If homes on terra firma don't quite do it for you, then these awe-inspiring properties might just do the trick. Perched precariously on the edge of sky-high clifftops or rocky pinnacles, these properties promise breathtaking views across some of nature's best vistas – but they're not for the faint of heart. Click or scroll to see inside homes with a head for heights...
Nestled on a steep hillside, 262 feet above the Pacific Ocean in Navidad, Chile, Casa La Tagua was designed by Croxatto and Opazo Architects as an awe-inspiring holiday home. Manufactured from reclaimed timber, the coastal cabin was treated with petroleum oil, creating a protective barrier against marine corrosion.
With the appearance of a lookout tower, the house is one of two on the hillside and both were designed to "dominate the steep slope and blend in with the surrounding nature," Archdaily explains.
Formed from a series of stacked cubes to minimise their impact on the environment, both cabins sit on hidden platforms, supported by pressure-impregnated wood, while their narrow forms ensure they're protected against the area's blustery winds.
Casa La Tagua spans just 269 square feet but features everything someone could need for an unforgettable weekend away. There's a lounge, dining room, bathroom and kitchen.
In both cabins, the master bedroom is located on the upper level and is accessible via a vertical ladder. Huge picture windows frame unbelievable scenery, making any occupant feel like they're sleeping outside.
However, it's all about what's going on outside. To make the most of the coastline, Casa La Tagua comes complete with a terrace, where lucky guests can sit and soak up the sunset. Fancy spending the night suspended from the hillside? You can book your stay anytime you like!
Aptly named, Razor House can be found delicately balanced on the top of a dramatic cliff, overlooking a truly cinematic landscape in La Jolla, California. The ultra-modern home was constructed in 2007 and is said to have been inspired by the home of billionaire Tony Stark in the hit Marvel superhero movie, Iron Man.
The eye-catching glass house was designed by architect Wallace E. Cunningham and despite its minimalist and sleek styling, the property packs in plenty of amenities.
Sprawling some 11,545 square feet, the main house boasts six bedrooms, six bathrooms, various lounges and a chic kitchen. Of course, the rooms are lined with floor-to-ceiling glass walls, which, alongside its cantilevered design, allow for breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean from almost every living space.
The home is almost too good to be true and boasts plenty of amazing features, including a circular living room, a library with a glass-and-steel pool table, a movie theatre, a rooftop entertaining deck, an infinity pool, a detached two-bedroom guesthouse and a Batcave-like tunnel, which leads to a four-car garage. The master bedroom is also pretty inspiring – just imagine waking up to that view every morning.
In August 2018, the home hit the market for £23.6 million ($30m). Of course, such a property couldn't sell to just any old buyer. In fact, it's now owned by singer Alicia Keys and her record producer husband, Swizz Beatz.
The couple snapped up the pad in 2019, paying £16.4 million ($20.8m) for the privilege. Then, in November 2021, the VIP duo invited Architectural Digest inside, offering us a glimpse into how they transformed the interior – spoiler alert, it's incredible!
Designed by the founder of LAAV Architects, Laertis-Antonios Ando Vassiliou, Maralah is a minimalistic cliff cabin designed for an exclusive project with Infiniti Motors Limited in collaboration with ADD Architects. Maralah translates to 'he/she who was born during an earthquake' from the language of Canada's First Nations people.
Designed as an isolation cabin that's ideal for a weekend retreat away from busy city life, the structure is an architectural tribute to iconic US architects, Frank Lloyd Wright and John Lautner.
Partly cantilevered over the dramatic cliff edge and partially built into the rock, the cabin has just under 500 square feet of living space.
The fully glazed bedroom, shower and toilet, which are six steps below the main living space, hang precariously over the cliff edge with views out over the Bow River. Made from raw concrete, glass and matt black steel, the jaw-dropping home is designed to blend into the beautiful nature that surrounds it.
Cubed in shape, Maralah has been rotated 45 degrees to fit into the cliff edge disturbing the profile of the rock when viewed from above. Hidden underground, the roof is partly submerged and designed to blend in with the surrounding landscape.
