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A gnome guards the wood pile. While Christie's father thought a propane stove would allow them to regulate the heat better, they opted for wood because they have an endless supply of it on the land.

The cabins that Koto designed for Trees at Tughall, a resort on the Northumbrian Coast of England, are outfitted with vertical Welsh spruce siding that helps the structures look as if they're part of the natural surround.

Floor plan of Neiswander/Corsello Mountain Home by Michael Neiswander

One of the home's five bedrooms features a dramatic wall of windows at one end of the home.

The 1,000-square-foot house, surrounded by lake and greenery, has multiple skylights to let in the sun.

The weeHouse exteriors are clad in corrugated Cor-Ten, but with a custom pattern of folds to create an organic randomness. The foundations were designed with a shallow recess around the top to make the modules look like they’re hovering. After they bought the property in early 2014, the Siegels camped there for two summers while they saved up money and planned a permanent structure. In his research, BJ came across this design, a customizable prefab house by Alchemy Architects. "Of all the things that I found, I was drawn to that one because it was absolutely the simplest and cleanest," he says.

The KitHaus K3 can serve as a backyard studio, home office, pool house, or playroom.

A facade of contrasting colors and textures announces the expansion of this home in Takoma Park, Maryland. Resident and builder Alan Kanner called on longtime collaborator, architect Mark McInturff, to help him add a second story and 900 square feet to the residence.

Located within walking distance to the coastal village of Matanzas, the two Maralto cabins are named La Loica and La Tagua after local bird species.

The owners built the house as a place to gather with their three adult children on Loon Lake, where they had vacationed at the husband’s family home for years. The modern Adirondack chairs are by Loll Designs.

The owner was motivated to build his own home to avoid a mortgage and to gain the know-how to undertake his own maintenance and repairs. “I was craving the personal challenge to cultivate a home for myself,” he says. “As it was the beginning of a new adventure, I wanted it to be personal. Also, practically speaking, if I built each piece of the home by hand, I would have a good sense of how to solve problems or improve it, without having to ask anyone else to journey through the forest, down the trail, and up the cliff to make an adjustment.”

Next to the Todaiji Temple in Nara, Japan, House of 33 Years by architectural firm Assistant takes its name from the clients, an elderly couple who hadn’t moved from their previous home for 33 years.

The large window that floods the interior can be sealed off for privacy with sliding shutters.

The cabin is an ideal retreat where nature lovers can enjoy the sights and sounds of great outdoors all year round.

The workstation and the cabinets are by Korben Mathis Woodworking; the desk lamp is from TaoTronics.

The cabin, comprised of just wood and glass, feels especially cozy when the stove is lit.