There are countless ways to build a house, from bricks and mortar to glass and steel. Yet these shimmering structures prove that going against the grain can have spectacular results. These incredible mirrored homes are dazzlingly different, offering the best of contemporary design while seamlessly blending into their surroundings.
From a lustrous woodland hideaway to a barely-there abode that melts into its remote desert setting, click or scroll on to take a look around...
This modern merge of glass and wood reflects its natural surroundings in the Santa Barbara redwood forests, sitting on three acres by a creek and sheltered by giant sycamores and native oaks.
Currently listed on Airbnb, you and up to four guests could stay across the two cottages available, and find yourselves enjoying fresh eggs from the neighbouring chickens to cook up in the outside lounge kitchen – complete with an outdoor ‘haunted piano’ for accompanying mealtime tunes.
You’ll also find the shower/bath house nearby – with a pool, hot tub and swinging hammocks to lay in and dry off under the Santa Barbara sun. The three-acre (1.2ha) grove area is part of a larger 11-acre (4.5ha) land but feels private thanks to its secure gated access.
Should you begin to crave the outside world, the glass cabin resides just two miles from shopping malls and restaurants, and a 10-minute drive from downtown Santa Barbara.
For wine-tasting connoisseurs, the mirrored cottage is also situated 30 minutes from wine country, Santa Ynez.
Designed by MVRDV and Mole Architects, Balancing Barn is truly one-of-a-kind. Positioned on the edge of a tranquil nature reserve, just a few miles from the Suffolk coast, this contemporary property dramatically cantilevers over the landscape on which it stands.
Covered in highly reflective steel tiles, a nod to the metal-clad farm building that once stood on the site, Balancing Barn is surrounded by 138 acres (15ha) of Wildlife Trust land.
The modern barn features four bedrooms, four bathrooms, a light-filled lounge and a Scandinavian-inspired kitchen and dining area. Adventurous and playful, the property spans 98 feet (30m) in one, long rectangle, but instead of simply sitting on its plot, the house was designed to melt into it, reflecting the surrounding topography throughout the seasons.
Cleverly designed to offer a flexible interior space that can be used for numerous activities, the barn's layout has an easy and natural flow. Its vast rooms are filled with multi-functional furnishings and extensive windows, which allow for unobstructed views across the garden.
Oversized sliding doors can also be opened to further extend the living space, while a towering pitched ceiling makes every room feel extra spacious.
Inside, the house boasts ash-lined walls and ceilings, reflecting the natural landscape outside, while pops of colour add depth to the home's otherwise stripped-back spaces. There's even a swing located underneath the home's cantilever, adding to the property's unique character.
Currently available to rent through Living Architecture, this unique reflective abode highlights the beauty of the natural world.
Named after a local strongman, Hercule is a robust concrete structure that balances strength and beauty to stunning effect.
Set on a suburban plot in Mondorf-les-Bains in south-eastern Luxembourg, architecture firm 2001 ensured this modern build stands out in an otherwise traditional area.
Inside, the design makes the most of its sloping plot with a sunken living area that is barely visible from the street.
Not only is this a practical way to utilise the plot's challenging terrain, but it also keeps the structure's silhouette sleek and offers additional privacy.
The downstairs level opens up onto a generous patio that effectively doubles the living area when the weather permits.
Also on this hidden lower ground floor, you'll find a garage, gym and wine cellar. We know where we'd be heading first...
Clever design runs throughout the home and is especially apparent in the bathrooms. Industrial concrete walls line this innovative wetroom, which also includes a wood-clad bath. Large windows fitted with a metal textile allow light to pour in without impeding privacy.
A prefabricated dwelling, Casa Invisibile was developed by Austrian studio Delugan Meissl Associated Architects as a solution to escalating house prices.
Its mirrored surfaces allow the house to become one with Slovenia's stunning rural vistas. The total cost is in the region of just €98,500, around £82,000 ($104k), which even includes interior furnishings.
As well as affordable, the property is a flexible and sustainable living space. The prefabricated wood structure has been designed for simple turnkey installation at the owner's chosen site.
Plus, the units are made largely from wood so in the future they can be taken apart and recycled.
Measuring 47 feet (14m) by 11 feet (3.4m), this innovative home is just the right size to be transported by lorry from the factory to the site.
Inside, the layout is separated into three modules, which can be arranged in multiple formations. This allows homeowners to make the most of the available space by choosing a layout that will work with their lifestyle.
The interior features a wet cell at one end of the building, where the bathroom and kitchen are housed. Meanwhile, a dramatic, floor-to-ceiling chimney dictates the floor plan, dividing the main living area from the bedroom at the opposite end.
In a forest just outside of Minneapolis you’ll find this glass and mirror woodland retreat by ALTUS Architecture + Design.
The verdant surrounding scenery – woodlands, wetlands and a stunning lake – guided the design choices on this project to a stunning final effect.
The bunker-style property is made up of three connected wings and is fronted with an attractive courtyard, along with a storage shed clad with panels of polished and mirrored stainless steel.
This mirrored shed was primarily built to reinforce the surrounding views and incorporate the natural landscape into the home's architecture.
The central area of the house offers a spacious open-plan living area, dining room and kitchen.
Here the sleek, modern furnishings, pared-back décor and floor-to-ceiling windows allow the focus to remain on the outside landscape.
The fireplace was created out of bluestone and blackened steel, drawing on regional materials to add an element of cosiness to the minimalist lounge.
Walnut finishes and wooden beams also reinforce the property’s connection to nature, as well as adding textural interest.
Green Orchard, a carbon-neutral house in South Gloucestershire, reflects its 8,776 square feet (815m) of landscaped gardens by way of the mirrored façade.
