Bird Hut House

Surrounded by a forest of spruce and cedar, the Bird Hut House turns a storage shed into a three-story retreat in Québec. Like a bird hut, the home extends vertically, building upon its existing foundation in order to not disrupt the natural landscape. Each level is accessed by a pale wood staircase housed in a steep, vertical shaft. Aside from the staircase, the entirety of the interior is washed in white, while the contrasting exterior harmonizes with the surrounding trees with a dark cedar facade. At the home's peak, an inverted perch offers an open air sitting area adjacent to the treetops.

Photos: Francis Pelletier / YH2

Mini Museum Third Edition

Adorn your desk with a collection of rarities with the Mini Museum Third Edition. Encased within this 5" x 4" x 1" Lucite acrylic block is a carefully presented assortment of 29 rare and unusual objects from around the world (and beyond). Highlights include a piece of a Steve Jobs turtleneck, slivers of dinosaur bone, a chunk of an SR-71 Blackbird, and space gems that are over 4.5 billion years old. Each one comes with a full-color companion guide offering more background on the specimens, and for those with smaller desks, there's a 4" x 3" x 1" option that cuts things down to just 12 examples.

Sir Nikolai Hotel

Located on the waterfront of the Nikolaifleet canal, the Sir Nikolai Hotel is a testament to Hamburg's rich heritage. The former 19th-century warehouse is now host to 94 guest rooms, featuring vintage rugs, custom-made furniture, curated artwork, marble bathrooms, and a handpicked selection of design books and novels. The building also houses Izakaya Asian Kitchen & Bar, offering a mix of Japanese and Peruvian cuisine and craft cocktails that can be enjoyed in the dining room, on one of two outdoor terraces overlooking the canal, or The Patio — a glass conservatory with a fully retractable roof.

Depict Digital Canvas

Keep your home's walls fresh with the Depict Digital Canvas. This 49", 4K screen is specially calibrated for the display of artwork. Wrapped in a black or white wooden frame, it connects to an iOS app that gives you one-tap access to a vast library of works, from old masters to current digital artists. And since not all artwork is horizontal, it sits on a unique wall mount that lets you rotate smoothly between landscape and portrait.

Smith Cabin

Set on the backside of Aspen Mountain, the Smith Cabin is a rustic getaway with unparalleled views. Thanks to its location, you get a unique perspective of the surrounding mountains and the ghost town of Ashcroft. The house itself sleeps up to nine people in three bedrooms, has an inviting, open kitchen/living area with fireplace, and extends outside onto a spacious deck. Depending on the season, there are plenty of outdoor activities like hiking and skiing nearby, and downtown Aspen is just a 35-minute drive away.

OS House

To maximize views and privacy, the OS House sits at the top of its São Paulo plot. The structure is comprised of a series of laminated wood columns running along the walls and ceiling, allowing light to filter in while also providing glimpses of the surrounding landscape. The home is split into two parallel wings connected by an entry hall. Each provides a different function, with one housing the master and guest suites and the other the kitchen, living and dining rooms, TV room, and spa. Encased with glazed sliding doors, the public wing opens out to a covered concrete terrace providing access to a pool and solarium.

Photos: Fernando Guerra / Jacobsen Arquitetura

Space Needle Century Project

One of the Pacific Northwest's most iconic structures is getting a $100 Million overhaul courtesy of some of its most talented architects. The Space Needle Century Project will see Olson Kundig update the 1962 structure in some profoundly important ways. The circular observation deck will see its wire and metal safety cages replaced with slanted glass screens, dramatically improving the views, while the interior observation area will receive floor-to-ceiling glass. A new spiraling staircase will connect those areas with the elevators and rotating restaurant below, which will get a new glass floor that exposes the mechanics as well as the ground below. Renovations are scheduled to begin in September with the first stage of work slated to open next year.

