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Architect Chris Pardo designed the Element 1 model for prefab builder Method Homes, cladding it in Cor-Ten steel and cedar. Pardo’s design “is the definition of simple, elegant, straightforward building,” resident Karen Kiest says.

The Acorn Deck House Company specializes in prefabricated, custom homes that are manufactured in major components, which are then meticulously precut and detailed for tight tolerances and an accurate fit. They even make proprietary millwork—including mahogany entry doors, mahogany windows and sliding glass doors, stair and rail systems, and trim styles. The company, established in 1947, has built over 20,000 homes from Maine to California, Israel to Japan.

Photo by Deborah DeGraffenreid

A band of clerestory windows provide plenty of natural light.

A custom 1,527-square-foot FabCab with an attached garage built in Cle Elum, Washington.

Set on a four-acre, moderately sloped, rocky site by the lake, the Kawagama Boathouse minimizes its site impact with small-diameter pier foundations and a natural material palette that blends the building into the surrounding forest.

A short footbridge leads to the white, oak-and-glass front door of the upper living space. On the left is the small outdoor tap that uses pumped lake water.

Completed in 2018 on a 2.6-acre site in the San Juan Islands, the two-bedroom modular home was installed in a day.

A timber palette emphasizes indoor/outdoor living. The outdoor cedar deck visually extends the interior white oak floors. The ceilings and soffits are made of hemlock.

A litter box is tucked away in a pull-out drawer, so the family can bring their furry friend along on adventures.