Collection by Omar Guerrero Díaz
John Campbell’s Leisure House, Mill Valley , California, 1953 / Photo Courtesy of Princeton Architectural Press

Spawned by postwar affluence, A-frame cabins became the quintessential American vacation home of the 1950s and 60s. A look at what made these icons of middle-class leisure immensely popular then, and what it is like to remodel and live in one today.
John Campbell’s Leisure House, Mill Valley , California, 1953 / Photo Courtesy of Princeton Architectural Press Spawned by postwar affluence, A-frame cabins became the quintessential American vacation home of the 1950s and 60s. A look at what made these icons of middle-class leisure immensely popular then, and what it is like to remodel and live in one today.
The Floating Farmhouse’s semitransparent addition has a roofline that matches the pitch of the original 1820s farmhouse. A porch, tucked under the side eaves, is cantilevered over a stream that runs through the property. Ikea loungers are illuminated from the interior by commercial gymnasium lights repurposed as pendant lamps.
The Floating Farmhouse’s semitransparent addition has a roofline that matches the pitch of the original 1820s farmhouse. A porch, tucked under the side eaves, is cantilevered over a stream that runs through the property. Ikea loungers are illuminated from the interior by commercial gymnasium lights repurposed as pendant lamps.
Rent a Belgian Farm: Because who wouldn’t want to vacation in this lovely place? The Heerlijkheid van Marrem farm is available to rent in Wevelgem, East Flanders. From Remodelista.
Rent a Belgian Farm: Because who wouldn’t want to vacation in this lovely place? The Heerlijkheid van Marrem farm is available to rent in Wevelgem, East Flanders. From Remodelista.
BLAIR NICHE PROJECT

At just $167 per square foot, this high-design, low-cost barn in rural Wisconsin is an American idyll.
BLAIR NICHE PROJECT At just $167 per square foot, this high-design, low-cost barn in rural Wisconsin is an American idyll.
Built by a crew of three, the home makes a virtue out of being unfussy and straightforward. The north-facing glass wall under the gable, with a triple-glazed facade, doesn't require shading or insulation. The quick-to-build structure—which consists of just structural insulated panels (SIB) made from OSB panels with a foam core, and a concrete floor that retains heat—doesn't include any complicated systems or require much maintenance.
Built by a crew of three, the home makes a virtue out of being unfussy and straightforward. The north-facing glass wall under the gable, with a triple-glazed facade, doesn't require shading or insulation. The quick-to-build structure—which consists of just structural insulated panels (SIB) made from OSB panels with a foam core, and a concrete floor that retains heat—doesn't include any complicated systems or require much maintenance.
The back bedroom and small bathroom benefit from warmer, more playful flooring, including the geometric black-and-white pattern below the tub.
The back bedroom and small bathroom benefit from warmer, more playful flooring, including the geometric black-and-white pattern below the tub.
"You sketch a concept, model it, but to see it actually take shape is always surprising." Givone says. "Building this specific structure, that payoff was more dramatic. It looked just as I had imagined and rendered it, by hand in Play-Doh, all those months before."
"You sketch a concept, model it, but to see it actually take shape is always surprising." Givone says. "Building this specific structure, that payoff was more dramatic. It looked just as I had imagined and rendered it, by hand in Play-Doh, all those months before."
The new custom kitchen is situated in the original structure. The window is a new commercial unit with an operable frameless center pane and was set so that the countertop could tuck right underneath it to create a 1/4-inch shadow line.
The new custom kitchen is situated in the original structure. The window is a new commercial unit with an operable frameless center pane and was set so that the countertop could tuck right underneath it to create a 1/4-inch shadow line.
The main entrance is on the house’s south side. It leads to a central hall from which all sections of the home are accessible.
The main entrance is on the house’s south side. It leads to a central hall from which all sections of the home are accessible.
PROD Architecture + Design created a farmhouse in Penafiel, Portugal to fuse the aesthetic of traditional homes in the region with contemporary, floor-to-ceiling windows that respond to the environment. Made up of four distinct structures, the home takes on the shape of an existing gabled-roof structure on the site. To complement the stone building, the home incorporates a series of muted materials including granite for the base, zinc for the roof, and Scandinavian pinewood for cladding.
PROD Architecture + Design created a farmhouse in Penafiel, Portugal to fuse the aesthetic of traditional homes in the region with contemporary, floor-to-ceiling windows that respond to the environment. Made up of four distinct structures, the home takes on the shape of an existing gabled-roof structure on the site. To complement the stone building, the home incorporates a series of muted materials including granite for the base, zinc for the roof, and Scandinavian pinewood for cladding.
Seen from a distance, the farmhouse has a time-honored quality, though it’s still clearly a product of the 21st century.
Seen from a distance, the farmhouse has a time-honored quality, though it’s still clearly a product of the 21st century.
All of the beds in the house are playful custom one-off designs by Crasset, including the marionette-themed master bed, which a local carpenter fabricated from oak felled in the surrounding forest. The stone fireplace is original.
All of the beds in the house are playful custom one-off designs by Crasset, including the marionette-themed master bed, which a local carpenter fabricated from oak felled in the surrounding forest. The stone fireplace is original.
The second-floor office is housed inside a rounded rectangle of concrete that the architect inserted on top of the old farmhouse.
The second-floor office is housed inside a rounded rectangle of concrete that the architect inserted on top of the old farmhouse.
A door leads out from the romantic courtyard, lush with plants. “Although we live in a big city, it doesn’t feel like it,” Kolasiński says. “The neighborhood and the nature are very relaxing and quiet.”
A door leads out from the romantic courtyard, lush with plants. “Although we live in a big city, it doesn’t feel like it,” Kolasiński says. “The neighborhood and the nature are very relaxing and quiet.”