Former Horse Stable Turned Into A Rustic Dream Home

Apr 8, 2015

A once rotting and abandoned shell of what was once a horse stable has been transformed into this stunning dream home. Designed by Abaton Architects, the home sits nestled between the rolling hills of Spain’s Extremadura region and uses natural, raw exterior materials such as stone and unfinished wood to blend itself with the surrounding landscape.

Cat walks circulate around the upper perimeter of the main living space and allow people to easily move about while preserving the sense of open space.

The open floor plan creates light and airy interior spaces subtly accented by a soft, muted material palette. The main focus seems to be centered on framing the spectacular views.

While the original horse stable proved too decayed to be used as a foundation, you can see how it played a role in the inspiration behind the overall design.

The architect made sure the countryside is always at arms reach by punching tall openings at every opportunity. The home literally spills out into the landscape and locks the grade in place with a series of terraced rock walls, culminating at the bottom with a swimming pool that overlooks the valley floor.

A Family Of Four Fits Comfortably In This Tiny Cabin

Apr 26, 2015

Emerging from a snow covered mountainside in Trollheimen Meldal, Norway is 118 SF of one Norwegian families home away from home. This ski cabin may be small in stature, but it is big in function, nostolgia and old-world charm. The goal was simple: built a low-maintenance structure that used only the modest footprint it needed to provide areas for sleeping, cooking, eating and grooming.

The cabin features sleeping areas for Bendik Manum and Annelise Bjerkanand and their two kids, has no electricity or running water. Low-maintenance is right!

The use of local materials such as low-travel pine for the interior and exterior finishes add to the cabin’s sense of place, and fit in with the family’s vision of crafting a design that embraces its place.

Inside the cabin you’ll find all the comforts of a traditional ski cabin, featuring exposed wood beams, insulated windows and a wood fire stove for low-energy heating. Overhead lofts double as hanging space for clothing and tools. In a space of this size, double duty functionality is essential. Storage madness! This family doesn’t need much, but they have ample space for that which they do. This wood fire stove is about as old-school as it gets. The space is simple, yet charming and elegant. The use of a single finish material gives the space a desired uniformity.photos c/o: Pasi Aalto

Tiny House Built For Adventure & Designed For Comfort

Feb 29, 2016

lewis-and-clarks-tiny-house-montana-4 — The dining area's chalkboard wall would be excellent for planning a day's surveying of the lands over breakfast.

For the price of $104 per night, you can rent the Lewis and Clark Tiny House #1, built on rural Montana property near the banks of Skalkaho Creek. You probably wouldn’t bat an eye should this country cabin bear a sign reading “Lewis and Clark slept here,” but this unpolished, rural dwelling hosts a plethora of modern amenities that would be unrecognizable to the surveyors of lore such are wireless internet; a fully equipped kitchen with a refrigerator, toaster oven, microwave, hot plate, coffee maker, and cookware; a bathroom with a shower/tub, complete with a composting toilet; and a mini gas heater for those cold nights out on the open territory.

The dining area's chalkboard wall would be excellent for planning a day's surveying of the lands over breakfast. — The dining area’s chalkboard wall would be excellent for planning a day’s surveying of the lands over breakfast.

The living room, complete with requisite animal skin rug and a flat-screen TV. The ideal place to unwind or review the additions and revisions you've made to your maps. — The living room, complete with requisite animal skin rug and a flat-screen TV. The ideal place to unwind or review the additions and revisions you’ve made to your maps.

lewis-and-clarks-tiny-house-montana-5 — Just off the living room, one may find the kitchen stocked with pantry essentials such as sugar, coffee, tea, oil, and basic spices.

What was once the dining area has transformed into the bed chamber! Fall into this full-size Murphy bed at the end of a long day of fishing and blazing the trail.

Old Stone House Once Used For Livestock Now Provides A Comfy, Modern Retreat

May 21, 2015

When you look at this house in the Swiss Alps chances are you don’t envision a terribly cozy place to shack up. Perched at 5,000+ feet elevation, the ancient stone cabin was once used to house animals that roamed the hillside. Today it serves a very different purpose thanks to the work of Sabioz Fabrizzi Architects, who restored it into a beautiful place to stay they call the Gaudin House.

They maintained the original character of the structure, retaining the thick stone walls while bringing the interior a completely new look. The inner walls are covered in larch and large panoramic windows allow guests to fully appreciate the mountainous surroundings.

Split over two stories, the Gaudin House now has 800 square feet of living space.

Photos: Thomas Jantscher

Ukranian Design Lab Creates Ultra-Lightweight Timber Cabins

May 18, 2015

Set amid a thick forest in the Ukraine, these sleek guest houses were completed in just two months by YOD design lab. Each cabin was built with lightweight metal frames and no foundation, resulting in a scant 2,200 kilogram weight. Each cabin is positioned on top of a wooden deck, and the low impact design means they don’t harm the landscape.

