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Signs of the couple’s Mediterranean backgrounds abound. A blue square over the stove “symbolizes a window with a view of the sea,” says Kiki.

A staircase leads up to a mezzanine with a sleeping/living space.

Vipp's prefab Shelter requires a delivery time of six months and costs $585,000. Pricing includes interior fittings, all by Vipp, including bathroom vanity, lighting, leather daybed, kitchen island, dining table (pictured), bedding, storage, and even kitchen utensils.

After renting in San Francisco for a decade, DIY couple Molly Fiffer and Jeff Waldman bought 10 acres in the Santa Cruz Mountains, where the pair and their friends built a cabin compound complete with sheds, tree decks, a pavilion, a wood-fired hot tub, an outhouse, and an outdoor shower. The cabin is made from locally sourced, rough-sawn redwood, which the couple stained with nontoxic Eco Wood Treatment to give the panels an aged appearance and a dark patina.

Set on a ridge overlooking a deep ravine, this summer home in Southern Iceland is surrounded by awe-inspiring scenery.

The central, rectangular, concrete structure features expansive glazing which showcases the stunning scenery from every angle.

A perpendicular wing houses the garage. The house has no air conditioning, relying on lake breezes and cross-ventilation for cooling. Each bedroom has a screened door that opens to the deck and an adjustable transom above the hallway door to encourage the circulation of air.

Vince and Adrienne Murphy’s rural retreat is clad in gray shingles and gray-stained pine. “They wanted the cottage to meld into the woods and be visually quiet,” says architect Kelly Doran, who worked with Portico Timber Frames to build the 2,500-square-foot home.

Designed Californian architects Swatt Miers, these three tea houses on a private property were conceived as spaces outside the main home that would be free from the distractions of Internet, telecommunications and television. The largest of the three pavilions is used as a workspace, the second as a bedroom, and the third as a meditation pavilion.

Setsumasa and Hideaki toss on the rain fly. The solar panel in the foreground supplies daytime electricity.

One North Face tent sits atop a deck; another caps the main building, which contains a kitchen and dining area.

Even in cold weather, they open the sliding doors to let the fresh air in.

Along with its durability, concrete requires very little maintenance.