Photos: Olson Kundig

Seaside House

Overlooking the ocean in Kanagawa, Japan, the Seaside House uses a linear layout to maximize views. Minimal in form and color, the stark white reinforced concrete structure stands out from its more traditional neighbors. The lack of roadside windows provides the interior with privacy, while also directing full focus toward the water. Each room contains a floor-to-ceiling glazed wall, providing both undisrupted views of the sea and access to a cantilevered deck with a full-length swimming pool.

Photos: Shinichi Ogawa & Associates

Working Ranch

Surrounded by cattle pastures and groves of aspen, the Working Ranch uses an oversized roof to add space to its compact interior. The home is comprised of only the essentials — a kitchen, dining area, and living room — situated around a central pantry and staircase. Above, sleeping quarters occupy the lofted second story, allowing for light to pass through below. A set of sliding doors in the main living area expands the modest interior out to a large covered patio with a double-sided stone fireplace. Thanks to its plateaued site, this outdoor space affords views of the neighboring Steamboat Springs, as well as the bordering mountain landscape.

Photos: David Wakely / Turnbull Griffin Haesloop Architects

Marble House

Named after its exterior facade, the Marble House is a modern Taj Mahal. Although not made entirely of the natural stone, the home's sculpted form is clad in large marble tiles. The material flows into the interior, lining the double-height living area and foyer. Light wood tones provide a warm contrast with the parquet floor, folded walls, and floating staircase. A rear glazed wall breaks up the monolithic structure, opening up to a lush courtyard filled with rain trees, bamboo, and a large reflecting pool.

Photos: Wison Tungthunya / Openbox Architects

Gatsby Credenza

Inspired by the spirit of the Prohibition era, the Gatsby Credenza is the perfect place to store your booze or pour a drink. It's crafted from solid walnut, with Richlite doors and solid brass handles. A vertical divider on one side makes it a good place to store records and books, and there's a "speakeasy" door on the back that's hidden from the front, giving you a secret storage cubby for your most valued treasures.

Photos: Elizabeth Torgerson-Lamark / Bowen Liu Design

Hornbill House

Located on a 135-acre tea and coffee plantation in southern India, the Hornbill House isn't short on spectacular views. The bungalow sits on the edge of a waterfall, overlooking a valley, mountains, and the fields below. Each of these scenes is put on display throughout the home, ensuring each room has its own unique view. To blend in the with the rocky landscape. the exterior is covered in a stone facade, while mud bricks provide a warm hue for the interior to compliment the reclaimed wood and bamboo furniture. A ground floor balcony allows guest to catch glimpses of the native wildlife which includes monkeys, bison, and over 250 species of birds.

Photos: Vivek Muthuramalingam / Biome Environmental Solutions

Nebia Shower

You've taken thousands of showers, but never one like this. Nebia is a unique shower system that leverages H2Micro technology to atomize water into millions of droplets, increasing by 10x the amount of water that comes into contact with your skin while using 70% less water than a typical shower. Described as stepping into a warm cloud, Nebia is like your own personal steam room blended with an invigorating shower experience. A team of engineers and thermofluids experts have fine tuned every detail to create the perfect balance of comfort and efficiency, rinsing shampoo and conditioner from even the thickest hair. It features a 25-inch adjustable sliding bracket, 45-degree tilting shower head, and a removable hand-wand to create a customizable shower experience for every member of your home. Installation is a breeze and can be done in a matter of minutes without any drilling or tile work. Upgrade your shower to a spa experience that will make you feel clean and refreshed everyday.

Presented by Nebia.

Safe House

During the day, the Safe House looks like any modern residence — a cube structure with loads of glazing — but at night it transforms into a concrete fortress. Like something taken straight from The Purge, the home is surrounded by a solid barrier that also transforms into a holding pen for guests before they're granted entrance. All windows are protected by movable shutters, while the south wall is concealed by a roll-down gate which also doubles as a projection screen. When it's safe enough for a swim, the pool pavilion is accessed by an electronic drawbridge.

