Vacation Homes

Peter Braithwaite Studio crafts a peaceful retreat for a couple in Seabright, Nova Scotia.

Located 20 minutes from San Miguel de Allende, Casa Etérea reflects the grandeur of its majestic surroundings.

On the edge of Norway’s largest national park, a family’s cozy holiday escape cleverly pays homage to the sublime landscape.

A 164-square-foot retreat in Litibú features a courtyard with an oculus that frames the sky.

The light-filled Impluvium Refuge embraces its remote setting in Southern Chile.

Three metal-clad structures connected by an open-air courtyard offer simple sanctuary and an escape from city living.

Spanish architecture studio Mesura draws inspiration from the landscape and local vernacular to craft a rural retreat for a large family.

Step into this waterfront home in Prince Edward County, and find an instant reprieve from the city.

This family getaway—which is only accessible by boat—has a bunk room below and a mess hall above that takes advantage of spectacular views.

Architect Rodrigo Simão gets carte blanche to design a home and studio for an empty-nester couple in Petrópolis.

Modular design defines a lakeside holiday home that was built for less than $160K.

Australian architect Roger Nelson spent almost a decade designing a home for his family in Lorne before teaming up with DREAMER to reimagine his vision as a rural retreat.

At Lago Ranco, a courtyard house immerses a family in nature from all sides.

On the coast of New Zealand’s North Island, an award-winning holiday home puts a sculptural twist on the local bach typology.

Belinda George Architects crafts a family “bach” on New Zealand’s North Island that celebrates the native bush and outdoor living.

An architect’s weekend place on the English Channel turns its attention to the sea.

Set within the sloped terrain of beautiful Cap Ferret, France, is a contemporary holiday home perfect for both entertaining and relaxation.

On the windswept Norwegian island of Stokkøya, a holiday cabin built from local timber connects deeply to the landscape.

Bigger isn’t always better—this lakeside cottage has a low-lying form that disappears into the surrounding landscape.

Designed as a vacation home for a young family, this tropical modern dwelling uses restrained forms and fundamental materials to stunning effect.

Mobile cabinetry and thoughtful reuse turn a dilapidated industrial structure into a warm and creative home with open-ended possibilities.

A New Zealand family taps into the creative capital of architecture students to make their dream home a reality.

A steeply sloped site in the Wisconsin forest, plus an equally steep budget, led architect Brian Johnsen to reinvent the archetypal cabin for a sturdy vacation home.

A family matriarch enlisted an architect, an interior designer, a builder, and a landscape architect to help realize her vision for a diminutive, low-key lakeside getaway.

Inspired by their clients’ bold art collection, a pair of architects designs a Hamptons vacation house that subverts tradition.

For design mavericks Jonathan Adler and Simon Doonan, a challenging site that slopes toward the sea yields a unique opportunity to create an intimate and relaxing hideaway.

An homage to Mexico’s untouched landscape, this elegant low-impact getaway sports a pared-back aesthetic.

Two Washington, D.C.–based writers balance life in the city with a low-key vacation spot.

San Francisco–based designer Maca Huneeus created her family’s weekend retreat near Lake Tahoe with a relaxed, sophisticated sensibility.

An adventurous family envisions a dream getaway on Sweden’s southwestern shore.