Designed by Iranian architect Milad Eshtiyaghi Suspended House is still in the concept stages, but it could hold the key to architecture that not only respects its environment, but that takes up minimal land, too.
Held in position using two categories of cables, one that bears the weight of gravity and another that withstands lateral and upward wind forces, the dangling property appears to float on its rocky pinnacle.
The house was designed in two sections, the dwelling itself and a rear mast, there for structural support. The mast slopes slightly, a design detail added due to the climate of the home’s proposed location in Mendocino, California. The slope not only increases stability, allowing the property to brace itself against wind, but provides an added visual layer.
Speaking about the project, Eshtiyaghi said he wanted the house to allow any occupants to “experience different sensations”, including “the feeling of fear and excitement” while looking out, and the feeling of "calm and cosy" while relaxing inside. The property certainly does both, thanks to its incredible cantilevered design and wall-to-wall glass.
Designed for a couple, the bedroom is open to the elements with glass floors, so any occupant will experience feelings of weightlessness like they are floating in the air. Other spaces include glass 'holes' in the floor, offering breathtaking downward views. Designed for those seeking something truly unique, Suspended House could never be for the faint of heart.
Inspired by the wings of a butterfly, this curvaceous clifftop home sits on the edge of California's Monterey Peninsula. Finished with a domed stainless steel roof, this modern masterpiece features glass walls throughout – even in the bathroom – though motorised blinds offer privacy when needed.
Sat above a private cove, the stand-out home was designed by San Diego architect Wallace Cunningham, who was a follower of Frank Lloyd Wright. The home was put on the market in June 2022 for £7.6 million ($9.7m) and features wow-factor panoramic views of the cliffs below through dramatic floor-to-ceiling glazing in the main living areas.
Inside, the interior features industrial-style polished concrete floors, a limed oak staircase and raw concrete finishes, while outside, two stone staircases lead down to the water's edge through the home's landscaped grounds.
The property isn't short of amenities either, with three bedrooms and four bathrooms, a granite kitchen and plenty of public living spaces spread across 2,667 square feet of space. Just imagine waking up to those views!
Nestled on a cliff ledge, at an altitude of 3,937 feet above sea level, lies a home so engrained with its environment, that you might not even be able to spot it. The gravity-defying residence is located just above the city of Akoura in Lebanon and was designed by Youssef Tohme Architects & Associates, for a client who was seeking a break from busy urban life.
The architects describes SC Villa as a house that "establishes an extreme and direct relationship with the mountains", and we can certainly understand why. Conceived as "a place to capture the senses", the property seems to float on top of the mountain, thanks to its construction. Dry-built using massive basalt stones that resemble those of the cliff below, the house is able to almost melt into the land.
A daring design, the back of the house has been left completely open, overlooking the steep drop below. The home's staggering altitude is clear to see from the enclosed courtyard, too, which is nestled among mountain peaks. Out here, there's also an open-air room with a fireplace, for soaking up the scenery in style.
Arranged in a C-shape, the interior features sliding glass doors and glazed windows that look out over the landscape, further connecting the house with the mountain.
The interior living spaces offer a modern take on the traditional homes typically found in the Lebanese mountains. These rustic structures are usually built from local stone and passed down through generations. However, this home's 4,800-square-foot interior reflects its rocky environment just as much as the exterior. The concrete walls have been left bare and exposed, while the décor utilises dark wood tones and an earthy, neutral palette. As for rooms, there are two bedrooms, a kitchen, living area and library.
This conceptual house is the handiwork of German architect Matthias Arndt. The futuristic structure straddles a cliff edge, with floor-to-ceiling windows on the lower level offering dramatic views of the valley below.
These renders show the tiny A-frame house with windows on three sides, plus a narrow balcony along the cliff's edge, which is lined with a waist-high glass wall. While we don't know where the home is intended to be built, it's designed to teeter on the cliff side, taking full advantage of its setting nestled into the sloping ground.
Expansive walls of glazing ensure the property is flooded with daylight, while the living areas are sheltered from prying eyes by the home's clever angled windows.
Inside, the house is spread over two floors. A small sitting area and kitchen occupy the lower level, with a staircase leading up to the snug bedroom on the upper floor, which features an entire glazed wall. Although very much still just a concept, we'd love to see this dramatic home brought to life.
