Favorites

Solar panels provide power for the two cabins.

In Chile's Chiloé Archipelago, architect Guillermo Acuña developed a 12-acre island for his friends and family to unwind, first with a boathouse, later with pathway-connected cabins at the water's edge. Design details include glazed walls, eco-friendly pine, and a bright red palette that calls to mind the intensely colored chilco flowers that bloom here come spring and summer.

A Nova Scotia couple learn that although triangular homes may look simple, they can be devilishly complex.

Nestled amongst native Araucaria trees, the cabin and its three elevated decks were carefully sited so as not to disturb any existing trees, which are protected by Chilean law. "This area is the only place on the planet where the Araucaria pine grows,

Designed by Minneapolis firm Sala Architects, the 820-square-foot Metal Lark Tower marked the first rental cabin to open at Nordlys Lodging, a 140-acre property in Frederic, Wisconsin. Small windows on the northwest side of the two-story structure provide privacy and protection from winter winds. Solar panels and natural heat insulated by the triple-paned windows add to the structure’s efficiency.

In Texas, where everything is bigger, Ryan McLaughlin is placing his bets on something small. Specifically, a simple 160-square-foot cabin that he hopes city-dwellers will book to get away, find some focus, and reconnect with nature. The result is a laidback, pitched-roof cabin in which every inch of space is thoughtfully allotted so that guests can spend the maximum amount of time outdoors.

"One visit over the winter, and we drove up to find four feet of snow covering the driveway and stairs down to the cabin,

Winkelman Architecture delivers grown-up summer-camp vibes with this unassuming retreat on the coast of Maine.

The floors throughout the home were built of Douglas fir. The window frames are made of pine.