For the island lover looking for a modular home that is not only easy to transport and install, but looks straight out of an magazine, the Australian-based company Prebuilt has created a number of simple, striking homes. Proving that utility and beauty aren’t mutually exclusive concepts, the Mod House is a stunning design that combines Modernist and Japanese aesthetics with 21^st century building technology. Ranging from a simple one-bedroom to a five-bedroom complex, the Mod House comes with a large deck, designer fixtures, and features a spacious, light-filled layout.

http://www.prebuilt.com.au/index.php?action=productcatalogue&prodcat_id=806&prod_id=5369&pageID=6504&sectionID=6485

The epic tale of the marooned Swiss Family Robinson popularized the idea of tropical island tree houses as the ultimate in natural vacations- just imagine gazing out over the ocean from within the branches of an exotic palm or cyprus. In fact, many resorts across the globe now offer a tree house experience as an unforgettable way of getting in touch with your lush forest surroundings. Unfortunately, few companies supply tree houses suitable for adults, but there is a handy online guide for crafty island owners who want to create their own.

 Downloadable for a small fee, Tree House Guides offers a number of different designs of tree houses, which can sleep 2 adults or 3 children. Also available are plans for simple tree decks and bird watching platforms. The San Pedro tree house is a classic and easily built style that most resembles the tree forts you may remember from childhood, while the Kauri is a slightly more sophisticated design that even has a porch and railing. All of the materials needed are easily acquired at a typical hardware store, and the recommended tree diameters range from about 1′ to 2′.  The designs are simple and the plans highly detailed, and the company also offers email assistance in case of construction difficulties. 

http://www.treehouseguides.com/

For the environmentally conscious island owner bored with traditional house or cabin designs, look no further than Free Spirit Spheres, an innovative, eco-friendly new concept in modular housing.

Conceived and developed in Qualicum, British Columbia, a region rich with coniferous rainforest, Free Spirit Spheres are the ultimate concept in low-impact development. These designs literally hang from trees, solidly suspended by rope webbing tied to four main anchor points at the top and bottom of the sphere. Using the forest as its foundation, the design is strong enough to sustain the weight of the sphere, its occupants and its contents as high as 120 feet above the ground. While only 500 kilograms in weight, the spheres themselves are spacious and well-appointed, comfortably insulated to temperatures as low as -20 celsius. Read more »

Exclusive Eco-Lodge Tents offer a rare opportunity to island dwellers with a concern for the environment, but who want to live in spacious luxury surrounded by canvas. Tents are temporary in nature with a minimal impact on the environment, bringing one closer to nature and the elements.

This is the case in particular on smaller islands where the environment is that much more sensitive to the impact of human habitation. Exclusive Tents can be custom designed to meet the physical challenges of a small private island; most existing designs lend themselves to a private island environment and do not require brick and mortar construction. Read more »

The Noble Home design is the ultimate blend of form and function. The basic structure is designed for ease of construction which demands structural integrity and honesty unlike many contemporary buildings. A Noble Home can be designed and sited to be a natural part of the environment which is often not the case with modular or manufactured housing.

Product components

Noble Home can be designed and built with a variety of materials. Purchase price includes all materials necessary to assemble and finish an energy efficient shell of a Noble Home with interior wall partitions. However, Interior cabinet work, furnishings, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC must be provided by the owner.

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