This clever five-bedroom house is a conversion of a former water reservoir in Sidmouth, south-west England. Its unusual structure features swathes of glass walls, allowing light to stream into the unconventional interior.
Previously on sale for £925,000 ($1m), the home towers above the central courtyard which is lined with floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating each individual living space. The structure has been dug into the ground to maintain a low profile and protect the homeowner's privacy.
Outside, the grounds of the house feature a raised pond, a covered barbeque area and a garden store. Framing the property, dense woodlands extend to almost an acre, making this a truly luxurious remote retreat.
From a distance, this beautiful country home is cleverly camouflaged amid its surroundings. Entirely covered in ivy, the property, known as The Palladio, is positioned on a hilltop plot in Arcadia, a rural suburb of Sydney, Australia, and dates back to the early 1990s.
The camouflaged crib pays homage to Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio, whose buildings were renowned for their classical proportions and symmetry. Surrounded by magnificent gardens, the estate has two dams, a self-contained guest house, a pool house and a fitness centre, as well as the main ivy-clad residence.
The single-storey brick home offers a light and free-flowing interior, with a large entrance gallery, an open-plan lounge, a dining room, a kitchen, three bedrooms and three bathrooms. There are plenty of striking period fixtures throughout too, such as doors dating back to the 18th century, antique fireplaces, parquet flooring and ornate columns.
Extensive glass doors open up to the leafy garden, where a mosaic-lined swimming pool, pretty courtyards, a championship-sized tennis court and various alfresco entertaining spaces can be found. In December 2019, the house sold for just under AUD$3.2 million, which equates to £1.8 million ($2.1m).
Partially submerged under a hillside, this unique Earthship lies in Springfield, Missouri, and from the front, it's hard to recognise it as a house at all. Yet walk around the back and this contemporary home is revealed...
The brutally beautiful bunker-style home spans 2,500 square feet and boasts a natural green roof and walls of glass. The front door sits at the top of the hillside, while the entrance hall leads down into the property's depths, where a series of underground rooms can be found.
Despite being nestled inside the hillside, the underground home is surprisingly light and inviting, with exposed concrete ceilings, structural columns and a monochrome colour palette. The three-bedroom, three-bath home comes complete with a kitchen, a living room, a dining zone and a laundry room.
There are plenty of unique architectural details throughout, including circular roof lights, rotund walls and port hole windows. Outside there's a spacious yard, a firepit and a dining patio. If you fancy spending the night here, you can rent out the one-of-a-kind holiday home on Airbnb.
Over in the Mexican state of Morelos, you'll find Casa Meztitla, an award-winning masonry home that gently blends in with its surroundings. Situated close to a natural reserve, the ancient El Tepozteco Aztec temple and the rugged terrain of the El Tepozteco National Park, the house was architecturally designed to reflect its environment.
The property is formed from rustic stone, concrete and large glass doors that pivot open to connect the interior with the mountainous landscape beyond. Partially nestled beneath the earth, some of the rooms are located underground, while others are elevated, resulting in a broken-plan layout that makes for an unusual interior design.
Head inside and you'll find a lounge, a dining zone, three bedrooms and four bathrooms. Every space is enhanced by the floor-to-ceiling glass, while raw stone, concrete and modern furnishings add to its one-of-a-kind aesthetic.
The master bedroom is perhaps the finest room in the house. With its subterranean design, open shower and private courtyard space, it's the ultimate tranquil oasis. What's more, outside there's a lap pool, a solar-heated Jacuzzi that faces the mountain, an open-air kitchen and numerous terraces for outdoor dining.
This charming mountain hideaway can be found on a scenic lot overlooking the coastline of La Peña in Andalucía, Spain. The rural home is minutes from the beach but occupies a quiet hillside plot that allows for total off-the-grid seclusion. In fact, from the top of the hill, you can hardly see the house submerged amongst the grass.
Thanks to its beautiful living spaces, dazzling views and unusual design, the house has been featured in the likes of Elle Decor, Elle Traveller and The Times. Up close, you can really take in its rustic yet contemporary aesthetic, which includes a unique angular roofline.
Inside, the 753-square-foot property comprises an open-plan living room, a dining room, kitchen, double bedroom, bunk room and single bathroom. Every space benefits from stunning original interior features, such as raw stone walls, sloping timber ceilings, concrete floors and steel-framed windows.
There are plenty of one-of-a-kind design elements throughout too, such as the Hobbit-style door that leads into the children’s bedroom. Outside, there’s a garden with a shaded lounge area, an alfresco dining zone, a plunge pool and even an outdoor shower for rinsing off after the beach. Available to rent on Airbnb, this chic rural retreat is as inviting as it is innovative.
When Stockholm-based architect Hans Murman of Murman Arkitekter and his partner Ulla Alberts decided to build a country retreat on the island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea, the house had to overcome a particular design challenge. The island's local authority decreed that no modern architecture should spoil the landscape so they came up with an ingenious solution to help this house disappear into a grove of trees.
