Hidden Storage The Murphy bed in the guest bedroom sits behind Montague’s desk, allowing the compact room to function comfortably for working and sleeping at different times. It’s made with customized millwork, Häfele bed hardware, and an Ikea mattress. When it’s open, it reveals hidden shelving. hafele.com ikea.com

Choosing not to make a big to-do of itself, this cottage blends in with its surroundings. A wall of glass on one end allows a merger of the outdoors with the interiors, while white trim leaves the appearance of a snow-kissed façade year-round. Berlin, Germany. By Atelier st Gesellschaft von Architekten mbH from the book Rock the Shack, Copyright Gestalten 2013.

Transformer or beach hut? Positioned in a coastal erosion zone, this holiday retreat for a family of five is completely capable of being relocated. An oversized shutter allows for protection from the elements when not in use and opens to allow sun in during the winter or provide shade on hot summer days. Waikato, New Zealand. By Crosson Clarke Carnachan Architects, from the book Rock the Shack, Copyright Gestalten 2013.

View Northeast

Modern Way.

The veranda looks out onto the harbor.

Stuth and Shelton's bedroom.

Lay out his face the way you want it.

The office looks out on the spacious deck.

Simple yet distinctive entry way with stylish, chic accents.

The architects added a small circular skylight to serve as a vertical focal point in the center of the fifth floor. The quarter-sawn white oak risers produce a beautiful rippled grain highlighted by the abundant natural light.

Orrill wanted the kitchen to be command central for entertaining, so everything is kept inside minimalist cabinetry—except for the copper pots and pans hanging on the back wall, painted in Pale Water by ICI Dulux Paint. The refrigerator is by Jenn-Air and the faucet is American Standard.

Johan Bouwmeester built a library out of oak.

Ando, a Shiba Inu, was in the first Puppy Cam litter.

An aluminum-framed door leading to the terrace provides an added sense of depth, integrating outside with inside. Here, the metal contrasts sharply with the natural birch flooring.

Two Black Sheds incorporates all the conventional aspects of a weekend retreat in a rather unconventional way.

Updating the A-frame of yore, this home’s liberal use of windows makes the most of panoramic views spanning two valleys. Catalonia, Spain. Cadaval & Sola-Morales from the book Rock the Shack, Copyright Gestalten 2013.

A wooden home nestled amongst a cluster of Japanese larch trees offers a perfect sanctuary from nearby Tokyo. Chubu, Japan. By Koji Tsutsui & Associates from the book Rock the Shack, Copyright Gestalten 2013.

Those seeking isolation and inspiration to tackle their work need look no further. A minimalist cube set against a picturesque background form a studio free of distraction, except maybe that view! Newfoundland, Canada. By Saunders Architecture from the book Rock the Shack, Copyright Gestalten 2013.

“It was a natural choice,” says Adrian of using reclaimed and rescued wood. “I didn’t want to chop down a whole lot of trees.” The walls and ceiling are lined with planks of butternut harvested from diseased trees in Vermont.

Livable sculpture at its finest. Created for the Zermatt Festival, an annual festival of chamber music, this structure (designed by a team of second-year architecture students!) maximizes the beauty of its surroundings with its 720-degree spiral composition. Valais, Switzerland. By Alice Studio/Atelier de la Conception de l’ Espace from the book Rock the Shack, Copyright Gestalten 2013.

LLaumett refers to the extended patio as its own entity—a calm place to sunbathe or stare out to the ocean at any time of day. It is made of pine and covered in an opaque Osmo glaze. The chairs were constructed by the owners.

The Assunta is a multifunctional chair, which tips forward to help you stand up, and also has an LED reading light that magnifies a page.

The new kitchen opens out completely and magnificently into a sloping garden. There is no wall, no door, no windows, nothing: just straight out into the yard.

Wall beds can be oriented either vertically or horizontally. This home office doubles as a guest room thanks to a vertical Murphy bed that folds down to reveal shelves stocked with magazines.

On the east-facing porch off of the kitchen, Edmonds rests for a minute with the twins. There's sometimes a swing hanging from the overhead beams but more often than not "it's a place for morning coffee," Hale says.

Get way chilled out with UNESCO's Meditation Space in Paris by Tadao Ando on your wall.

The elevated dining room opens out to a side patio, which climbs the wall just behind the house.

Dedy gazes out at the neighborhood from the couple’s bedroom.

From the second level of the house, Griffin climbs the stairs his own way.

Since they aren’t including more complicated processes such as upholstery of bended plywood, the pieces are relatively easy to produce, and the ability to fold and ship dramatically reduces shipping costs.

Vanguard Way Floor Plan: A Entrance B Living Room C Kitchen-Dining Area D Half Bathroom E Utility Room F Garage G Bedroom H Bathroom I Master Bedroom J Deck

“The transparency and continuity of the spaces allows the landscape, the coast, and the sea to be present at all times,” LLaumett says. While most of the home’s furniture was constructed on site, a sofa by The Popular Design sits in the living room.

The family is never far from the outdoors, as this lush view from the dining room attests.

The office space above the kitchen looks out onto the great room.

The home’s sliding doors blur the boundaries between inside and out.