Natural Wood Home on the ocean – is this only a dream?

Sandwiched between the forest and the sea, Sea Ranch home by San Francisco-based Turnbull Griffin Haesloop Architects is an uncomplicated beauty through and through. But the architects have pulled off minimalism with such flair that it’s what really sets this modern home apart.

“The clients wanted an understated, flowing house that captured their love of Japanese simplicity” according to the architect. “Our solution starts with a vernacular barn form and carves away to shape an exterior octagonal deck that opens to the meadow and the view.”

Made almost entirely of wood, this rustic ranch home features wide windows that welcome the breathtaking Pacific Ocean views. Natural light fills interiors, which boast ceilings finished in rich cedar with exposed beams, complemented by the cool, sheetrock walls, achieving the rural, minimalist appeal. Turnbull Griffin Haesloop Architects via Digs Digs

Wood and Glass House in Croatia – Central Atrium with Spiral Staircase

Check out the cool design for House K, located in Zagreb, Croatia. Designed by 3LHD Architects, this modern wood house leaves your typical brick home in the dust. The contemporary teak-clad facade boasts large expanses of glass set into its two-storey design.

The obstacle of a sloped terrain became an advantage to the contemporary design. The architects created a volume that expands as you continue down the hillside, resulting in an understated grand space inside. The second storey slightly overhangs the main level, creating a covered deck surrounding the home. “The concept of the house is inspired by the shape of a snail’s shell, which involves a spiral twisting around its own axis,” according to the architects. “As such, all functional elements of the house follow each other and are built around a central atrium.” The atrium floods the space with natural light, illuminating windowless corners that would otherwise be cast in shadows.

The open-concept interiors are designed for socializing, equipped with unique half-walls that define areas without closing them in. As on the outside, teak boards inside add an element of nature into the comfortable environment. An external staircase leads from the atrium up to a rooftop patio overlooking the horizon. 3LHD Architects
via Arch Daily

Modern Ranch House in Colorado – beautiful rustic design centers around fireplace!

This rustic yet refined modern ranch house designed by Turnbull Griffin Haesloop Architects is the crowning glory of a vast, 8,000-sq.-ft. plateau. Three separate structures combine to form a perfect haven in these pastoral surroundings, each boasting a rural charm that’s as welcoming as it is beautiful. At the request of the client, modest living spaces bring home that sense of coziness that really enriched this ranch design.

But beyond this, smaller room sizes also serve to minimize energy consumption. Outside and in, the house is finished in rich, natural woods. Running like a stone spine up the center of the house, a rocky fireplace stretched from floor to room, with a flame in the hearth that’ll attract more than evening insects. This majestic fireplace is definitely the heart and spirit of the home. Turnbull Griffin Haesloop Architects.