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“We wanted low maintenance,” says Szczerbicki of the home’s exterior, which was clad in cedar and oiled once. “We’ll watch it patina and go gray with time.”

From a distance, Peter and Turkey Stremmel’s hyper-angular home in Reno, Nevada, resembles nothing so much as a mountain made of metal, but upon closer inspection, it reveals itself as a structure that is deeply influenced by its surroundings. Its fragmented forms, designed by architecture firm OPA, are inspired by the irregular geometries in nature.

The glass walls allow the home office to become completely immersed in its surroundings. “Thanks to the glass panels and panoramic views, you have all the space on the outside that you can see from the inside,” says Kristi Kivilaid of ÖÖD House.

For the nature-loving traveler, The Edward Bed & Breakfast in Prince Edward County, Ontario has a glass-and-wood cabin for rent with a neighboring bathhouse. The cozy inn provides everything from breakfast to camp gear, so you can pack light.

One corner of the ground floor is reserved for a “hot house,” which is glazed from floor to ceiling with windows and doors. The space is light-filled and airy, with a tall ceiling and woven rugs.

The Light Shed section