House Architect

Chalet M sectional plan

The bedroom doubles as the living area.

Located in a forested, countryside area near a lake and vegetable garden, the cabin was designed by São Paulo architect Silvia Acar as a simple space for sleeping, cooking, and reconnecting with nature.

The fully glazed facade physically and visually connects the interiors to the natural environment.

Hood Cliff Retreat (Wittman Estes)

A skylight in the bedroom brings in daylight and offers a view of the stars.

Casa Casey sections and elevations.

The deck connecting the two buildings has an outdoor rain shower and a soaking tub, both part of the property’s gray-water system.

The sofa and dining chairs are from IKEA. The solar refrigerator is from EcoSolarCool. A ladder leads to the loft, where a solar-powered skylight from Velux is fitted with a rain sensor.

Raw plywood contrasts with dark plaster in the 460-square-foot main cabin, whose communal space encompasses an efficient living/dining area and kitchen.

Jorie asked for an enclosed deck at the front of the home, which includes a dining area, as well as a space for the kids to sleep, if they desire. "The huge screen deck feels bigger than the interior of our home," she says.

In the kitchen, the architects reigned in the house’s high ceilings for a more intimate feel; its lower height also tastefully hides unsightly ducting necessary for ventilation. Beneath the bar sit two Kaysa Black Bar Stools by Baxton Studio. A Gessi faucet complements a Blanco Modex sink.

The architects stuck to a gray-scale color palette, installing slate tile floors that softly contrast with the white walls and Eames dining chairs. “It lets the views out the windows become the focus,” Dworkind explains. Doses of pure black accent important features, like the central wall that divides the kitchen and master bedroom behind it from the main living space.

The project’s unique challenges—a tight budget and steep, difficult terrain—led architecture firm _naturehumaine to a creative solution that gave the house its delightfully sculptural appearance. Making the first floor’s envelope slightly narrower than the top one’s saved money while minimizing the amount of excavation required.

Sunna 3 Floor Plan

The slatted roof filters some of the direct sunlight.

In the kitchen, Superfront and IKEA cabinets are combined with a concrete counter.