There’s no place like home, especially when it’s one of these 6 amazing places. Designing new pieces, Union Wood Co. often looks to architecture for inspiration so we created a list of places that get our heart rate going. With most of them located in the Pacific Northwest, it almost makes you want to pack up your car for a road trip just to stand at the curb and stare at these beauties.
1. Hoke House
Location: Portland, OR, USA; design: Skylab Architecture
This jaw-dropping residence better known as the Twilight House was created for John Hoke III, Nike's VP of global design. It appears in the first movie of the vampire saga as Edward Cullen’s family residence. Hiding in Portland woods this cabin-inspired giant features tons of west coast lumber, concrete, and floor-to-ceiling windows. This beauty would be the perfect setting for our Sunday Sofa.
2. Rabbit Snare Gorge Cabin
Location: Cape Breton, NS, Canada; design: Design Base 8, Omar Gandhi
Located on the coastal island of Cape Breton, NS, this cabin looks like an illustration from a children’s storybook. With its unique proportions, ultra-steep roof (that allows snow and rainwater to shed) and dramatic Corten framed entrance this place makes a dramatic statement amongst the birch trees. The house is clad with locally sourced lumber and lined with finished plywood sheets for durability and a utilitarian look. I can’t help but think that our Birch Bark Credenza would be the right fit in here!
3. Gulf Islands Cabin
Location: Gulf Islands, BC, Canada; design: Olson Kundig Architects
This matchbox-sized house is a super small but uber cool place to live in. Olson Kundig did an amazing job planning this one-room cabin. If you feel like eloping from a big city life into the wild, you may want to buy a one-way ticket to the Gulf Islands. This 191 Sq. Ft. tiny house has an outdoor shower and a large sliding steel-clad door. Tom Kundig, Design Principal, puts it best: “The cabin is so small you have to go outside – that’s the point!”
4. Delta Shelter
Location: Mazama, WA, USA; design: Olson Kundig Architects
Specifically designed for the rugged life in the forests of Pacific Northwest, Olson Kundig Architects created this 1000 Sq. Ft. steel cabin to adapt to the seasons. In the summer, the steel framed cabin features huge floor-to-ceiling windows. To weather the harsh winters, massive steel shutters slide across the windows protecting it from the elements. We tip our hat to Olson Kundig for creating this modern shelter. Whatever the weather, this looks like a great place to have a lazy Sunday.
5. Redaction House
Location: Oconomowoc, WI, USA; design: Johnsen Schmaling Architects
Bricks, wood, and glass are always a great combination in our books. This neat two-story building from the front looks like a simple wood cube on an elevated podium. The backyard reveals the beauty and real scale of the project. The Redaction House looks so fresh and so clean comparing to old-school houses surrounding it. And the pops of color are a nice touch! Our Waterfall Stools and Sawyer Table would look just so perfect in this dining room.
6. The Oak Cabin
Design: Out of the Valley
Designed and milled offsite, this cabin can be framed in no more than 2 days. It’s easy to assemble, it’s eco-friendly, sustainable and low-impact. This dwelling has it all. Featuring traditional truss joinery, this dwelling is crafted like a fine piece of art. Created by a once-upon-a-time furniture maker, Rupert McKelvie from Out of the Valley use the oak frame, burnt-cedar siding, whitewashed ash paneling from the inside and wood-fiber insulation. Our favorite piece is a wood-burning stove and exposed copper plumbing.
PHOTO CREDITS:
Hoke House: Skylab Architecture
Rabbit Snare Gorge Cabin: Omar Gandhi
Gulf Islands Cabin: Olson Kundig Architects
Delta Shelter: Olson Kundig Architects
Redaction House: Johnsen Schmaling Architects
The Oak Cabin: Out of the Valley