Cabins

Subterms

    Latest story

    113 Shares119 Views

    Eight soothing cabin interiors to retreat to this autumn

    by

    Our latest lookbook collects eight cabin interiors united by their calming timber accents and escapist settings, ranging from an English conservation area to a private Norwegian island.

    Typically constructed with wood, cabins are common in rural locations and are often designed as temporary living quarters to provide calming retreats.
    As temperatures begin to drop in the northern hemisphere, we have rounded up eight examples of cosy cabins from across the globe.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring self-designed homes by architects and designers, members’ clubs and conversation pits.
    Photo by Tom AugerCabin, Norway, by Rever & Drage

    Local architecture studio Rever & Drage designed this timber cabin in Norway’s forested Nordmakka region.
    A large angular window cuts through its otherwise traditional form, creating an illuminated interior dressed with simple wooden furniture and steel-topped kitchen counters.
    Find out more about this cabin ›
    Photo is by Raphaël ThibodeauLa Cime, Canada, by Naturehumaine
    La Cime, or The Top, is a woodland holiday cabin in Lanaudière, Québec.
    Canadian studio Naturehumaine designed the one-bedroom “micro chalet” with white-pine panelling on the walls and ceilings, which complements built-in plywood furniture.
    Find out more about La Cime ›
    Photo by Efe OnikinciMonocoque Cabin, UK, by Peter Markos
    Wrapped by an external skin similar to an eggshell, Monocoque Cabin is a self-build off-grid timber structure by architect Peter Markos.
    The cocoon-like Shropshire cabin is punctuated by translucent polycarbonate openings that draw daylight into the interior and illuminate simple but cosy living spaces.
    Find out more about Monocoque Cabin ›
    Photo by Raphaël ThibodeauFarouche Tremblant cabins, Canada, by Atelier l’Abri
    Four rental micro-cabins were built by Canadian studio Atelier l’Abri at the Farouche Tremblant agrotourism site in Québec’s Mon-Tremblant National Park.
    Characterised by traditional A-frame structures that nod to 1950s and 60s architecture, the cabins feature minimalist and neutral interiors.
    Find out more about Farouche Tremblant ›
    Photo by Einar Aslaksen Kjerringholmen, Norway, by Line Solgaard Arkitekter
    Also defined by minimalist, sandy hues, Kjerringholmen is a raised and ash-clad cabin on a small private island in Hvaler, Norway.
    Line Solgaard Arkitekter designed the cabin, which has a pared-back, wood-lined interior and features large rectilinear windows for taking in the dramatic surrounding landscape.
    “The basic concept was to create an escape from city life – a retreat into nature,” explained the studio’s founder Line Solgaard.
    Find out more about Kjerringholmen ›
    Photo is by Jim StephensonThe Hat House, Sweden, by Tina Bergman
    Spruce panels on the walls and end-grain spruce blocks for the floor were applied to the living spaces of this cosy but tall-ceilinged cabin in Tänndalen, western Sweden.
    A boxy, cushioned window seat provides a connection to the forested setting outside. Called The Hat House, the project was designed by London-based architect Tina Bergman.
    Find out more about The Hat House ›
    Photo by Tom BirdLooking Glass Lodge, UK, by Michael Kendrick Architects 
    Located in a conservation area in East Sussex, Looking Glass Lodge is a modestly sized cabin set on a sloping site and built without felling any existing trees.
    Inside, a wood-burning stove was designed with timber sourced from fallen trees nearby. A plump L-shaped sofa and low-slung armchair were positioned to take in floor-to-ceiling views of the wooded site.
    Find out more about Looking Glass Lodge ›

    Bruny Island Cabin, Tasmania, by Maguire + Devin
    Baltic pine lines almost every surface of this off-grid Tasmanian cabin, designed by architecture studio Maguire + Devin to feature only built-in furniture.
    Apart from a freestanding low table and a mattress, every element in the cabin is part of its frame. This highly crafted minimalist design was chosen to reference traditional Japanese houses.
    Find out more about Bruny Island Cabin ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring self-designed homes by architects and designers, members’ clubs and conversation pits.

