Suzanne and Brooks Kelley at the back of their 1,100-square-foot guest cottage.

Here, one of El Cosmico's three teepees is a lantern for desert travelers.

Buyers should cast as wide a net as possible in terms of location and amenities.

A lofted sleeping space furnished with a king size Design Within Reach American Modern bed was made possible when the architects raised the ceiling to create a triangular skylight. The move carved out enough headroom to make the second-floor space usable, while still keeping the cottage in compliance with strict local zoning rules for “accessory” buildings.

On an island 20 miles off the coast of Maine, a writer, with the help of his daughter, built not only a room, but an entire green getaway of his own.

The kitchen cabinets and fixtures are all sourced from Swan Cuisines. The trashcan is by Vipp. The architects opted to install only a small stove with no oven, as the garden already has a fireplace.

Key to the space-efficient floor plan is a strategically placed set of recessed areas, includingthe sleeping nook and writing desk.

An orange front door add a bold splash of color to the otherwise monochromatic exterior.

Lyne Pedneault and Stéphane Rousseau turned to Montreal's Blouin Tardif Architecture-Environnement to design a 1,900-square-foot getaway in Sainte-Adèle, Quebec, northwest of Montreal. By tucking three bedrooms and a full bath on the ground floor, the architects were able to preserve the second level as an open space for living, cooking, dining, and working.

The kitchen is tucked away behind one of the cedar volumes, adjacent to the porch.

Most of the windows are on the eastern side, offering an expansive view of the rolling hills below.

The porch off the kitchen helps the family connect with its surroundings.

The pitched metal roof and dark-stained eastern cedar shingles ground the building in the lush surrounding landscape.

The great room also includes a dining area and a work space. The floors were made with locally sourced oak.

The great room is defined by two volumes, each clad in eastern cedar. One holds a steel fireplace and the second houses functional spaces—a washroom, pantry, and part of the kitchen.

“We wanted as much built-in storage as we could fit in order to maximize the space and not have furniture getting in the way.” —Jonny Bauer, resident

The design eschews right angles on the exterior and interior, which was one of the most challenging aspects of the design for Kallesø.

"We felt it was important to create continuity with nature, rather than compete with it," Soranno stated. "The connection with nature is what makes this place special."

Jaunts through nature are a great way to exercise, relieve stress, and get some vitamin D.

Driven by data found on the site, the architects decided to merge the traditional red wooden cottage archetype with the modern box home.

A writing desk is paired with a classic Series 7 chair by Arne Jacobsen.

In 1962, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill architect Arthur Witthoefft won the AIA's highest honor for a home he built in the lush woods of Westchester County. Having fended off a developer's wrecking ball, Todd Goddard and Andrew Mandolene went above and beyond to make this manse mint again.

An artist by trade, and gardener by passion, Allison Paschke commissioned Providence-based architecture firm 3SIXØ to build a modest cottage that would allow her to reconnect with nature. She landscaped the home’s lush gardens herself.

In the DoghousePaul and Shoko's dog, Mei, has lucked into a small prefab home of her own. Making use of a water jet cutter at his office, and using Adobe Illustrator as his design tool, Paul fashioned a series of panels that slot together without any nails or screws.

“The liberal use of wood roots the structure in the landscape and provides the owners with an experience strongly connected with location,” Herrin says. The exterior’s Western red cedar shingle siding has a semi-transparent stain, half Fieldstone and half Burnt Hickory from Cabot.

One of the early challenges of building the house was defining the property lines of the lot, which had come to be known as "the floating acre" among the local fishermen.

"It's not about the space; it's about envisioning what you can do with what you have." —Loretta Gargan

The former workman’s cottage had undergone dated renovations.

The modest bedroom looks towards the yard and part of the owner’s garden. The table, by Jayson Home, holds a vintage lamp and is flanked by a Spring Lounge chair by Cappellini.

Completed in 2013, the roughly 1,500-square-foot cabin provides an open living area framed by white trusses and concrete floors. The dining table was acquired by the owner from a local inn, and is surrounded by the Eames molded plastic Eiffel side chairs from Design Within Reach. The kitchen features a Grohe faucet, a wood bowl from a shop in Harbert, and an Ikea vase.

The Branch Double Floor Lamp is inspired by nature. Designed like a tree, the lamp’s base is elevated in a tripod design, resembling exposed roots. The column—or trunk—of the lamp yields two branches, comprised of perforated metal shells atop diffuser lenses.

Just because your kitchen is on the smaller side doesn’t mean you can’t make it as efficient and effective as possible.

Their creative confections may ruin our diets, but we’re happy to be their taste testers anytime.

The Kelleys furnished the cottage with help from Suzanne’s daughter Betsy Burbank of Betsy Burbank Interiors. Classic modernist icons, such as a Saarinen Womb chair for Knoll, a Herman Miller Eames lounge chair, and an Eileen Grey E1027 side table look at home alongside present-day pieces such as an Encore sofa (which handily folds down into a sleeping surface) from Room & Board and a Doka rug designed and produced by Stephanie Odegard. The Wohlert pendant lights from Louis Poulsen were designed by Vilhelm Wohlert in 1959, but grouped as such, they appear distinctly contemporary.

“The client wanted an interior space where you could read the materiality of the building elements like understanding the ingredients in a recipe,” principal architect Elizabeth Webster explains. The extension features distinctly textured materials: an exposed timber ceiling, painted brick walls, and polished concrete floors. Warm lighting by Brinklicht unifies the space.

A double bowl sink is also quite self-explanatory, created either out of one large sink with a divider or from two distinct bowls framed into a single sink.