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When not in use during winter, the tub is hidden from the home’s view. The entrance has a sheltered overhang for car parking.

A cedar clad garage door.

The property has a discreet, wooden door garage.

Set in a clearing surrounded by spruce and birch trees in Kontiolahti, Finland, a cabin known as the Meteorite cuts a striking profile. The structure is made entirely of cross-laminated timber (CLT). Air gaps of various sizes behind the facade keep the interior warm without conventional insulation, even during Finland’s freezing winters, and give the Meteorite its out-of-this-world shape.

The mezzanine is fenced by slats of whitewashed pine, and acts as the children’s playroom and hangout space.

Architects Ernesto Cragnolino and Krista Whitson designed and built an efficient four-bedroom home for their family in Austin.

The Fish Camp acts as the couple’s forest getaway, just a quarter mile from their main house.

The bold yet minimalist residence sits lightly on the land and engages with the surrounding scenery.

The upper volume of the blackened pine–clad home juts out toward the horizon for sweeping views of the ocean.

Mardi Watts sits in the cozy living room next to the gas fireplace.

Set on 21 acres at the top of the Snoqualmie Valley, the 3,200-square-foot Maxon House represents a major lifestyle change for the Maxons, who previously lived in a split-level in a planned subdivision. "When you’re here, you just sit and watch what’s happening outside," says Lou. "It’s like the Weather Channel. We don’t even need the TV." Kim adds, "In spring everything explodes." Cedars, hemlocks, and vine maples shoot up from the fern-covered hillside.

Peter Braithwaite Studio crafted this peaceful retreat for a couple in Seabright, Nova Scotia.

A corrugated metal roof and cork-panel siding were durable, cost-effective material choices, but their textures also recall those of the area’s historic homes and agricultural buildings.

The modern dwelling incorporates its woodsy-yet-urban surrounds through copious glazing.