    Read more: More

    More stories

    • 100 Shares99 Views

      in Rooms

      Suspended bridges connect round cabin hotels in Mexico

      by

      Mexican architect María José Gutiérrez has placed a series of round, pine-clad cabins connected by suspended bridges onto a vineyard in Mexico to serve as vacation rentals.

      Located in Valle de Guadalupe, Ensenada on the Baja Peninsula, Zeuhary Hospedaje Campestre includes a community lounge and four vacation rental cabins.
      Top: photo by Martin Acevedo. Above: the cabins are located in Baja California, Mexico. Photo by Jonatan Ruvalcaba Maciel”Beyond creating spaces we aim to create experiences, where nature and human beings integrate and recognize each other,” María José Gutiérrez, who leads Mexican studio Arqos Arquitectura Arte Y Diseño, told Dezeen.
      “The architecture and interior design were focused on connecting with the environment and maintaining harmony with it.”
      Central bedrooms feature in the round buildingsCompleted in June 2022, the 250 square metres (2,690 square feet) of built area is divided into five 40-square metre (430-square foot) structures that look outward to the surrounding wine region.

      The ground floor of each cabin is divided orthogonally, splitting off a portion for a partially covered exterior porch that leads into the sleeping space through a glass sliding door.
      Their interiors are sectioned into bathrooms along one sideThe interiors were sectioned into a bathroom along one side, a central bedroom and a kitchenette tucked behind the headboard wall.
      “In the furniture and interior decoration, we used organic materials from the region and different areas of the country, earth tones and grey contrasts, crafts, natural fibers, textiles, local wood and stone, recognizing Mexican handicraft talent and tradition,” the studio said.
      “The chukum finish on the interior walls gives an organic texture and helps keep the interiors cool in summer, while the exterior coating of recycled pine wood allows the cabins to be thermally insulated in both winter and summer for greater energy efficiency.”
      Small private gardens feature round jacuzzisThe cabins are all rotated to face a particular northern or eastern view without compromising privacy for the occupants.
      A small planted garden protected by a grey wall rings a quarter of each plan, terminated by a private in-ground jacuzzi, connected to the cabin by a wooden deck with planks that align with the vertical cladding boards as if the facade radiates down the wall and along the ground.
      Rooftop terraces are included atop each cabinUp a delicate metal spiral staircase with wooden treads, the round plan becomes a rooftop terrace complete with a rope net set into the roof of the porch like an integrated hammock.
      A free-swinging wooden bridge with rope netting guard rails is suspended from the roof of each cabin and leads to the roof of the common area, allowing guests to congregate in a central location.

      Dezeen’s top 10 cabins of 2023

      “The circular floor plan of the cabins, together with their transition spaces such as the hanging bridges, wooden paths and spiral staircases generate fluid and dynamic routes which allow us to reconnect with ourselves and awaken our inner child through play and movement,” the studio said.
      In addition to the material selection that responds thermally to the environment, the design works to preserve what little water the agricultural region has, reusing grey water for the irrigation of the vineyards.
      Zeuhary Hospedaje Campestre is positioned within a vineyardOther cabins recently completed in Mexico include a house deconstructed and separated for glamping within a forest in Nuevo León by S-AR and a brutalist cube-shaped holiday home tucked into a pine forest in Alférez by Ludwig Godefroy.
      The photography is by Jonatan Ruvalcaba Maciel unless otherwise stated. 
      Project credits:
      Architect: María José GutiérrezEngineering and construction: Specialized Urban Services

      Read more: More

    • 125 Shares99 Views

      in Rooms

      Ten cabins with cosy interiors that frame views of nature

      by

      From Norway to New Zealand, this lookbook explores rural cabins with cosy living areas that are animated by natural materials and views out over wild landscapes.