Created by Paul Archer Design for Paul’s mother, the modern build seemingly camouflages into its green belt location thanks to the huge panels of polished aluminium.
Each panel is well insulated and hooked up to a motorised system that allows the building to quickly transform into a thermally sealed box to brave colder seasons.
The high-tech dwelling comprises two storeys, one of which is partially sunken into the site's sloping terrain.
The ground floor is home to the master bedroom, living room, dining room and kitchen. It also provides access to various terraces, which have been built on the southwest and northeast elevations of the structure, allowing the homeowner to enjoy the sun as it shifts throughout the day.
Three more bedrooms are found on the lower level, and while this floor is partially subterranean, strategically placed high-level windows allow natural light into the rooms here.
Back in the main living area, the wood-burning stove fulfils all of the heating requirements at Green Orchard.
Additionally, a 305-foot (93m) well outside catches fresh water, which is heated via thermal solar panels on the roof and used throughout the house.
Surrounded by ancient pine trees, you’ll find the Mirrorcube hanging in a forest canopy, close to the Swedish village of Harads.
Designed by Tham & Videgård, this amazing micro holiday home is located just 37 miles (60km) from the Arctic Circle. It has been built from aluminium and covered with reflective glass and is accessed by way of a rope bridge.
Designed to blend in with the treetops, the Mirrorcube camouflages into its forest surroundings with a mesmerising effect.
However, despite being surrounded by trees it’s only attached to one, the trunk of which forms a key design feature inside.
Inside, space is at a premium but it’s the perfect size for a romantic forest getaway for two.
The interior is made of plywood and the windows allow for a 360-degree view of the surrounding woodland. Facility-wise, there's a double bed, toilet, lounge and even a rooftop terrace.
Just 13 feet (4m) wide and 13 feet (4m) high, this unique treehouse hangout is as cosy as it is cool.
While the reflective exterior is beguiling around the clock, there is something extra magical about its façade in the blue-pink dusk light.
The aptly named, Mirror Houses are a pair of holiday homes designed by Italian architect Peter Pichler.
Situated on a farm just outside of the Italian city of Bolzano, the North and South reflective homes are adjoined and rented out separately via Airbnb.
The west side of the building is clad in mirrors, which reflect the location's picturesque mountain scenery. But there was another reason for this clever design choice.
The original clients live on the same plot in a 1960s farmhouse, and the mirrored façade means that the holiday homes blend into the scenery and are far less obtrusive on the landscape and the surrounding rustic buildings.
Imagine having your morning cup of coffee here as the sun rises over that mountain range. The main living and dining space features swathes of glazing across two walls, with sliding doors opening out onto a small terrace.
The bedroom and bathroom are placed behind the living area and are illuminated by skylights.
The holiday homes are slightly different heights, imparting a unique architectural character to each. Otherwise, they offer similar living spaces; both benefit from floor-to-ceiling windows to the east, allowing guests to enjoy uninterrupted vistas of the dramatic scenery.
We wouldn't mind waking up to that view every day...
Nestled in the peaceful nature reserve of Nordre Øyeren, this semi-mirrored glass cabin can be found – not too easily – just a 25-minute drive from the centre of Norway’s capital, Oslo. So you can benefit from the trappings of the city while just out of reach in the wilderness.
Named WonderINN, the two-bedroom abode is owned by hosts Jeremy and Erle who have listed their wooden and glass house on Airbnb.
The listing describes how Nordre Øyeren is home to "more fish and bird species than almost anywhere else in the country", where fishing, bird watching, canoeing and boat trips are popular.
Should you decide to visit, within the immediate area you can experience a unique ecosystem where two of Norway’s longest rivers meet.
There's a small pier with a boathouse and canoes available to rent so you can explore the reserve from the water. Beavers, ospreys, eagles, moose and deer are just a few of the animals that can be spotted in the area.
But that’s not all. The mirrored cabin not only boasts frequent visits from small deer, squirrels and more than 270 different bird species, but you’ll also find the luxuries of modern life. These include an ensuite bathroom, mini fridge and handy espresso machine for long nights staying awake to observe the wildlife.
If you look closely enough, you may just be able to spot the Invisible House. Located in the heart of Joshua Tree National Park in California, USA, this mirror-clad property is quite unlike anything you might have seen before.
Designed to resemble a New York skyscraper lying on its side, the unique reflective home magically dissolves into its desert setting.
The building was designed by architect Tomas Osinsk and Hollywood producer, Chris Hanley. It boasts a long and slender steel frame that is covered in mirror-like tempered glass.
Known as PPG SolarCool Blue low-e, this special glass reduces the home’s carbon footprint to near zero, making it eco-friendly as well as beautiful. Elevated subtly off the ground using concrete stilts, the property appears to cantilever over the desert landscape on which it sits.
Formerly a luxurious holiday home, pop star Demi Levato once stayed here, and it isn't hard to figure out why.
The crib's structural elements do all the talking inside, with concrete floors, exposed metal ceilings and endless glass walls, which allow for unobstructed views across the surrounding 90-acre (36.3ha) estate.
There are 5,470 square feet (508sqm) of inside space, formed from one continuous living room with a kitchen, lounge, dining area and a 100-foot-long (30.5m) swimming pool that further reflects the desert outside.
With four bedrooms and four bathrooms, there’s enough space for eight people. A solar hot water system heats the house, including the 47,000-gallon pool. Plus, from the master bedroom, any lucky resident can enjoy mountain views and wildlife watching, including native lions, eagles and coyotes.
Fancy a stay in this radical reflective home? It's available to rent via Fieldtrip Hospitality and Airbnb.
Love this? Take inspiration from more unusual architecture