Remote retreats aren't usually as stylish as this elevated house, the Trekronekabin (literally, 'cabin in the tree tops' in Norwegian), set in a remote part of the Sjernnaroy islands on Norway's west coast, not far from Stavanger
Photography: Nils Petter Dale
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Accessible only by boat, this private lodge is placed on a steep rock buried deep in the woods
Using only local materials, including oak, pine and fir taken directly from island, architect Tommie Wilhelmsen has created a sleek but sympathetic intervention into the landscape that is the perfect escape for the owner's family and friends
Sober black and natural oak tone sympathetically with the surroundings, whilst the intersection of house and rock is treated as dramatically as possible, with slender steel pilotis pushed to the edges of the floorplan, and the whole building visually anchored to a rocky outcrop by the vertical concrete shaft of the chimney
The client wanted only one thing; a retreat that evoked the feeling of rising above the trees to catch the sun and watch the ocean, just a few hundred feet away
Designed for summer occupation, rather than as a snowy bolthole, the Sjernaroy cabin is open and inviting, the curving slats of the interior wooden ceilings curving down and round to enclose the sitting area
The large windows frame the views
This house is a model for entertaining on a modest scale, with clean and practical furnishings, as well as a natural flow between spaces
Kitchen fittings are simple and sleek
A fireplace demarcates the living area from the kitchen, while offering heat in all directions
Light floods in through an elevated window
Bedrooms are simple and practical
The master bathroom
Space for the family and guests is maximised in this small, self-contained retreat
Practical bunk beds in one of the bedrooms
An extra living area
A large deck ensures space for outdoor living
