Contemporary wooden houses offer a fresh take on a classic typology, with often remarkable and inspiring results. Here, you can discover a range of architectural designs, completed in vastly varied settings and with different designs, but with one trait in common: a wooden build. Inspired by vernacular architecture or distinctly modern or even sculptural and asymmetrical, these wooden houses are all one of a kind. Their designs are testament not only to the architects’ talent, but also to the potential of a humble natural material, timber.

Nestled in natural landscapes or urban areas, these wooden houses complement their surroundings in different ways. For example, one building that preserves an old brick wall that matches the nearby Victorian houses in a London neighborhood. Or an angular house designed with roofs that mirror the shapes of surrounding mountains. Another home takes inspiration from vernacular architecture and features wooden shingles on the exterior walls. Some of these projects offer creative interpretations of the barn typology. One retreat boasts a simple gabled silhouette, but also a transparent mid section that houses a sheltered terrace with glazed walls.

Our curated selection of wooden houses provides a rich array of architectural design examples. From houses that remind of barns or mountain chalets to retreats designed with simple geometric shapes or monolithic volumes, these wooden houses are are creative as they are distinctive. Some of them feature black timber cladding while others boast complementing materials like stone, steel, or brick. One house features translucent panels that soften the light and provide privacy at the same time. In other projects, slatted shutters and doors add an eye-catching rhythm to facades while filtering the light.