Photos: KWK Promes

Public Hotel

After fathering the Boutique hotel in the 1980s, Studio 54 founder Ian Schrager is once again revamping the hospitality industry with Public Hotel. The Lower East Side accommodations are offering luxury to the masses with 370 rooms that only look expensive. Each room features custom-designed platform beds, floor-to-ceiling windows, and the fastest wireless internet in New York City, with loft and suite options available. The hotel also houses a Jean-Georges Vongerichten-headed restaurant, three bars — including a glass encased rooftop lounge with 360-degree views of the city, a market, and an innovative performance space hosting anything from art exhibits to intimate musical performances.

Berkshire House

Resting on a rocky ledge in rural Massachusetts, the Berkshire House puts a loft apartment in amongst the trees. The site's biggest obstacle became the home's main feature, turning an existing boulder into the foundation — a choice that raised the focus from the forest floor to the treetops. This view is highlighted in the main living area thanks to full-height windows, encasing the room on three sides. These windows not only saturate the interior in the surrounding nature but also expands the modest interior out into its forest setting by way of a cantilevered deck.

Photos: Guillermo Cano / Framework Architecture

Napa Barn

Set on a small Northern California vineyard, this Napa Barn is a multi-use pavilion disguised as an agrarian shelter. The two-story structure is built using low-maintenance materials like cedar cladding, coated steel, and local native stone, and angled in a V-shape to form a sheltered courtyard. Large openings provide airflow and access to the double-height main room and adjoining the kitchen, lit by a dramatic skylight shaft. The garage area doubles as a basketball court with stainless steel inlaid lines, and above the downstairs bedrooms lies a sleeping porch that overlooks the vineyard and meadows of wildflowers and grasses.

Photos: Joe Fletcher / Anderson Architects

Scarp Ridge Lodge

Originally built in 1885 as a saloon and dancehall for Croatian workers, the Scarp Ridge Lodge now serves as a comfortable, all-inclusive seven-room property in Crested Butte, a well preserved, historic silver mining town. The building's facade has hardly changed in its 100+ years, but the interior has received a major upgrade with more contemporary furnishings, an indoor saltwater pool, a gourmet kitchen, a library, a cinema, a bar, and a children's playroom. Outside, you'll find plenty to do, as skiing, rafting, kayaking, fly-fishing, and hiking are all available nearby, and as with everything else at the Lodge, the attentive staff will make sure you have the proper gear and guides to make the most of your adventures.

Micro House

At just 430 square feet, the Micro House packs big design in a tiny frame. The home comfortably holds a bathroom, sleeping area, kitchen, dining table, living room, loft, and even some storage space, while a basement — accessed by a hatch door in the floor — adds extra storage and a laundry room. Clean design paired with a bright pallet comprised of local maple floors, birch plywood, and white walls gives the small interior a spacious quality. Although space is limited, views are not. A series of windows gives each area a sense of separation by framing in a unique aspect of the landscape, with the main focus being the Camel's Hump mountain in the distance.

Photos: Jim Westphalen / Elizabeth Herrmann

Fordypningsrommet Fleinvaer Cabins

No shops. No people. No worries. Located in Norway's Arctic archipelago, the Fordypningsrommet Fleinvaer Cabins are a real escape from everyday life. The island is comprised of nine "houses," only four of which are meant for sleeping. A tower house serves as a site for inspiration and is joined by dedicated structures for the kitchen, studio, sauna, and bath. There's also a cave near the sauna's pier that can be slept in, and in total there's enough room for up to 12 people or way more than you should probably bring along if you're looking to take full advantage of the solitude.

Photos: Kathrine Sørgård & Fredrik Asplin / Fordypningsrommet

Ypsilon House

Set among the olive trees on the Peloponnese peninsula, the Ypsilon House uses its typographic form to merge with its remote landscape. The domed roof expands the terrain up, allowing for access to views of the nearby Schiza and Sapientza islands, while its Y-shape divides the exterior into three courtyards. Separated by private and common areas, the interior consists of three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, living room, and dining area. The main living space features a large south-facing glazed door that frames in views of the nearby coast, also offering passage to the outdoor pool.

