpture at its finest. Created for the Zermatt Festival, an annual festival of chamber music, this structure (designed by a team of second-year architecture students!) maximizes the beauty of its surroundings with its 720-degree spiral composition. Valais, Switzerland. By Alice Studio/Atelier de la Conception de l’ Espace from the book Rock the Shack, Copyright Gestalten 2013.

The relatively simple construction incorporates clever sustainable design: a two-level wood roof structure keeps the sun’s heat away from the interior, and small windows at either end facilitate powerful cross-ventilation. It’s natural air-conditioning, and it works beautifully.

The Monolith features many angles and a tiered garden.

Detail shot of the Inkstone wash-basins in Black Rock stone.

A wooden patio wraps around three-fourths of the house boat. The living room cushions can be removed and used on the deck. A ladder dips into the water for swimming in the summer.

“My brother and I were searching for a place of our own that we could rent to people visiting Berlin,” says co-owner Chris Laugsch. “We found the boat by accident in a Berlin marina. After a few minutes on the boat, we knew we found the place.” The kitchen countertop and floor are both Pandomo, a poured concrete surface. The ceiling is a stained pine. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows cover two of the largest walls on the boat.

As we headed back to land, we were greeted with this view of Cairns and the surrounding mountains. We wished we had a few more days in the area to visit Port Douglas and the Daintree Rainforest.

The eight rowers in Sybil Andrews's "Bringing in the Boat" take on the architectural form of the boat itself.

@bromco: These pillows flipping rock!! Literally! @rockpillows. #DODLA

Made from plastic milk jugs, the Racer collection is meant to burn off energy by allowing for multiple sitting positions and the maximum amount of "bodily comfort and mental relaxation".

"In Rock Chair by Fredrik Färg, four pieces are together to become a low-level rocking chair that is really comfortable. Fredrik become the designer of the year in Sweden last year," says Färdig.

The punnily titled On The Rock collection of glassware further exemplifies Lee Broom’s seamless merging of mixed materials.

House on the Rock by Drew Tyndell, $1,700. Based in Nashville, Tyndell creates one-off wooden collages that blend puzzle-like blocks with strong colors.

The hand carved walnut "rocks" that form the base of this Rock Pile lamp are stacked and spin independently of one another, allowing the pile to change shape. “In contrast to the pixel style of design I often incorporate into pieces, these rocks are my way of being more freeform and not so meticulous,” says Michael Rupich.

Aalto on his boat Nemo Propheta in the 1960s.

Andy Harman’s macramé Owl punctuates the living room with a California-craft sensibility while the midnight-blue brick imbues the space with a “German-Brutalist-1960s kind of feel,” says Adler. “It gives the room a nice architectural gravitas.”