If homes on terra firma don't quite do it for you, then these awe-inspiring properties are sure to do the trick. Perched precariously on the edge of sky-high clifftops or rocky pinnacles, these houses promise astounding views across some of nature's best vistas – but they're not for the faint of heart.

Click or scroll to see inside homes with a head for heights...

As luxurious as it is dramatic, Cove 3 sits on a clifftop estate in Pezula, in the heart of South Africa's scenic Garden Route.

The team at SAOTA designed the custom-built property to be integrated into the topography of the surrounding environment, with everything (including the colour palette) chosen to maintain "a seamless connection with landscape and ocean".

The brief was to create a holiday home for a Johannesburg-based family, who would eventually move permanently to the property, therefore it had to be comfortable, luxurious and practical.

To ensure the house sat neatly on its sloping site, the architects designed a single living space with a single roof element floating over the top. "The roof is set at a sufficiently high level so that it is out of one’s line of sight from the living space, creating the illusion that one is sitting in the landscape, rather than in a room looking out into a landscape," chief architect, Greg Truen, said of the scheme.

A large triangular cut-out in the roof provides a further connection to the sky. With all that glass, something had to be done to protect the home from overheating, so a midlevel horizontal sunscreen was added to the double-height glass façade, while the skylight is protected by a timber screen. Special performance glass was also utilised.

The interior stretches a staggering 11,398 square feet (1,059sqm) and almost all of the rooms benefit from jaw-dropping ocean scenery, thanks to the extensive use of glass. As for materials, the home blends concrete, titanium zinc, timber, stone and exposed aggregate, to allow the building to fade into the landscape as it ages. 

Orientated to face the view, there's a living room, a kitchen and a dining space, as well as a private lounge and master bedroom on a mezzanine level. It's also a very green home, boasting a rainwater harvesting system, a heat pump and underfloor heating. 

Aptly named 'Air', this conceptual transparent cabin appears to be floating in space. Designed by Kyiv-based architect and designer, Victoria Yakusha of Yakusha Design, the glass home was conceived to "create a feeling of improbability". 

The property is anchored into the very edge of a cliff face, overlooking the ocean, thanks to a tall, vertical pillar made of recycled concrete. The central pillar is wrapped in straw, enabling it to blend in with its wild surroundings.

The pillar is the main piece of structural engineering, securing the building in place. However, it doesn't take up a lot of interior space – its narrow form acts merely as an internal wall to separate the living spaces.

Natural ventilation is provided through opening flaps in the roof, while water and sewage systems are hidden inside the central wall.

With all-glass walls, the 517-square-foot (48sqm) cabin has a very minimalist design, with only essential furnishings and features. The layout is open and free-flowing and there's a living area, a kitchen, a bedroom and a bathroom.

This CGI image shows the contemporary bathroom. While you may think it wouldn't be suitable for anyone modest, this space features special glass that can be turned transparent or opaque at the touch of a button.

Privacy can also be achieved thanks to an integrated blind system that wraps the entire perimeter of the cabin.

Situated in the village of Pucusana, in the Lima Province of Peru, this incredible, gravity-defying home was designed to perfectly suit its rugged plot. The home was curated by Juan Carlos Domenack of Domenack Arquitectos and occupies one of the highest points of the cliff.

Built into its sloping site, over a series of levels, the house benefits from double access, from the lower part and the highest part, where a parking area can be found.

The main entrance hall and living spaces of the house sit half a floor below the parking area, while the master bedroom is located on its very own floor, right at the top of the property.

Inside, a series of staircases connect each of the home's various levels, with the communal spaces in the middle of the floorplan. A box-like master bedroom hoovers over the bay, while a couple of children's bedrooms are positioned on the bottom floor, ensuring privacy for the entire family.

Inside, there's 4,305 square feet (400sqm) of space, allowing plenty of room for four people to live harmoniously together.

Known as Casa P2 Poseidón, the property also benefits from an infinity-style terrace, that seems to almost drop away into the ocean. There's a sitting area and a pool that's perfect for soaking up the scenery.

As for the home's material and colour palette, it was chosen to allow the house to softly melt into its surroundings.

