Whether clad in blackened timber or treated to dark paint for dramatic effect, these black gable residences have a bit of a spooky streak. They’re the kind of houses that kids, at this time of year, imagine to be witches’ lairs with spiders clinging to webs spun in shadowy corners. We know better, but there’s still something about these homes that make it hard to look away.

A Bold Yet Minimalist Rhode Island Home

A Soulful Haven in Santa Barbara

But the homeowners yearned to remodel their house, which didn't live up to its potential considering its surroundings. Anacapa and Bailey Peace Design made their dreams reality, with a restrained revamp that emphasizes the rolling landscape." layout="wide" credit="Photo by Erin Feinblatt" photoUserId=""/>

A Shou Sugi Ban Retreat in Mexico

Augusto Fernández Mas of K+A Diseño and Mauricio Miranda of MM Desarrollos in Valle de Bravo." layout="wide" credit="Photo by Onnis Luque" photoUserId="6133552358400708608"/>

A Four-Gable Getaway on Shelter Island

A Dramatic Connecticut Refuge

Desai Chia Architecture draws upon rural architecture to create an austere retreat that frames spectacular vistas. The region’s famous West Cornwall Covered Bridge is one of the many vernacular inspirations for the house’s pitched-roof form." layout="" credit="Photo by Paul Warchol" photoUserId=""/>

A Renovated 1907 Villa in Hamburg

In Sweden, Two Matching Homes Nest Under One Black Gable Roof

A Charred-Cedar Waterfront Home in Prince Edward County

Homeowners Aaron and Orlee (and their kids) wanted to amplify a sensation of release and relaxation in their vacation retreat, the Ell House. “They just really wanted to arrive in the space,” says Montreal-based architect Ravi Handa, who collaborated with AAmp Studio on the couple’s 2,240-square-foot getaway on the shores of Lake Ontario." layout="wide" credit="Photo by Maxime Brouillet" photoUserId=""/>

A Dreamy Cabin in a Pacific Northwest Forest

It was a lifelong dream for couple Merriss Waters and Andrew Fleming to live in a cabin nestled into a forest on an island, far removed from the hustle and bustle of the city. They recently brought this dream to life at Saltwater Farm, a boutique retreat designed by Jason Grauten, Philip Auchettl, and David Loewenstein of RAD LAB on the shores of Washington’s San Juan Island. Five cabins are located in the pine forest surrounding the main house." layout="wide" credit="Photo by Darren Bradley" photoUserId=""/>

A Retrofitted Midcentury Home in Upstate New York

A Striking Villa in Copenhagen

A Simple, Elegant Cabin in Vermont

A Modern Bush Retreat in Coastal Australia

It’s a space for us to unwind and relax alone or with family and friends,” says Roger." layout="wide" credit="Photo by Rory Gardiner" photoUserId=""/>

A Sustainable English Farmhouse

A Lofty Nature Retreat in Quebec

A Bio-Passive Refuge in Bavaria

A Black Timber Home in Chile

A 19th-Century Barn in the Hudson Valley

A Taiwanese Couple’s Retirement Home

A Renovated San Francisco Victorian

San Francisco couple Jim and Noriko would be the first to admit they never thought much about architecture—that is, until late 2013, when they took possession of one of the city’s many worn-out Victorians. By hiring acclaimed architect Anne Fougeron, they hoped to compensate for their lack of knowledge and create something extraordinary for themselves and their young daughter. The facade’s historical details were preserved and painted Gunmetal by Benjamin Moore." layout="" credit="Photo by Joe Fletcher" photoUserId="6133430985087148032"/>

A Patagonia Prefab Cabin

This elevated prefab cabin along the Chilean Andes has a buffer zone that helps protect it against harsh climatic conditions. The 1,033-square-foot Casa R opens up to a "chiflonera," an intermediate space between the interior and exterior commonly found in Patagonian homes." layout="" credit="Add credit" photoUserId=""/>

A Micro Cabin in Long Island

A Matte-Black London Home

An English Barn With Minimalist Interiors

A Wisconsin Lake House Tiled in Post-Industrial Waste

A Black Timber Tiny Home in Amsterdam

Clad in wax-covered pine, this 645-square-foot dwelling in Amsterdam is striking on the outside and endlessly charming on the inside. At night, the large windows give the compact home a lantern effect." layout="wide" credit="Photo by Tim Van de Velde" photoUserId="6133430487221952512"/>

An Idyllic Home for an Artist

An Australian Home With Rough and Shimmering Surfaces

A Renovated Scottish Farmhouse

A Barn-Like Home in Argentina

Nestled within a forest clearing near the Argentinian city of Córdoba, this 2,153-square-foot house named "La Negrita" is designed to exist in harmony with nature. Designed by Córdoba–based Morini Arquitectos, the house first reveals itself as a black corrugated wall in the middle of the woodlands. "The house is totally introverted [and] mysterious towards the street and extroverted towards the interior," says Morini." layout="wide" credit="Add credit" photoUserId=""/>

A Charred-Wood Home in Maryland

A Family’s Scandinavian Retreat

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Escape to a Bio-Passive Vacation Refuge in a Bavarian Nature Park

Refugium Betzenstein