In the depths of winter, you'd be forgiven for wanting to stay indoors, snuggled under a blanket with a hot cocoa in your hands. Luckily, there are plenty of cosy cabins out there where you can do just that. From a miniature hut in Tasmania to a teeny A-frame treehouse in Washington, these snug properties are perfect for escaping the winter chill. Wrap up warm and let's take a look at the world's cosiest tiny homes...
This stylish A-frame treehouse can be found in the heart of a forest in Index, Washington. Surrounded by nature, the property is truly one with its environment and is elevated 13 feet off the ground thanks to a series of stilts, allowing for unique views of the surrounding tree canopies.
Fully equipped with all the amenities you could need for a relaxing weekend away, including heated floors, a cosy king bed and a fireplace. Inside, you'll find a bright and open-plan space, with a sitting area, dining zone and kitchen. Upstairs, there's a mezzanine where the bedroom can be found.
There's even an outdoor hot tub, so guests can keep warm no matter what the weather is doing. Romantic and remote, the amazing treehouse featured on the television show, Living Smaller, in which the filmmaker takes a look at ways in which homeowners decide to transform their houses into unique and creative spaces.
Nestled in the Canterbury region of New Zealand, the Skylark Cabin is picture-perfect, in more ways than one. Surrounded by soaring mountain peaks and sweeping valleys, the tiny home "isn’t just a comfortable place to stay, it’s an experience in itself," so the Airbnb listing states – and we can't help but agree!
The simple timber structure was designed by architect Barry Connor as a vacation retreat. The homeowners wanted the cabin to be simple and honest, while also making the most of its surroundings. Orientated towards the Black Hills and Backbone Peak, the home has an angular roof that was inspired by the skylarks that occupy the area. It features a glazed gable, while the exterior is clad in a rough-sawn larch timber rainscreen, which protects it from the weather.
Spanning a mere 538 square feet, the interior has been finished with contrasting light beech plywood with black-edged detailing. There's a living area, dining zone, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom. The bedroom is one of the finest parts of the house. Thanks to its huge, circular viewing window installed in the ceiling, lucky occupants can soak up views of the protected Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve from the comfort of their bed.
Ideal for a romantic getaway, this quaint and charming tiny house lies at the bottom of the Cranberry Valley on Salt Spring Island, Canada, and offers a mere 96 square feet of living space. It does, however, have a lovely south-facing deck, where guests can enjoy a sunset dinner or their morning coffees with a view.
The awesome Canadian tiny home provides two teeny storeys. The ground floor has a cosy living room with a kitchen and seating area, while the loft above is home to a spacious bedroom that enjoys woodland views, thanks to ample windows.
Simple timber cladding allows the home to subtly blend into its surroundings, while the interior is warm and traditional, perfectly reflecting the scenery outside. There's also a separate washroom and open-air shower, for the ultimate natural bathing experience.
As beautiful as it is compact, the Bruny Island Hideaway lies in the township of Alonnah on Bruny Island, Tasmania. Inspired by traditional Japanese houses, the modern retreat was awarded for its unique design and innovation when it won in two categories at the 2018 Australian Institute of Architects National Awards. Compact, cleverly designed and ultra-cosy, the property is the stuff of tiny home dreams.
Measuring just 301 square feet, the cabin was designed by Maguire and Devine Architects and functions entirely off-grid. Inside, it offers simplistic pine floors and walls, as well as natural timber furnishings and endless glazing that allows for lovely rural vistas. On the ground floor, there's a lounge, a dining space and a handmade kitchen, finished with a wood-burning stove.
There's also a snug sleeping loft, with a huge horizontal window, so lucky guests can look at the stars while they doze. Surrounded by 99 acres of conservation forest, the pocket-sized pad even boasts an outdoor sunken tub, where you can take a bubble bath with Mother Nature.
Known as The Reservoir Pod, this cute and compact property in Hout Bay, South Africa, would be the ultimate place to retreat when daily life gets a little too much. Measuring a mere 156 square feet, the cabin is built from solid reclaimed pine and finished with black charred timber and a corrugated roof, allowing it to softly blend into its rural setting.
