Suzanne and Brooks Kelley at the back of their 1,100-square-foot guest cottage.

An orange front door add a bold splash of color to the otherwise monochromatic exterior.

Lyne Pedneault and Stéphane Rousseau turned to Montreal's Blouin Tardif Architecture-Environnement to design a 1,900-square-foot getaway in Sainte-Adèle, Quebec, northwest of Montreal. By tucking three bedrooms and a full bath on the ground floor, the architects were able to preserve the second level as an open space for living, cooking, dining, and working.

The kitchen is tucked away behind one of the cedar volumes, adjacent to the porch.

Most of the windows are on the eastern side, offering an expansive view of the rolling hills below.

The porch off the kitchen helps the family connect with its surroundings.

The pitched metal roof and dark-stained eastern cedar shingles ground the building in the lush surrounding landscape.

The great room also includes a dining area and a work space. The floors were made with locally sourced oak.

The great room is defined by two volumes, each clad in eastern cedar. One holds a steel fireplace and the second houses functional spaces—a washroom, pantry, and part of the kitchen.

Architects: Kirsten Murray, Tom Kundig

Low-impact materials were also used for the interior design, which is comprised primarily of concrete, glass, stone, wood, and steel. A palette of mostly light and neutral shades puts the attention on the views.

The bedroom’s vertical, floor-to-ceiling window lets occupants admire the graceful trees outside. A Mini Tolomeo lamp by Artemide sits on the bedside table.

Buyers should cast as wide a net as possible in terms of location and amenities.

A lofted sleeping space furnished with a king size Design Within Reach American Modern bed was made possible when the architects raised the ceiling to create a triangular skylight. The move carved out enough headroom to make the second-floor space usable, while still keeping the cottage in compliance with strict local zoning rules for “accessory” buildings.

The project’s unique challenges—a tight budget and steep, difficult terrain—led architecture firm _naturehumaine to a creative solution that gave the house its delightfully sculptural appearance. Making the first floor’s envelope slightly narrower than the top one’s saved money while minimizing the amount of excavation required.

The architects stuck to a gray-scale color palette, installing slate tile floors that softly contrast with the white walls and Eames dining chairs. “It lets the views out the windows become the focus,” Dworkind explains. Doses of pure black accent important features, like the central wall that divides the kitchen and master bedroom behind it from the main living space.

At one end of the L-shaped terrace, interior designer Martine Brisson included room for a full outdoor kitchen so the family could prepare meals without stepping inside during the warmer months.

On an island 20 miles off the coast of Maine, a writer, with the help of his daughter, built not only a room, but an entire green getaway of his own.

The new upper floor holds three bedrooms and a balcony overlooking the structure's wooded surroundings. The house totals 1,850 square feet.

The kitchen cabinets and fixtures are all sourced from Swan Cuisines. The trashcan is by Vipp. The architects opted to install only a small stove with no oven, as the garden already has a fireplace.

This 3,200-square-foot structure was assembled with a prefabricated foundation, concrete panel siding, and efficient built-ins, minimizing construction debris and toxins—such as concrete foundation tar—on the site.

Key to the space-efficient floor plan is a strategically placed set of recessed areas, includingthe sleeping nook and writing desk.

Architecture firm _naturehumaine designed a dream hideaway in eastern Quebec, complete with a centralized fireplace. The modern fireplace was built into a custom, multi-purpose cabinet welded from sheets of hot-rolled steel. It stores firewood on one end with an open shelve, holds a TV, and even acts as a guardrail for the staircase.

In the bathroom, the architects mounted a Kohler sink on a sloped, custom-slate countertop. Since the stone doesn’t hold up well in water, the architect switched to black mosaic tile in the shower. The faucets are from Cabano’s Century series.

In the kitchen, the architects reigned in the house’s high ceilings for a more intimate feel; its lower height also tastefully hides unsightly ducting necessary for ventilation. Beneath the bar sit two Kaysa Black Bar Stools by Baxton Studio. A Gessi faucet complements a Blanco Modex sink.

The home’s lower level serves as a garage, allowing direct access to the house.

“The roof terrace accessed from the master bedroom is the sunniest place, naturally,” said Tremblay. A custom-made bed by Boom Town, Tremblay’s firm, is outfitted with linens by Kravet. Outdoor seating is by Jardin de Ville.

The staircase was built using standard wood frame construction with plywood treads. Each step was then covered with a thin sheet of folded steel that outlines its angled profile.

The new patio space is used as a semi-enclosed yard, allowing for privacy within a comfortable, urban space. The terrace is covered in light gray marine plywood, which is resistant to Quebec’s harsh seasons. The orange Chaise Solaire chair is by Fabio Fabiano and Michelange Panzini.

An Emily quartz bathtub by Caml-Tomlin is surrounded by Ceragres’ fade and frammenti tile.

“We wanted as much built-in storage as we could fit in order to maximize the space and not have furniture getting in the way.” —Jonny Bauer, resident

The design eschews right angles on the exterior and interior, which was one of the most challenging aspects of the design for Kallesø.

"We felt it was important to create continuity with nature, rather than compete with it," Soranno stated. "The connection with nature is what makes this place special."

This dwelling joins a number of structures—such as a boathouse and guesthouse—owned by one family and used for vacations. They needed a new house to accommodate new generations at the reatreat.

The home’s geometric silhouette echoes the classic typology of the region’s gable roof barns. “We took our inspiration from this vernacular architecture and re-interpreted it with a contemporary twist,” Dworkind says.

Driven by data found on the site, the architects decided to merge the traditional red wooden cottage archetype with the modern box home.