A house doesn’t have to be haunted to be absolutely terrifying. Sometimes the design, not demons, will do all of the work.
These homes from all over the world test the boundaries of gravity and balance while also being totally gorgeous examples of impressive architecture. Take a look and ask yourself you’d be brave enough to live in one.
1.) Cliff House, Calpe, Spain
Reinforced concrete slabs help this angled abode stay situated in the rocks surrounding it. Covered in limestone stucco, the private home overlooks the Mediterranean Sea.
2.) Sky High Treehouse, France
Near Lake Geneva in France, this treehouse involves a steep climb up stairs winding around the 130-foot Austrian pine. The view is your reward for the workout.
3.) Holman House, Australia
This home was inspired by Pablo Picasso’s “The Bather,” though it makes me think more of Salvador Dalí with its dangling view of the sea.
4.) Balancing Barn, Suffolk
This brave little kid is swinging underneath a cleverly engineered home on the English countryside. Its reflective walls and striking design aim to make people re-evaluate the idea of both modern architecture and quaint country life.
5.) “Just Enough Room” Island
Smack dab in the middle of the United States/Canada border of the Saint Lawrence river, this tiny island was literally just big enough to put one tiny, cute house on.
6.) Mirrorcube, Sweden
The outside mirrored walls of the Mirrorcube hotel room make it almost impossible to find, and the 12-meter-long suspension bridge entrance makes it impossible for someone to ever want to come over for your dinner party.
7.) The UFO, Sweden
Owned by the same people responsible for the Mirrorcube, this home the woods of Harads, Sweden is a more classic approach to the sci-fi aesthetic. This would be the perfect honeymoon spot for Mulder and Scully.
8.) The HemLoft, Canada
Amongst the forest of hemlocks in Whistler, Canada, you can find this orb-like home hanging out on the branches above. It’s not exactly legal.
9.) Stahl House, Hollywood Hills
Buck Stahl purchased the land overlooking Los Angeles at a bargain in the late 1950s. He dreamed of building a house of glass that would give him the best panoramic view of the city and eventually Pierre Koenig made that a reality.
10.) Meteora Monasteries, Greece
Constructed in the 11th century atop the sandstone towers, these buildings were meant to purposely shed the convenience of modern day things like… roads. There are still some in use today.
11.) Castellfollit de la Roca, Catalonia
Around 1,000 inhabitants call this sliver of basalt rock in Catalonia home. With an area less than one square kilometer, the town is situated between the Fluviá and Toronell Rivers and dates all the way back to the middle ages.
12.) Fallen Star, San Diego
Students at the University of California San Diego can see this home dangling off Jacobson Hall on a daily basis. Technically it’s a sculpture, but it’s also fully furnished and features a delightful front yard on the roof.
13.) Upside Down House, Poland
This house doesn’t need heights to feel precarious. It was built by a Polish businessman and philanthropist named Daniel Czapiewski in the small town of Szymbark as a symbol of chaos brought by Communism. I can totally see it.
14.) Takasugi-an Teahouse, Japan
No, this isn’t a production photo for a live action Dr. Seuss film. This fully functional and teeny tiny teahouse was designed by Terunobu Fujimori atop two chestnut trees.
15.) The Hanging Houses, Spain
Overlooking the Huécar River, these homes were built over 500 years ago with balconies reaching out from the cliffs and into the air.
16.) River House, Serbia
In 1968, a group of boys decided to build their clubhouse on this small rock island in the Drina River. Those kids were apparently great carpenters, the small cabin still stands today and is currently owned by Bajina Basta Kayak Club.
17.) Fallingwater, Pennsylvania
Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, this home was built into the mountainside and overlooks several gorgeous waterfalls. And it isn’t just the house invading nature — nature sneaks into the home with boulders and rock poking through its interior.
(via Distractify.)
These are nice, but I think I’m okay with my apartment for now.