The house uses a double façade with a printed vinyl cloth stretched around the entirety of the timber building. Steel rods hold the fabric 40 centimetres away from the wood cladding, with parts of the screen extending out to hide private areas such as the outdoor shower. Inside the cladding has been painted white with sliding doors seamlessly connecting the outside with the interior.
The evergreen trees that were used on the printed pattern also reach just one foot away from certain parts of the 538-square-foot house, which further blends the straight edges into the natural surroundings. The screen is translucent, allowing light to pass in and out of the small windows on the two end walls.
With typical Scandi elegance and restraint, this house manages to be both perfectly in line with the wooded landscape from the outside and cosy and stylish inside. The larger windows and inner courtyard are positioned to be completely private, and generous sliding glass doors on the western façade are used as the main entrance.
Designed by Jack Woolley, this house in south London looks like nothing more than a brick wall at first glance. Once a garden plot, the unassuming residential spot shelters a rather unique dwelling, tucked just out of sight.
Named the Spiral House, the property twists in on itself, with the surrounding brick boundary wall spiralling in to create the property's single-storey structure. Inside, the remarkable feat of architecture features nearly 1,000 square feet of modern living space.
With the house sitting slightly below ground level, the courtyard features gently sloping steps that lead up to street level. Bi-folding doors complete the design, blurring the line between the terrace and the large living and dining area.
The façade of the house slopes upwards, framing the best possible view of the breathtaking mountain ranges on the other side of the valley. Now a holiday rental, it's the perfect place for keen skiers or simply those who want to escape the hustle and bustle.
The property's surprisingly spacious interior has been furnished with the work of many local Dutch designers, which has resulted in contemporary living spaces accented with eclectic statement pieces.
Nestled into an alcove in south-eastern Utah, this prehistoric-looking cave house is only 20 minutes from a local town, despite appearing as though it's in the middle of remote desert shrubland.
Constructed in 1986, the property was designed to imitate traditional Anasazi cliff dwellings. It's pretty cosy on the inside, and even comes with its very own mature orchard and vineyard—just in case living in a cave doesn't quite cut it.
The vast majority of the property is cut into the natural rock, however, floor-to-ceiling windows ensure rooms are bright and airy. Although the property is completely off-grid, it boasts all the amenities required for modern living, from solar panels for energy to a phone line and Wi-Fi.
Designed for the picturesque fields of Hampshire in south-east England, this unusual design looks almost like an eye embedded in the landscape from above. The land, complete with planning permission for the construction of this extraordinary eco house, sold for £1.8 million ($2m). Now, that's not much for your own subterranean haven now is it?
This is a truly subterranean house. As you approach the driveway, the house will be almost completely hidden from view and barely visible from all angles—including from the air—as it merges seamlessly into the landscape.
Inside, the south-facing kitchen will be perfectly positioned to get the best of the day's light, while the whole building was sited to maximise the position of the sun, all day, every day. The six-bedroom home will feature tunnel access from the garage, a natural swimming pool and a decked sun area.
Known as the Esherick MiniMod, this concealed crib is barely visible between the towering Redwood trees that surround it. Located in Sea Ranch in Sonoma County, California, the unique woodland home was designed to provide seclusion, privacy and the ultimate connection with nature.
The cosy cabin was designed by the famed architect Joseph Esherick and has featured in the likes of Monocle Magazine and Curbed, thanks to its eye-catching aesthetic. Constructed in 1968, the tiny home boasts a rustic timber exterior and a compact interior that spans just 684 square feet.
Despite its minimal footprint, the tiny home packs plenty in. There’s a lounge, a dining zone, a kitchen, a home office, three bedrooms and one bathroom. The rooms are decorated with art by the likes of Barbara Stauffacher Solomon and Anthony Burrill, as well as mid-century furnishings and original architectural details, including brick fireplaces, unique built-in cabinetry, wood ceilings and a hand-crafted staircase.
The property sits on the edge of the Timber Ridge Trail, so you can enjoy endless walks in the heart of the countryside. Plus, outside there’s a hot tub and a patio, allowing the lucky residents to bathe or dine while soaking up the scenery. If this is clandestine living, then we're happy to remain unseen!
Known as The WonderINN Mirrored Glass Cabin, this secluded retreat is almost invisible among the trees. Nestled in the region of Akershus, Norway, not too far from the hustle and bustle of Oslo, the property is surrounded by a tranquil nature reserve and boasts a partially mirrored exterior that reflects the surrounding scenery, allowing the cabin to blend right in.
The magnificent mirrored home was designed by couple Jeremy and Erle, who, after living in a campervan for six months, decided to move to Norway and start WonderINN—a company that specialises in offering architectural gems in the heart of nature. This property is just one of many the couple has curated around the world, including the iconic Panorama Lodge in Iceland.
Inside, the micro home offers pared-back interior design, walls of glass and everything you could need for a cosy night away, including a kitchen, dining zone, bathroom and double bedroom.
The master bedroom is perhaps the most impressive space, thanks to its unobstructed views across the waterfront below. Head outside and there's also a staggered terrace, a hot tub and an alfresco dining area where you can enjoy your morning coffee. This gorgeous tiny home is definitely a hidden gem!
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