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In Hanna Bui’s Sausalito houseboat, designed by architect Craig Steely, sea creatures seen through an enormous back window animate bay views.

One of the boathouse's two bedrooms can accommodate up to four adults or children, thanks to a quartet of bunk beds beside a wall of glass.

"It’s a total smorgasbord of stuff," says Nicole of the home’s furnishings. The angular ceiling light was snagged from Blair’s old office, the sofa was bought off the home’s original owner, and the rugs are from a friend who runs an online shop specializing in vintage carpeting: @shopmienshop on Instagram.

Photo by Kevin Scott

The Majamaja Cabin by Littow Architectes was constructed on-site from prefab wood panels and without the use of heavy machinery. The self-contained unit makes for a perfect eco-retreat, especially when positioned at water’s edge in Finland.

“We learned that in a home this size, every design decision needs to contribute both functionally and aesthetically to the space,” Robinson says. “The details matter even more when every inch is significant, so we got creative with how to make the most out of everything.” Polished quartzite countertops, Leicht cabinetry, and a backsplash of back-painted glass make the kitchen feel luxurious.

A Duravit vanity and Grohe faucet in the bathroom are paired with Catia Black marble tile on the floors, and floor-to-ceiling ceramic subway tile on the walls.

“Curves felt like a small but significant detail in making the space feel more generous,” Robinson says. The media niche is accented with custom white oak shelving with rounded corners and a flat-edge profile. Opposite sits a sectional and recliner from Room & Board. The handmade rug is from Kravet, the side tables are from Design Within Reach, and the vintage mirror is from Baker Furniture.

The three-bedroom home is connected to a dock house, garage, and vegetable garden by a network of wood walkways and decks.

“It’s only an hour and a half from the north edge of Toronto,” says Knezic. “But, because it’s water access only, it feels like you’re far away from everything—and you have a real sense of isolation.”

The timber used in the scaffolding and off-cuts from the framing were kept and redeployed for furniture and accents on the walls—such as the timber block in the primary kitchen.

Another view of the master bedroom.

A rendering shows Kabinka set up as a lakeside cabin with a different timber finish and a glazed facade.

This remote cabin in Sullivan County hovers above a steep slope, suspended by the trees that surround it.

The ultimate escape for forest bathing, Denmark’s Løvtag is a tree house hotel that features three cabins that embrace Scandinavian minimalism. With tree trunks intersecting the interior, large windows, and a rooftop deck, these treehouses promise to make you feel at one with nature.

The upper portion of the walls were finished in waterproof tadelakt, which meets the marble slabs in a pleasing datum line carried around the entire room.