Ski Cabin Renovation

It's rustic, raw and weathered on the outside.  A killer little ski cabin that just needed some love.  A nice clean-up on the exterior.  There is no need to over do it.  Stabilize the structure and let is show off it's rugged character.  On the flip side, once you step inside it's a completely different story.  A sleek, smooth modern vibe that keeps it simple yet very refined.  Clean lines, light tones and a kickass view no matter what season it is.

via homedsgn

The Portable Cottage

Summer is quickly slipping away and it's probably time (or past time) to shut the cottage down.  Check this simple little alternative.  It's a portable cottage.  How genius is this?  This particular beach, located off the northern coast of New Zealand (Coromandel Peninsula) requires houses to be mobile.  Keep it simple.  Keep it clean.  A killer design that flows so well with its natural surroundings.  From the weathered hardwoods that fold and collapse to either open up or shield the space depending on occupancy to the cozy, compact interior and overall ease of mobility.  The structure is anchored to a steel sled that can be towed right off site.  Perfect.  See ya next season.

You can also check this post over at Fred Flare.

via Remodelista

Roll Out!

They're called the "Rolling Huts".  A property owners way of accommodating out-of-town family and friends.  Where can we sign up?  These are badass.  A rustic and raw cluster of camping pods designed to capture the killer mountain views and preserve the natural landscape.  Minimal in the material selection yet so clean and well crafted.  The huts are composed of plywood, steel, concrete and glass.  You can also check this post over at Fred Flare.

via homedsgn

Black Tea

 A calming, relaxing little villa designed for enjoying a cup of tea.  A truly unique structure complete with a green roof, sliding interior panels and charred wood cladding.  Embracing and blending with the natural surroundings.  Simple yet so well crafted.

The burnt look is fresh whether you run with it on the interior or exterior.

via Contemporist

Fishing Cabin

Another fine dwelling put out by Olson Kundig Architects. Never afraid to go big. They have certainly mastered the modern urban style. Minimal in details and at times industrial. It's definitely a "go to" for me when it comes to design inspiration.

This fishing cabin sits at just 350 square feet however, it carries such a larger presence with some of the exterior details. The slight elevation above grade and the massive overhangs and cantilevers all add to that feeling.

Structurally framed and clad in an unfinished steel. The structure can also be shielded from the elements with the huge, badass sliding panels.

via Freshome

Camping Pods

Glorified camping. Check these custom pods. A unique, eco-friendly, custom residence for a family that grew up with a passion for the area.

Three individual, distinctive pods for bathing, sleeping and living were all fabricated off site as to not to disturb the natural surrounds and then carefully integrated with the roof structure and deck system once delivered.

Indoor/outdoor living highlighted with some killer local custom hardwoods and corrugated metal cladding.

Energy efficient by design. This place is fully equipped with rainwater storage tanks, solar hot water and electrical panels and community water recycling.

via Fresh Home

Norway Cottage

A rustic, recycled boathouse/summer cottage off the northwest coast of Norway. This little custom gem replace an original structure that dated back to the 1800's.

The bulk of the weight is distributed across a series of steel beams that have been engineered and designed to incorporate the existing bedrock. Such a cool look with the hanging fire pot and the actual bedrock serving as a little sitting area.

A tight shot showing the detail of the custom shutters. I like the choice in materials, from the rusted, ribbed steel to the lapping of the soft pine. A subtle industrial vibe.

Dual purpose. Providing shade and allowing the breeze to flow through.

A sweet view from the water looking back at the cottage. I love the design in the barn doors. It's just enough to catch your eye as the weathered and worn look of the structure seems to mesh so well with the surrounding landscape.

photos via designboom

Farmhouse Tower

This is just fresh. I've posted in the past on 'vertical living' and this is yet another example that I think is so unique. A sweet blend of farmhouse modern. This little gem is located in a farming town in the Sacramento Valley.

The design was inspired by water towers and small sheds that scatter the farmland. The owners also wanted to the place to be mobile so the main living cabin was slightly elevated off the ground and built up on piers. It also allows air to circulate keeping the space cool.

The 360 degree view from the top of the tower. Perfect and so relaxing.

via homedsgn.com

Cabin Interior

An interior snapshot with a few random details. This place is very cool and so well planned out from design and function to coordination of construction (see details and more photos here). The architect is Alex Scott Porter Design. She designed the place for her father, a journalist and retired professor. I like the use of all of these finishes. It's both rustic and industrial all rolled into one from the cattle fence and the black gas pipe handrail to the exposed electrical boxes. You can't go wrong with the knotty pine in any type of cottage either.

photos via Dwell

Modern A-frame Cottage

This cottage (or lake house) reminds me of a modern take on an A-frame style house. We see a ton of them in northern parts of Michigan with the amount of snow that can accumulate in those areas. The traditional A-frame with the steep sloped roof helps to keep the snow from piling up on the roof over the course of some long winters.

On the interior they used all plywood and just painted it white from the floor to the walls. It's simple and low maintenance - cottage all the way. Throw in an old school wood burner, grab some local wood and you have your heat for the winter.

The cottage has the large glass wall (shown in the top photo) opening up to the lake which I'm sure provides a sweet view. I also think that it's important to take into consideration which direction the natural light will come from and how much shade you will have. These few things can go a long way in helping determine finishes and how you heat and cool the place.

A cool use of exterior materials with the cedar shake and adding color to the few windows in this place. A nice way to make a little statement or add that pop when it seems as though the winter months can bring not just snow but a ton of gray. It's so low maintenance using the natural cedar shingles, perfect for a cottage on the water.

photos by Jens Rotzsch via Arch Daily

Just a Cabin in Idaho

Chicken Point Hayden, Idaho

This caught my eye not just because of the name Chicken Point Cabin or out of control 30 foot window-wall but just the simplicity of the design elements. When I think of a cabin, I envision a low maintenance, rustic type structure. They did exactly just that with these 3 low maintenance materials, concrete block, plywood and steel. This article in Residential Architect magazine talks a little bit more about the architects ideas behind the design.

If you follow this link to the architects site you can also play some videos and see exactly how this window wall works.