Modern cottage

The 925-square-foot house Maggie Treanor calls home blends into the landscape somewhat; with a galvanized steel shed roof and siding, it looks like a high-design little brother to the barns on the surrounding farms.

The cedar wrapped deck appears to carve out of the metal wrapped shape.

When renovating this 1960s beach in Pajaro Dunes, California, Fuse Architects preserved its original pyramid-like roofline.

Found on-site and retained, a boulder juxtaposes with the building’s crisp lines.

The facade, defined by a wall of glass on one end of the L-shaped dwelling, illuminates the muted living area.

Augusto Fernández Mas of K+A Diseño and Mauricio Miranda of MM Desarrollos

Even as the square footage of this cottage in Fayston, Vermont, shrank in response to budget constraints, architect Elizabeth Herrmann remained focused on making the space feel warm and functional for a family of four and their dog and cat. "I think the trick to making small spaces feel much larger is to design the experience of being there,

Top 10 Black Gable Homes of 2020: A dramatic take on an archetypal shape, these pitch-roofed residences cut a striking figure.

A fire pit between two wings of the home encourages outdoor living.

Five cabins are located in the pine forest surrounding the main house. “The design for both the main house and cabins at Saltwater Farm resulted from studying traditional Pacific Northwest cabins and refining that vernacular language with one of Scandinavian minimalism,” says designer Taylor Bode.

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