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10 Modern Cabin Designs

Cabins these days buck the trend of just being homely structures used for protection against the elements. In recent years, cabins have been given the same dues that traditional houses get during the design process, and they’re pretty incredible. Take a look at 10 of our favorite modern cabin designs.

12.09.15 | By
10 Modern Cabin Designs

Balance Associates, Architects designed the Glen Lake cabin high on a hilltop nestled above a lake in Michigan. The owners were looking for a sustainable retreat that offered modern digs and reflected the simple comforts of the area.

Photo by Jim Van Gundy

Photo by Jim Van Gundy

The Winthrop, Washington-located Methow Cabin, by Eggleston|Farkas Architects, sits within an empty meadow near cross-country ski trails, and despite its modest size, it accommodates 6-8 people.

Photo courtesy of Jaanus Orgusaar

Photo courtesy of Jaanus Orgusaar

The NOA Garden House, by Jaanus Orgusaar, is a 6-sided cabin built in Ida-Viru County, Estonia as an adaptable and sustainable residence for a multitude of environments. The nature of the design allows for additional modules to be added for extra space.

Photo by Mark Giglio

Photo by Mark Giglio

With a wing-like roofline, this cabin, by Agathom Co., located on an exposed archipelago in Canada’s Georgian Bay, is set far away from the nearest road and had to be designed to withstand the brutal winds.

Modern-Cabin-10-nido-by-robin-falck-sipoo-finland

Remember when we covered this tiny cabin in Finland built for under $10,500 in materials? It’s still mind-blowing how spacious 128 square feet can feel!

Photo by Paul Warchol

Photo by Paul Warchol

E. Cobb Architects designed this 1200 square foot cabin hidden within the woods of Lopez Island, part of Washington State’s San Juan Islands, and built it to be efficient, compact, and durable.

Photo courtesy of Johnston Architects

Photo courtesy of Johnston Architects

From Johnston Architects, the Orcas Island Cabin is situated on Orcas Island in the San Juan Islands and comes with a massive deck overhang that adds extra square footage onto the cabin to enjoy the warmer months, while also protecting it from the sun.

This lakeside cabin in Chicken Point, Idaho was designed by Olson Kundig Architects as a box-like house with a garage-style window that pivots up so the residents can enjoy the view.

Photo copyright RES4

Photo copyright RES4

Another atypical, modern cabin but this one’s location is in Jamaica, Vermont, isolated within the Green Mountain National Forest and designed by Resolution: 4 Architecture. The prefab acts as an off-the-grid retreat for a Brooklyn couple with three grown children.

Photo courtesy AtelierOslo

Photo courtesy AtelierOslo

The Norderhov Cabin, located in Norway, was commissioned as a weekend home for an Oslo couple who hired AtelierOslo to design this retreat in the forest with views of the Steinsfjorden.

Caroline Williamson is Editor-in-Chief of Design Milk. She has a BFA in photography from SCAD and can usually be found searching for vintage wares, doing New York Times crossword puzzles in pen, or reworking playlists on Spotify.