      Cabins are a popular building typology with architects all around the world. Typically built from wood, the little shelters are ideally suited as peaceful retreats in remote locations.
      Their small size and the use of organic materials such as wood helps these structures to blend in with natural surroundings, while also creating warm and calming living spaces for inhabitants.
      As demonstrated by this roundup, little else is needed to make a cabin cosy, and keeping their interiors pared-back retains focus on the main event – the views out to nature.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with statement carpets, earthy bedrooms with natural colours and hotel interiors enriched by jewel tones.

      Photo is by James BrittainEnough House, Canada, by Brian MacKay-Lyons
      Dark-stained floorboards complement the light and exposed timber beams and columns of this cabin on a farmstead in Nova Scotia.
      Its living room has large windows for looking out over the rustic landscape but retains a sheltered feel with low ceilings, a soft rug and comfy leather furniture such as the 2 Fauteuil Grand Confort armchair by Le Corbusier.
      Find out more about Enough House ›
      Photo is by Tom BirdLooking Glass Lodge, UK, by Michael Kendrick Architects
      A black fireplace is suspended from the ceiling of this sitting area, located in the Looking Glass Lodge in East Sussex.
      The room has a pared-back design filled with woven furnishings and wooden surfaces, helping to ensure the focus stays on the floor-to-ceiling glazing.
      According to its designer Michael Kendrick Architects, the studio’s aim was to give the cabin “a sense of transparency and belonging within its setting”.
      Find out more about Looking Glass Lodge ›
      Photo is by Jim StephensonThe Hat House, Sweden, by Tina Bergman
      Despite its tall ceilings, The Hat House’s living-dining space has been made to feel snug with its warm material palette dominated by different woods.
      These include spruce panels on the walls and end-grain spruce blocks for the floor. A cushioned window seat allows the owner to immerse themself in the view.
      Find out more about The Hat House ›
      Photo is by Rob MaverBruny Island Cabin, Australia, by Maguire + Devin
      Baltic pine lines almost every surface of this off-grid cabin in Tasmania, designed by Maguire + Devin with references to traditional Japanese houses.
      Nearly every piece of furniture forms a part of the building’s frame, creating a minimalist and uncluttered interior. This includes a raised seating area, positioned beside a pane of glass and finished with a low-lying table and rugs for sitting.
      Find out more about Bruny Island Cabin ›
      Photo is by Stephen GoodenoughBiv Punakaiki, New Zealand, by Fabric Architecture
      Hidden within the rainforest in the coastal village of Punakaiki, this holiday cabin has large spans of glazing that aim to immerse occupants in the landscape.
      Furnishings are few and far between to prevent distracting from the view, but a homely feel is created through the warm and exposed timber structure and mid-20th-century furnishings including a leather butterfly chair.
      Find out more about Biv Punakaiki ›
      Photo is by Jordi HuismanForest Cabin, Netherlands, by The Way We Build
      Arches made of poplar give a chapel-like character to this tiny mobile cabin, located on a campsite in the Robbenoordbos forest in the Netherlands.
      Its compact living area is deliberately simple, furnished with just a writing desk and a wood burner for warmth and offering visitors a meditative space to “rejuvenate close to nature”.
      Find out more about Forest Cabin ›
      Photo is by Marcos ZegersHouse by the Cautín River, Chile, by Iragüen Viñuela Arquitecto
      Iragüen Viñuela Arquitectos opted for dark-stained wood for the interior lining of this ski cabin in Chile, creating a moody yet cosy living area where the outside views take centre stage.
      “The interior of the house, completely covered in black wood, allows a great contrast with the white winter and green summer landscape, and offers an atmosphere of introspection and calm according to the vocation of shelter,” said the studio.
      Find out more about House by the Cautín River ›
      Photo is by Tom AugerCabin Nordmarka, Norway, Rever & Drage
      An angular corner window animates the unadorned living room of Cabin Nordmarka that Rever & Drage recently completed in Norway.
      The green and blue tones of the forested surroundings form a colourful backdrop to the elevated space, which is characterised by light timber planks and matching furniture.
      Find out more about Cabin Nordmarka ›
      Photo is by Rasmus Hjortshøj, CoastThe Author’s House, Denmark, by Sleth
      Landscape studio Sleth designed this writer’s cabin to blend in with its natural setting on the outskirts of Aarhus.
      Douglas fir planks line the living room, creating a cosy retreat for the owner while echoing the surrounding trees. Bookshelves at the base of its gabled profile help reduce the height of the room, making it feel even more snug.
      Find out more about The Author’s House ›

