mountains

In Washington’s Methow Valley, a modern cabin with an outdoor living room allows views of the surrounding woodland and meadow to perforate its volume. By day, the Chechaquo Lot 6 cabin gives the impression of floating in a forest clearing; by night, its windows glow against the wooded darkness. From all vantage points, the landscape permeates this 1,000-square-foot cabin, designed for two outdoor enthusiasts and tucked at the toe of a dramatic slope in Winthrop, Washington.

Lake House

A tiny outbuilding offers a cozy living space inside a simple shell.

Olson Kundig Architects' Delta Shelter, in Mazama, Washington, is a 1,000 square-foot steel box home with a 200 square-foot footprint. Photo by Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects/TASCHEN.

Designed Californian architects Swatt Miers, these three tea houses on a private property were conceived as spaces outside the main home that would be free from the distractions of Internet, telecommunications and television. The largest of the three pavilions is used as a workspace, the second as a bedroom, and the third as a meditation pavilion.

Two-year-old Annika and five-year-old Soren make music on the "nap swing," a popular hangout spot for kids and adults alike.

The concept of this Scandinavian getaway was simple: To create a cabin that is small and sparse yet spatially rich. The 55-quare-meter (592-square-foot) cabin, commissioned by a private client and completed in 2016, comprises a large living room, bedroom, ski room, and small annex with a utility room. It functions off the water and electricity grids.

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.

The team reviewed twenty years of snowfall data to find an average that would dictate the height of the house’s base. They also extended the roof to protect both the front entrance and the deck—this way the family doesn’t need to worry about snow removal upon arrival or dealing with windows that won’t open.

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At a seaside New Zealand house, the simple kitchen has strandboard cabinetry and an MDF island that conceals a fireplace at one end. The bright green cabinetry of the island are a happy pop of color that references the native greenery outside.

Each Getaway cabin has a hot shower with bath products, and electric toilet, mini-kitchen, hearing, and either one or two queen beds with, fresh linens, and pillows.

The Red House, 2002.

All outposts are a two-hour drive (or less) from its respective city, without traffic.

The home is approached from the south with views of Hood Canal below.