It probably takes someone pretty brave to invest in a property like this, but it certainly is unique. While it's just a concept right now, this five-storey cliff house by Modscape is an impressive modular structure that's designed to cling to the side of a cliff along the coast in Australia.
Designed as a natural extension to the cliff face rather than an intrusive addition to the landscape, the hidden house comprises a series of stacked modules that are anchored to the mountain using engineered steel pins. Expansive glazing and crisp white décor shows off the views to dramatic effect.
According to Modscape, the design was inspired by the way barnacles cling to the hull of a ship. Unfortunately, we don’t know how much this extreme house will cost, but we bet it won't be a budget project...
Suspended 131 feet above Fairhaven Beach in Victoria, Australia, The Pole House is one of the most iconic cliff houses in the world. With 180-degree views of the sea, it also has vistas across the Great Ocean Road, which is one of the world's most picturesque stretches.
Thought to be the most photographed house on the famous Great Ocean Road and maybe even in the whole of Australia, the incredible home is supported by steel stilts and accessed via a 76-foot-long walkway, which is lined with glass balustrades.
Originally built in the 1970s by Frank Dixon, The Pole House underwent a luxurious renovation in 2014. The makeover of the previously crumbling building took around five years and was overseen by Franco Fiorentini from F2 Architecture. The new design features floor-to-ceiling retractable glass walls and a modern interior.
The one-bedroom, one-bathroom home is fitted out with all the mod cons, including smart lighting and heat-sensitive taps. The bedroom walls are clad in stylish burnt ash panels, while out on the balcony, you can glimpse 30 miles of uninterrupted coastline.
Perched high above the Hudson River in New York, the Pumpkin House is perhaps the most famous of our cliffside homes. Dating back to 1925, it was built for engineer Cleveland Walcutt and named after its distinctive window formation, which resembles a glowing Jack-o'-lantern face when the sun goes down. Built on a steel foundation sunk into the steep cliff, the home almost floats above the city.
Cantilevering over a sheer cliffside, the home measures 3,144 square feet and is spread over three floors. There are 12 regal rooms in total, including elegant formal living spaces, a kitchen and six bedrooms. There's even a separate self-contained studio for guests who want to soak up the home's stunning view.
As well as offering jaw-dropping scenery, the unusual house is also bursting with original details. There are bags of European-style grandeur, such as coved ceilings, antique wood furniture, panelled walls, marble accents and Persian rugs. Yet the view is all anyone is talking about!
Nestled within the grounds, there's a secluded garden and viewing platform, where the Hudson River can be viewed in all its glory. Interior designer, William Spink, bought the gorgeous home in 2000 for £871,000 ($1.1m) and put it on the market in 2016 for an inflated £4.2 million ($5.3m). Amazingly, it took three years to sell, finally going for just £1.6 million ($2m) in January 2019.
Taking high-altitude living to new extremes, this luxurious home was constructed on top of a rocky outcrop of Bear Mountain in Colorado and appears to have grown from the rock upon which it sits. With jaw-dropping views, a unique interior and more than 31 acres of surrounding land, this mountain home is quite unlike any you might have witnessed before.
The impressive home was constructed in 2000 and is incredibly private, with no neighbouring properties for miles around. Previously on the market with Compass for a little under £3.2 million ($4m), the majestic residence measures 8,398 square feet and offers a total of eight bedrooms and nine bathrooms.
If the home's location and view aren't enough to impress, then the interior surely is. With sprawling, light-filled rooms, the home is rustic and modern, with soaring ceilings, stone fireplaces, marble and timber accents and, of course, endless windows.
Built around boulders, the home features an interior waterfall, a huge lounge, a kitchen, a dining room, a sunroom with a sunken hot tub, a movie theatre and a gym.
There's also a two-bedroom guest apartment, positioned above the heated garage – perfect for visiting friends and family. There's even a whole-house Sonos sound system and a custom-built safe for extra security.
Of course, the home's best asset is probably its huge outdoor terrace, which hangs above the drop, providing unobstructed views all the way to the horizon.
Love this? Follow us on Facebook for more amazing homes