Despite its size, the micro home features everything you could need to stay comfortable and content. There's a small but functional kitchen, a work desk, a spacious queen-sized bedroom and an ensuite bathroom.
Plus, folding doors connect the bedroom to a lovely outdoor covered deck with mountain and sea views. There’s also a mini wood-burning stove and electric blankets for when the temperature drops outside. As for décor, the pod is rustic and relaxed, with exposed pine walls, ceilings and floors and plenty of quirky touches, including a homemade concrete basin that was crafted using sand from the surrounding land.
Known as The Escape Pod, this pint-sized rural retreat is the perfect place to hide out until next summer! Offering just 75 square feet of inside space, the cabin was constructed from birch ply and European oak and is clad in cedar shingles, allowing it to perfectly mirror its woodland setting. Designed and built in a workshop, the petite pod can be delivered and installed almost anywhere.
Perhaps the best aspect of this tiny home is its domed glass roof, which allows its lucky residents to snuggle up and enjoy an evening under the stars. With a fully adaptable interior, this clever little dwelling can be modified to meet the needs of each owner. Built-in furniture can be changed up to create everything from a garden room to a small studio apartment and even a snug glamping hut.
Designed by Dominic Ash and Jeremy Fitter of Podmakers, the interior of the timber retreat offers sleek Scandinavian vibes, with a wood burner and underfloor heating, as well as plenty of soft furnishings for laid-back nights in. Extensive insulation also means this little abode maintains its warmth, no matter what the weather is doing outside.
If you've ever wanted to go off-grid in the heart of the Adelaide Hills, then now's your chance. Created by CABN, this attractive rural hideaway offers people the opportunity to escape the rat race and disconnect for a few days, with only nature for company. Located in one of Australia’s most attractive landscapes, the cabin is entirely sustainable, so you won't be distracted by your carbon footprint, either.
Named after the founder's mother, the Jude cabin is said to be warm, caring and inviting. Positioned inside 180 acres of natural scrubland, the retreat also neighbours a conservation park that's home to walking trails, waterfalls and glorious rural scenery. Thanks to the cabin's off-grid location, there's also a chance to spot kangaroos and koalas – and with such vast amounts of glazing, you won't miss a single moment of it.
Inside, the tiny pad is rustic yet contemporary, with exposed timber walls and charcoal fixtures. Warm and welcoming, the cabin is fully insulated and offers a king-sized bed, a cosy reading nook and a small but practical kitchenette. During chilly nights, keep warm by the log-burning stove or head outside to your private firepit – the perfect spot to huddle together.
If you're looking to escape the winter blues in New York state, then this petite off-grid hideaway could well be the perfect choice. Located in the hamlet of Kerhonkson, close to the beautiful Catskill Mountains, the sustainable A-frame dwelling is solar-powered and makes the ideal home away from home. Let's take a look inside...
Though it appears small from the outside, the interior of the property is surprisingly spacious thanks to its soaring vaulted ceiling and double-height windows, which draw in plenty of natural light. Offering two bedrooms for up to four adults, the off-grid hideaway also has two bathrooms with soaking tubs, as well as a large chef's kitchen.
The cosy living room is the only place you'll want to be, curled up near to the large fireplace. If you're more of an outdoorsy person though, you'll adore the alfresco firepit, steel drum barbecue grill and screened gazebo – the perfect spot to take in the surrounding two acres of woodland.
This unique tiny home was designed by Zyl Vardos of Washington, USA. A traditional design, the rustic-looking dwelling is also highly forward-thinking. Entirely customisable, the Music Box House features a charming tiled roof and a cedar-clad exterior. Quirky glazing, including skylights and arched windows, adds to the home's character while allowing plenty of light to travel inside.
Inside, the compact cabin measures just 192 square feet, but it's utterly charming, with a toasty sleeping nook and a generous queen-sized bed. An electric convective panel heater keeps the interior nice and warm all year round, while a galvanized stock tub and an electric tank water heater mean there'll always be a hot shower ready and waiting for you.
