Cabins

While handy types can build an A-frame cabin themselves, the less DIY inclined who would rather follow a plan and have the materials supplied can do so with the Den Cabin Kit. Costing $21,000, it's claimed very easy to build even by amateurs.

Woodnest is a stunning forest dwelling perched high on a hillside in rural Norway. Supported by a living pine tree that runs through its center, it offers a well-stocked interior that sleeps up to four people.

Designer Caspar Schols puts a fresh spin on the classic wooden cabin with his recently-completed Anna Stay. Though it looks like a normal cabin at first glance, the unusual dwelling's walls can be slid apart to open it up to the outside.

The SynVillan is a striking addition to Sweden's Eriksberg Hotel and Nature Reserve. It runs off-the-grid with solar power and lets visitors get up close and personal with bison, deer, and other wildlife thanks to its a glass-bottomed living room.

Australian outfit Cabn looks to lure busy folks into quiet corners of the country by way of charming off-grid cabins tucked away in idyllic settings, and built with a strong emphasis on sustainability and respect for the local landscape.

Hungarian design collective Hello Wood has created a compact cabin inspired by the tiny house movement. The Kabinka is intended to serve as a no-frills weekend retreat, additional bedroom, or office, and starts at €10,000 (roughly US$12,000).

On December 25, 2011, a cyclone destroyed Norway's Tungestølen Tourist Cabin, which had served hikers for over a century. Commissioned to create its replacement, Snøhetta designed a cluster of cabins that are shaped to mitigate the wind's effects.

Ashen Cabin has a striking appearance but the really interesting thing about it is how it was made. Its concrete base was created with a 3D printer and its wood is beetle damaged ash that was cut using a robotic arm once used in the car industry.

The Lakeside Cabin in Quebec, Canada, looks like a great place to hang with friends, thanks to a climbing rope. Besides this fun little addition, it's designed to maintain a comfortable interior temperature, even in the harshest winter conditions.

The ZeroCabin is a small off-grid cabin made by a team in Chile with no formal architecture training. It can be delivered as a finished turnkey home to locals but is also being sold as a kit for handy types to build their own.

French architectural firm FUGU has revealed a series of energy-efficient geodesic cabins designed for adventure lovers. The geodesic eco-lodges are modular in design, fully customizable, and suitable for even the harshest of climates.

Immerso is a transparent-roof cabin currently being used as a glamping experience in the Italian Alps. Located 1,900 meters (6,234 ft) above sea level in the quaint alpine town of La Morra, Immerso offers a rare opportunity to sleep under the stars.