Nestled on a steep hillside, 262 feet (80m) above the Pacific Ocean in Navidad, Chile, Casa La Tagua was designed by Croxatto and Opazo Architects as an awe-inspiring holiday home. 

Manufactured from reclaimed timber, the coastal cabin was treated with petroleum oil, creating a protective barrier against marine corrosion.

With the appearance of a lookout tower, the house is one of two on the hillside and both were designed to "dominate the steep slope and blend in with the surrounding nature," Archdaily explains. 

Formed from a series of stacked cubes to minimise their impact on the environment, both cabins sit on hidden platforms, supported by pressure-impregnated wood, while their narrow forms ensure they're protected against the area's blustery winds.

Casa La Tagua spans just 269 square feet (25sqm) but features everything someone could need for an unforgettable weekend away. There's a lounge, dining room, bathroom and kitchen.

In both of these beautiful cabins, the master bedroom is located on the upper level and is accessible via a vertical ladder. Huge picture windows frame unbelievable scenery, making any occupant feel like they're sleeping outside.

However, it's all about what's going on outside. To make the most of the coastline, Casa La Tagua comes complete with a terrace, where lucky guests can sit and soak up the sunset.

Fancy spending the night suspended from the hillside? You can book your stay anytime you like!

Designed by the founder of LAAV Architects, Laertis-Antonios Ando Vassiliou, Maralah is a minimalistic conceptual cliff cabin designed for an exclusive project with Infiniti Motors Limited in collaboration with ADD Architects.

Maralah translates to 'he/she who was born during an earthquake' from the language of Canada's First Nations people.

Designed as an isolation cabin that's ideal for a weekend retreat away from busy city life, the structure is an architectural tribute to iconic US architects, Frank Lloyd Wright and John Lautner.

Partly cantilevered over the dramatic cliff edge and partially built into the rock, the cabin has just under 500 square feet (46.5sqm) of living space.

The fully glazed bedroom, shower and toilet, which are six steps below the main living space, hang precariously over the cliff edge with views out over the Bow River.

Made from raw concrete, glass and matt black steel, the jaw-dropping home looks as though it has merged out of the ground during an earthquake, hence its name.

Cubed in shape, Maralah has been rotated 45 degrees to fit into the cliff edge disturbing the profile of the rock when viewed from above.

Hidden underground, the roof is partly submerged and planted to blend in with the surrounding landscape.

Designed by Iranian architect Milad Eshtiyaghi Suspended House is still in the concept stages, but it could hold the key to architecture that not only respects its environment, but that takes up minimal land, too.

Held in position using two categories of cables, one that bears the weight of gravity and another that withstands lateral and upward wind forces, the dangling property appears to float on its rocky pinnacle.

The house was designed in two sections, the dwelling itself and a rear mast, there for structural support. The mast slopes slightly, a design detail added due to the climate of the home’s proposed location in Mendocino, California.

The slope not only increases stability, allowing the property to brace itself against wind, but provides an added visual layer.

Speaking about the project, Eshtiyaghi said he wanted the house to allow any occupants to “experience different sensations”, including “the feeling of fear and excitement” while looking out, and the feeling of "calm and cosy" while relaxing inside.

The property certainly does both, thanks to its incredible cantilevered design and wall-to-wall glass.

Designed for a couple, the bedroom is open to the elements with glass floors, so any occupant will experience feelings of weightlessness like they are floating in the air. Other spaces include glass 'holes' in the floor, offering breathtaking downward views.

Designed for those seeking something truly unique, Suspended House could never be for the faint of heart.

Nestled on a cliff ledge, at an altitude of 3,937 feet (1,199m) above sea level, lies a home so engrained with its environment, that you might not even be able to spot it.

The unusual residence is located just above the city of Akoura in Lebanon and was designed by Youssef Tohme Architects & Associates, for a client who was seeking a break from busy urban life.

The architects describe SC Villa as a house that "establishes an extreme and direct relationship with the mountains", and we can certainly understand why.

Conceived as "a place to capture the senses", the hidden home seems to float on top of the mountain, thanks to its construction. Dry-built using massive basalt stones that resemble those of the cliff below, the house almost melts into the land.

A daring design, the back of the house has been left completely open, overlooking the steep drop below. The home's staggering altitude is clear to see from the enclosed courtyard, too, which is nestled among mountain peaks. Out here, there's also an open-air room with a fireplace, for soaking up the scenery in style.