Photos: NARRO / Lassa Architects

Wave House

Draped in a white aluminum skin, the Wave House is just as much a work of art as it is a Venice Beach residence. The outer shell is constructed from 300 individual pieces of custom cut aluminum that are placed over the structure's two stories to create the illusion of a single sculpted form. By stepping away from the straight lines and sharp angles of tradition architecture, designer Mario Romano created the fluid facade with the same software used to design automobiles and aircraft. Aside from just an artistic standpoint, the exterior is also functional, allowing air to circulate for a dryer, cooler home.

Photos: Brandon Arant / Mario Romano

Il Sereno Hotel

Set along the shores of Italy's Lake Como, the Il Sereno Hotel is a modern getaway in an old world setting. Each of the hotel's 30 suites offers floor-to-ceiling windows to better take in the waterfront views, contemporary furnishings, walk-in showers, and outdoor terraces. Also on site are a full-service spa, located under original, century-old arches, a 60-foot freshwater infinity pool, a restaurant, a private beach, and a dock. Be sure to make use of the latter by arriving on one of the hotel's three custom Riva boats.

Magnum Square Prints

Magnum's archive of prints includes some of the most iconic images of the 20th century. Magnum Square Prints are an affordable way to bring some home. From the frontlines photography of Robert Capa to Eve Arnold's intimate portraits of Marilyn Monroe, the images span a broad range of styles and subjects, yet each stands alone as a work of art. Printed on Fuji Crystal Archive Matte paper, each museum-quality 6"x6" print comes signed and estate numbered, and is available on its own, or encased in a white or black frame custom made in NYC. A box set of all 78 prints is also available.

Spurwink Retreat

Rocky shorelines. Dramatic ocean views. The Spurwink Retreat is surrounded by the best of coastal Maine. Situated on the fields of an old saltwater farm, the home is a vast departure from the owner's New York City high-rise. Glazing is a major theme in the design of the structure, flooding the space with both natural light and scenes of the land and sea. The main living area is a prime example of that, flanked on the east and the west end with oversized sliding doors leading to a covered patio on one end and a small courtyard on the other. Each of the bedrooms follows suit with glass doors opening to an oceanfront porch. When the weather permits, an outdoor fire pit overlooking the coat is the perfect place to indulge in some seaside s'mores.

Photos: Trent Bell / Whitten Architects

Sofia Coppola's Beach House

Overlooking the ocean in a small village in Belize, Sofia Coppola's Beach House adds a mid-century flare to the traditional tropical getaway. The Laurent Deroo-designed accommodations is a part of the Coppola family resort Turtle Inn and consists of a main house and two guest bungalows. The home steps away from the rest of the resort's Balinese style with more modern lines, while still maintaining the relaxed atmosphere of a Caribbean retreat. Features include an open-air living area, private pool, master suite, bunkroom, private butler, and oceanfront media room where you can watch your favorite Coppola family films.

Pluspuu Log Cabins

Using the latest innovations in Finnish woodworking, the Pluspuu Log Cabins give the traditional mountain home a modern revise. The collection includes ten models, ranging from single to four bedrooms plans. Each home is well equipped for a holiday retreat with saunas, roof decks, outdoor kitchens, covered terraces, and panoramic windows or can be converted to a primary residence. The houses are expertly constructed in Finland by Ollikaisen Hirsirakenne Oy using a combination of a non-settling log system and a column and beam structure, then are installed on-site by an in-house crew. All of the designs are completely customizable or, for the overly particular, whip up a drawing and they'll build a home to your exact specifications.

Smartdome

Easy assembled and taken down, the Smartdome is a new take on prefab shelters for non-urban areas. Their modular design uses welded galvanized steel elements for the dome, letting you connect multiple domes as necessary. Double floors allow for the running of electric, water, and any other utilities, and the transparent polycarbonate can be layered for added insulation while letting you enjoy the views. Designed and manufactured in Slovenia, they come in several guises for different locales.