6 Northern California Prefab Homes With Verdant Forest Vibes

Perched lightly on the land, these prefab homes celebrate the beautiful landscapes of Northern California.

Settled on a picturesque hillside in Somona, California, the Connect 5 residence features stunning floor-to-ceiling windows, which allow warm natural light to flood through the home.

From secluded mountaintops to low-lying apple orchards, prefabricated residences have popped up across some of Northern California’s most beautiful landscapes. From serene weekend getaways to new family homes, these factory-built dwellings all share an affinity for the outdoors and a contemporary aesthetic.

Sonoma weeHouse by Alchemy

An exercise in simplicity, the minimalist Sonoma weeHouse features two steel-framed weathering steel volumes with ipe interiors, oiled oak cabinetry, and massive sliding glass walls that overlook valley views.

An exercise in simplicity, the Sonoma weeHouse consists of two steel-framed volumes with ipe interiors, oiled oak cabinetry, and massive sliding glass walls that overlook valley views. 

Photo: Brian W. Ferry

Designed in Minnesota, built in Oregon, and then shipped to a remote Santa Rosa site, the Sonoma weeHouse is an award-winning luxury retreat for an Apple senior design director. Comprising a 640-square-foot main house and an adjacent 330-square-foot guest module, the ultraminimal residence is a custom take on Alchemy’s modular prefabricated housing system.

High Horse Ranch by KieranTimberlake

Conceived as an escape from city living, this 2,580-square-foot prefab comprises two primary and 11 secondary modules, while the 290-square-foot guest cabins consist of single modules craned into place atop concrete piers.

In response to a client’s brief for a low-impact home with reduced construction waste, KieranTimberlake turned to off-site prefabrication. The factory-built project—consisting of a main house and a pair of guest cabins—was sensitively set into place on a 64-acre site in Willits, and oriented toward panoramic views of the forested valley below.

Renovated Tiburon Kit Home by SHED Architecture & Design

Built with a heavy timber post-and-beam structure, this renovated Tiburon kit house retains its standard footprint, framing, and tiled roof. Massive sliding glass doors were added to create an indoor/outdoor living experience.

See the full story on Dwell.com: 6 Northern California Prefab Homes With Verdant Forest Vibes

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    Greetings! We would like to submit our sweet little cabin to be featured in Dwell. My beloved and I just finished remodeling the home this past summer. I work as an interior designer & Jamie is a painter/contemporary artist – but we do lots of other things too. The intention behind this space in the woods is to offer a safe space for healing work, while it is our main home – we also hold retreats, song circles, sound healing, kirtan, yoga gatherings and tea ceremonies. It’s hard to explain the powerful feeling this land holds if you have not visited, but it’s palpable upon arrival. Your nervous system begins to regulate and all the worries of this human experience wash away. The cabin is nestled in the Santa Cruz mountains surrounded by lush forest and old growth redwoods. Only 15 minutes down the road, you are at some of the most beautiful clean beaches on the coast. The house was already very charming & has great bones, it just needed some TLC. I have lots of ‘before’ photos if you are interested. I love Japanese style bathing rituals, so we created an outdoor spa with huge sun deck, cedar hot tub, cedar sauna, and cold plunge. We also have a large yurt which is where we hold most of the gatherings & ceremonies. There is also a cute guest house not pictured in the attached photos. I hope you can see the magic through these images.
    With Gratitude,
    Eva & Jamie

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    Taiwanese architecture studio CTT Architects designed this interior project for a doctor in Taipei City. The apartment is located on the 21st floor of the residential tower nestled in the mountains surrounding the Taipei Basin. The design concept places emphasis on the connection to the surrounding vistas. In contrast with the original layout, the living area has been rearranged such that one can enjoy the amazing urban night views whilst introducing the external greenery inside during the day. We have also tailored the layout to meet the requirements of the client’s modern life. Following a busy day at work, he can completely unwind in the living room in the midst of the mesmerising urban night views; and be awoken by the dappled morning sunlight reflecting off the surrounding green mountains. We believed that every aspect of an interior design requires a bespoke response to its own contextual surrounding as well as to the individual needs of the occupants. The different spatial functions such as bedroom and bathroom are seen as different grey units in the public space. However, homely styling is found inside the master bedroom. Wooden finishings are used to complement subtle light grey walls allowing the stunning views to be the main element – lush green mountain landscapes. At the entrance to the apartment, the simple grey wall with a small bench gives an air of simplicity in complete contrast with the mountain views seen through the expanse of the three window units, which speak for themselves. In the kitchen and dining area, the open plan provides ample space that can be adapted flexibly to suit the changing needs of the modern city dweller. In terms of material selection, fine textured black charred timber panels are deliberately chosen to frame the surrounding mountain and city views. The design strategy is to use the black charred wall to contrast with the green and sky during the day; at night, the blackened panels blend seamlessly into the night view. The custom-made black island comes with black taps to contrast with the white kitchen joinery behind. When it comes to detailing, our approach is to delineate different architectural elements through shadow gaps. For example the walls and ceilings are detached using shadows gaps which are also accentuated by indirect lighting after sunset. Every architectural element has been detached including the ceiling, beams, and walls to showcase themselves as individual elements and avoiding detractive decorations.