Arranged in a C-shape, the interior features sliding glass doors and glazed windows that look out over the landscape, further connecting the house with the mountain.

The interior living spaces offer a modern take on the traditional homes typically found in the Lebanese mountains. These rustic structures are usually built from local stone and passed down through generations.

However, this home's 4,800-square-foot (446sqm) interior reflects its rocky environment just as much as the exterior. The concrete walls have been left bare and exposed, while the décor utilises dark wood tones and an earthy, neutral palette. As for rooms, there are two bedrooms, a kitchen, a living area and a library.

This conceptual house is the handiwork of German architect Matthias Arndt. The futuristic structure straddles a cliff edge, with floor-to-ceiling windows on the lower level offering dramatic views of the valley below.

These renders show the tiny A-frame house with windows on three sides, plus a narrow balcony along the cliff's edge, which is lined with a waist-high glass wall.

While we don't know where the home is intended to be built, it's designed to teeter on the cliff side, taking full advantage of its setting nestled into the sloping ground.

Expansive walls of glazing ensure the property is flooded with daylight, while the living areas are sheltered from prying eyes by the home's clever angled windows.

Inside, the house is spread over two floors. A small sitting area and kitchen occupy the lower level, with a staircase leading up to the snug bedroom on the upper floor, which features an entire glazed wall.

Although very much still just a concept, we'd love to see this dramatic home brought to life.

It probably takes someone pretty brave to invest in a property like this, but it certainly is unique. While it's just a concept right now, this five-storey cliff house by Modscape is an impressive modular structure that's designed to cling to the side of a cliff along the coast in Australia.

Designed as a natural extension to the cliff face rather than an intrusive addition to the landscape, the hidden house comprises a series of stacked modules that are anchored to the mountain using engineered steel pins.

Expansive glazing and crisp white décor shows off the views to dramatic effect.

According to Modscape, the design was inspired by the way barnacles cling to the hull of a ship. Unfortunately, we don’t know how much this extreme house will cost, but we bet it won't be a budget project...

Suspended 131 feet (40m) above Fairhaven Beach in Victoria, Australia, The Pole House is one of the most iconic cliff houses in the world.

With 180-degree views of the sea, it also has vistas across the Great Ocean Road, which is one of the world's most picturesque stretches.

Thought to be the most photographed house on the famous Great Ocean Road and maybe even in the whole of Australia, the incredible home is supported by steel stilts and accessed via a 76-foot-long (23m) walkway, which is lined with glass balustrades.

Originally built in the 1970s by Frank Dixon, The Pole House underwent a luxurious renovation in 2014. The makeover of the previously crumbling building took around five years and was overseen by Franco Fiorentini from F2 Architecture.

The new design features floor-to-ceiling retractable glass walls and a modern interior.

The one-bedroom, one-bathroom home is fitted out with all the mod cons, including smart lighting and heat-sensitive taps. The bedroom walls are clad in stylish burnt ash panels, while out on the balcony, you can glimpse 30 miles (48km) of uninterrupted coastline.

Standing in stark contrast to the rugged mountainside it finds itself on, this remarkable modern home appears to be balancing over the Balearic Sea in Alicante, Spain.

The property was designed by Fran Silvestre Arquitectos and was crafted as a single volume that projects out towards the ocean as if floating on air or walking on water.

While part of the house is anchored into the rock thanks to stone pillars, the box-like upper storey appears to almost float in mid-air. This part of the building houses the living rooms and bedrooms, allowing for unobstructed panoramic views.

The entire structure was crafted from concrete, for maximum durability against the coastal climate, before being coated in bright white lime stucco for a dramatic finish. 

All of the rooms sit on one level, while an external staircase leads down to an amazing outdoor terrace, which further extends the living space of the home. Here, you'll find a swimming pool.

As for the interior spaces, they are simple, clean and comfortable, with minimal furnishings. In the kitchen, for example, the custom cabinets are sleek and streamlined but can be opened up to reveal handy appliances and storage spaces. Even the sink is tucked away.

Ultra-modern and unique, this home was clearly designed so that nothing would distract from that all-important view.

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