      Bergaliv Landscape Hotel, Sweden, by Hanna Michelson
      This compact wooden cabin nestled in the treetops of a Swedish mountain is one of four designed for the Bergaliv Landscape Hotel.
      Like many other cabins on the list, the interior is simply finished. This draws attention to a wooden L-shaped bench and window seat, designed for visitors to get lost in the views out over the landscape.
      Find out more about Bergaliv Landscape Hotel ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring interiors with statement carpets, earthy bedrooms with natural colours and hotel interiors enriched by jewel tones.

      Read more: More

    • 150 Shares129 Views

      in Rooms

      Swedish forest retreat by Norm Architects is “designed for a simple life”

      by

      Norm Architects has converted a traditional timber cabin, hidden away amongst pine trees in a forest in Sweden, into a pared-back holiday home for families.

      The Copenhagen-based studio took a “back-to-basics” approach when it came to remodelling the two-floor building, which is positioned on top of a ridge.
      Norm Architects has converted a traditional cabin into a minimalist holiday home”Creating homes is often an exercise in restraint,” explained Norm Architects co-founder Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen.
      “And while the creation of a simple, authentic and welcoming space might seem effortless and natural once completed, the journey to simplicity and the exercise of finding essence is often rather complex and not an easy task.”
      The ground floor houses an open-plan living and dining areaOn the home’s ground floor, a cosy sitting room is dressed with a couple of plump greige sofas and a sheepskin-covered lounge chair, created by the practice in collaboration with Danish furniture brand Menu.

      One corner of the room is occupied by a wood burner in the same off-white colour as the walls, which were coated in dolomite plaster.
      Oakwood was used to craft the flooring and cabinetryOn the other side of the ground floor lies a dining area, anchored by a large timber table. Just behind is the kitchen, housing a series of handleless low-lying cupboards crafted from oakwood.
      Oak was also used to form the flooring and all of the doors throughout the cabin, which were designed by Norm Architects to act more like slender cabinet fronts so they don’t take up too much space.
      The doors are finished with circular brass knobs and extend all the way up to the ceiling, in a bid to make the rooms appear loftier.

      Norm Architects conceives Xiamen’s Basao tea parlour as an oasis of calm

      A number of new windows were inserted into the cabin’s facade to allow more natural light into the interiors and reveal views of the towering pine trees outdoors.
      Distributed across the rest of the holiday cabin are enough bedrooms and wash facilities to accommodate two families, as well as a small sauna.
      Slim oak doors lead through to the bedroomsFor larger groups, the project also saw Norm Architects build a new self-contained annexe that can house a third family.
      Here, a raised daybed-cum-window seat was set up directly next to a vast wall of glazing, providing occupants with a place to recline and take in the scenery.
      “Designed for a simple life during both summer and winter months, the cabin is rustic yet refined, only equipped with the necessities when opting for a slow living,” the studio said.
      A large window with an integrated daybed provides views of the forestSweden’s lush natural landscape makes it a popular location for holiday homes.
      Dezeen has previously featured a number of other cabins in the country including Sommarhus T by Johan Sundberg, which takes cues from traditional Japanese architecture, and a seaside villa by Studio Holmber with serene plywood-lined living spaces.
      The photography is by Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen of Norm Architects.

      Read more: More