The sleek black facade on the front contrasts nicely with the natural wood used throughout the build, and the inside is simply appointed yet luxurious.

photography by andrey avdeenko
all images courtesy of YOD design lab

Beautiful Tiny A-Frame Nestled Among The Redwoods

Sep 1, 2015

Drive north of San Francisco a few hours and you enter a part of California that’s unlike most of the rest of the state. The sandy beaches are replaced by rocky shores, and the vast desert plains by lush rolling hills filled with massive Redwoods. This little A-frame seems like the perfect escape, located just a short drive from the Sonoma Coast and some historic old towns.

1 of 17

Interested in staying at this beautiful little A-Frame? You can rent it via Airbnb.

19 Beautiful Forest Cabins That Will Make You Wish You Were A Hobbit

Sep 5, 2015

Forest cabins hold a special place in many of our hearts. There is a calm serenity, a quiet solitude, a comforting familiarity that accompanies a rustic old cottage. For your viewing pleasure, here is a collection of 19 such structures, all neatly tucked into their surrounding canopy of elms, oaks, maples and pines. Enjoy!

Someone definitely wrote a novel here.

Just stop with that sun perfectly filtering through the trees.

I guess Fall is when you take pictures of your cabin.

Lights, camera, cabin!

No cabin is complete without a creepy, overgrown driveway.

Hobbit party.

If there isn’t a German living in there, I’ll give you a thousand dollars (I won’t, actually).

Every forest cabin needs a pool. Wait, what?

For the modernly inclined forest dweller.

Abe Lincoln would be proud.

No swing? You call that a porch?

Pretty run of the mill, right? Get it?

I got nothing.

Be one with the forest.

Ghost face cabin.

Use the forest, Luke. Use the forest.

Did I already use my ‘mill’ pun?

Peeping Tom’s cabin.

All that’s missing is an ogre and a talking donkey.

This Cabin Is Missing Something All Buildings Have, And It Rocks Because Of It

Jun 6, 2015

Who needs doors, right? That’s exactly what Nat Cheshire of Cheshire Architects said when he designed this pair of isolated structures off the coast of New Zealand. The cabins are completely open air and can be entered via a large square opening that steps you down into the main living area. The interiors are simple and clean, utilizing the warmth of native wood to tie the spaces to the adjacent landscape.

There is modesty and serenity in the way the buildings are anchored to the hillside. A quick glance would make them seem as if they were dark boulders jutting up and out of the grassy plains that carpet the surrounding countryside. They become a part of the iconic terrain rather than fight to visually overpower it. This harmony is echoed by the openness that results from having no doors. Protection might be limited, but the visceral experience is not.

Old Meets New In This Stunning Ancient Stone Home Remodel

Mar 20, 2015

Some of the most emotionally visceral architectural achievements are a result of a properly handled adaptive re-use. Blending the old with the new is a delicate exercise in restraint and creativity. So when one comes around that achieves such a sought-after level of success, we feel the obligation to share it with you.

1 of 16

Wespi de Meuron Romeo Architects renovated this ancient stone building, which has long-since resided in a historic and picturesque Swiss village. The rustic, monolithic shell provided an apt base of inspiration for the architect to draw upon when designing the interiors and carving openings into its facades. Although there is much that is new, contemporary and modern to be found inside, you are never far removed from the history that exists in what remains of the stone ruins.

This project shows us the importance of our history, and to take the time to appreciate where we’ve come from as we move to where we are going.

photo credit: Hannes Henz

10+ Rustic Hand Built Little Cabins We Adore

Mar 17, 2015

1Kevins Tiny House

A very unique tiny home that includes a large sliding panel in the front and plenty of rustic charm throughout. Check it out.

2Rustic Guest Cabin Makeover

This Socal barn was reborn as a classy rustic cabin.

3Topanga Cabin

A simple cabin built for weekend getaways and surfing trips. Check it out.

4Pocket Shelter

Situated outside Asheville, NC you’ll find this gorgeous tiny house on wheels built by Aaron Maret. Check it out.

5Humble Abode

This tiny house was built entirely from salvaged materials and shows off incredible detail. Check it out.

6Japanese Forest Home

Perhaps one of our favorites is this secret getaway, built entirely by hand using locally milled wood. Check it out.

7Sauvie Island Cabin

This 300sf cabin located on a farm is available for rent and guests are treated to fresh milk, eggs, and homemade bread, not to mention an amazing setting. Check it out.

8Timberclad Surfer Cabin

When two brothers wanted to build a special retreat for their families, they ended up with this clifftop cabin. They worked with WMR Architects to design a low-impact home on a budget. Check it out.

9Freecycled Cabin On Puget Sound

Olson Kundig is not stranger to eco-friendly designs with a big wow factor, and this cabin built using mostly salvaged material is no exception. Check it out.

10Wheelhaus Caboose

This stylish “park model” RV remains in its own class, and with a perfect combination of rustic elegance and modern finishes. Check it out.