Cosy furnishings, tactile blankets and a warm colour scheme help make this tiny home truly inviting. The cabin's character is also enhanced by strand bamboo detailing, a cedar ceiling and mahogany walls.
For almost three decades, Escape Traveler has been designing award-winning tiny homes. Built to cope with extreme climates, from heavy snow to icy winds, each cabin is highly insulated with recycled closed-cell foam. The VISTA model is perhaps the firm's cosiest mobile pad and boasts 175 square feet of open-plan space for just £52,400 ($66.5k). Let's take a look inside...
Offering extensive glazing, the lucky occupier can enjoy panoramic landscape views from every area of the home. Clad in pre-finished cedar with steel accents and protective panels, the tiny home also offers a 36-inch glass entry door and energy-efficient windows that hold in the warmth without obscuring those vistas.
No matter what the weather is doing, you're sure to feel snug and warm in this mobile tiny home, thanks to its cosy furnace, baseboard heating and water heater. If you fancy taking the micro home off the beaten track, that's also an option thanks to an array of solar panels and off-grid features. Cosy up in the reading nook and take in the views as the sun goes down – what could be better?
Designed by Baumraum to make you feel like you're suspended between heaven and earth, the Around the Oak treehouse is a magical place to spend the night. Elevated 36 feet above the ground, access to the cabin is granted by a stainless-steel spiral staircase which wraps around the tree's trunk. The exterior of the cabin is clad in zinc sheet metal and larch timber, allowing it to melt into its beautiful natural setting.
The cabin's 30-square-foot exterior terrace is formed from rustic timber boards and offers space for alfresco meals and evening drinks. Overlooking acres of rolling fields, the tiny treehouse comprises white-varnished ash, further connecting the property with its stunning rural surroundings.
We can't think of anywhere more idyllic to fall asleep than in this cosy little treehouse. Ample windows allow for woodland views from every angle and you can even watch the stars while tucked up in bed. With 37 feet of head height, you'll never feel claustrophobic, and thanks to the cabin's 2.4 inches of insulation, the space will be nice and toasty no matter what time of year you visit.
Positioned on the edge of Hvalfjörður, the fjord of the whales, this spectacular glass cabin is the epitome of cosy. Standing at just 248 square feet, the toasty retreat features plenty of windows, so you can wrap up and enjoy the beauty of the Icelandic landscape without having to step outside.
Located just a 35-minute drive from central Reykjavík, the remote retreat is the ultimate stargazing spot thanks to its extensive structural glass. In fact, the hut's bedroom offers panoramic 360-degree glazing for unforgettable views across the fjord and surrounding terrain. During the winter months, you can soak up the northern lights from your bed, before waking up to a picture-perfect sunrise in the morning.
Perfect for two people, the glass lodge offers a well-equipped kitchenette, a private bathroom and a king-sized bed. A natural timber palette creates a characterful vibe, while heaters allow the interior to stay toasty no matter the season. It also benefits from an outdoor terrace, complete with a hot tub – the only place you'll want to be on a chilly winter's evening. As far as cosy cabins go, this home is the absolute dream.
Aptly named, Kolsstaðir, or Piece of Heaven, is one cosy cabin we'd love to visit during winter. Located on a small mountain hill on 1,500 private acres in West Iceland, the property was designed in the old Icelandic country style but comes equipped with everything you could need to stay warm and comfortable, no matter what the weather is doing outside.
Inside, the cosy cabin features a snug living room, kitchen and dining space, as well as a sleeping attic with two beds, one queen and one single. With its natural timber walls, ceilings and floors, tiny windows and log-burning stove, the cabin is the perfect place to relax and unwind while getting away from the hustle and bustle of daily life.
Yet it's really all about what's going on outside. Surrounded by truly dreamy scenery, the tiny home is entirely secluded and offers guests the chance to spot the Northern Lights as well as elusive local animals, such as the Arctic fox. Plus, down the road, you'll find a geothermal natural pool, where you can take a warm bath while soaking up the enchanting scenery of Iceland.
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