15 Black Cabins That Make the Case for Dark Exteriors

These cozy cabins feature muted black exteriors that complement their natural settings.

Aug 2, 2021 - 23:00
15 Black Cabins That Make the Case for Dark Exteriors

These cozy cabins feature muted black exteriors that complement their natural settings.

Even as the square footage of this cottage in Fayston, Vermont, shrank in response to budget constraints, architect Elizabeth Herrmann remained focused on making the space feel warm and functional for a family of four and their dog and cat. "I think the trick to making small spaces feel much larger is to design the experience of being there,

From a coastal hillside in Son, Norway, to a woodland area in Sullivan County, New York, these 15 cabins feature dramatic black exteriors that update the traditional log house aesthetic. 

This DIY Couple Craft a Tiny Cabin in the Santa Cruz Mountains for Less Than $35K 

After renting in San Francisco for a decade, DIY couple Molly Fiffer and Jeff Waldman bought 10 acres in the Santa Cruz Mountains, where the pair and their friends built a cabin compound complete with sheds, tree decks, a pavilion, a wood-fired hot tub, an outhouse, and an outdoor shower. The cabin is made from locally sourced, rough-sawn redwood, which the couple stained with nontoxic Eco Wood Treatment to give the panels an aged appearance and a dark patina.

After renting in San Francisco for a decade, DIY couple Molly Fiffer and Jeff Waldman bought 10 acres in California’s Santa Cruz Mountains. The pair and their friends built a cabin compound complete with sheds, tree decks, a pavilion, a wood-fired hot tub, an outhouse, and an outdoor shower. The cabin is made from locally sourced, rough-sawn redwood, which the couple stained with nontoxic Eco Wood Treatment to give the panels an aged appearance and a dark patina.  

Photo by Benjamin Rasmussen

Even as the square footage of this cottage in Fayston, Vermont, shrank in response to budget constraints, architect Elizabeth Herrmann remained focused on making the space feel warm and functional for a family of four and their dog and cat. "I think the trick to making small spaces feel much larger is to design the experience of being there,

Architect Elizabeth Herrmann designed this 1,120-square-foot, gable-roofed cottage at the base of a bucolic hillside in Fayston, Vermont. The black-stained exterior morphs depending on the season. "It can sometimes be very like the textures and colors of its surroundings," Herrmann says. "The siding mimics tree bark and shadows, and sometimes blends into the woods. At other times, especially winter, the house really contrasts with the landscape’s snowy ground."

Photo by Susan Teare

The 377-square-foot Woodland Cabin by London-based practice De Rosee Sa was completed over the course of multiple trips to the lakeside lot in the village of Nouvelles in southern Belgium. The steeply pitched structure is clad in timber that was stained black from used tractor engine oil, which is a popular finish for local agricultural buildings.

London-based practice De Rosee Sa completed the 377-square-foot Woodland Cabin over the course of multiple trips to this lakeside lot in the village of Nouvelles, Belgium. The steeply pitched structure is clad in timber that was stained black from used tractor engine oil, which is a popular finish for local agricultural buildings.  

Photo by Will Scott

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