This story is part of Everyone Loves an A-Frame, our week-long celebration of simple structures with a cult following.

Durable, economical, and easy to build, the simple A-frame was once the must-have midcentury vacation home. Today, the classic retreat has been propelled back to popularity, thanks largely to photo-centric platforms like Instagram and Pinterest. Read on for 20 charming A-frame homes that caught our eye!

What is an A-frame house?

Built with trusses or rafters, the A-frame is a structure with a triangular shape—similar to the capital letter “A”—marked by a distinctive peak and a steeply sloped roof that stretches all the way to the foundation or ground.

Thanks to their self-supporting design that eliminates the need for interior posts, A-frame homes often feature open floor plans with soaring ceilings and triangular end walls typically punctuated with large expanses of glazing. A half-floor is sometimes inserted to created a lofted space for sleeping or storage.

While modified A-frame homes (such as the flat top A-frame, or the A-frame with wings) have been introduced over the years to add more usable interior space, the equilateral A-frame with 60-degree sides is arguably the most iconic.

When did A-frame houses become popular?

The A-frame structural system has been used for utilitarian buildings since ancient times. The simple shape, ease of construction, and ability to shrug off snow and rain has made the sharply pitched building typology popular around the world—from Japan’s Gassho-zukuri “prayer-hands construction” farmhouses to the feast houses of Micronesia.

Yet, it was in America during the prosperous 1950s that A-frames became popular as vacation homes. Architect John Campbell’s Leisure House, built in 1951 for the San Francisco Arts Festival, is credited with helping to kick off the demand for A-frames.

The expanding middle class of the time was eager to flaunt their wealth with a second home, and many saw the trendy A-frame houses as an affordable and easy-to-build escape from city living. Architecture firms sold working plans with complete material lists, and department stores like Macy’s even offered prefabricated home kits.

In its purest form, the A-frame is a visual delight—yet it’s often thought of as impractical due to its constrained floor plan and awkwardly sloped interior walls. The vaulted ceiling can also translate to higher heating costs. Still, the building makes for an excellent vacation home even today, and—with a few modifications and space-saving tricks—it can be enjoyed as a full-time home as well.

1. A Cozy Renovated A-Frame in New Jersey

2. An Updated 1970s Cabin in Big Bear

3. A Restored A-Frame Haus in Utah

4. Eco-Friendly Nolla Cabin in Finland

5. Whistler A-Frame

6. Off-the-Grid Glamping in Southeast Australia

7. BIG’s Tiny Modified A-Frame Cabin

8. A Remodeled 1961 A-Frame in Palm Springs

9. A Danish A-Frame Vacation Rental

10. A Contemporary Wooden A-Frame Retreat in France

11. A Scandinavian-Inspired A-Frame by the Sea on Vancouver Island

12. A Reconfigured A-Frame in Lake Tahoe

13. A Contemporary Getaway on New York’s Fire Island

14. A Tent-Inspired A-Frame Cabin on New Zealand’s Waiheke Island

15. A Modified A-Frame With Los Angeles Views

16. Elevated A-Frame Cabins in Norway

17. An A-Frame With a Glass Addition in Belgium

18. A Modernized Home in the Pyrenees

19. The Remote Red A-Frame

20. Okanagan A-Frame

21. Prefab A-Frames Designed by an Oregonian Duo

Oregon prefab company Bivvi makes backcountry cabins that function totally off the grid." layout="wide" credit="Add credit" photoUserId=""/>

22. A Revamped 1970s Cabin in Yosemite

This 1,360-square-foot A-frame cabin in Pine Mountain Lake was renovated with a budget of $125K and turned into a charming short-term rental." layout="wide" credit="Photo by Tawni Bannister" photoUserId="6936904981092179968"/>

23. A Contemporary Twist on Classic Ski Cabins in Vermont

24. A Refined-But-Rustic Cabin in the Mexican Wilderness

The home, located in "the Hamptons of Mexico," is elegant and welcoming, but designed with simplicity in mind: think simple geometric forms, a minimal color palette, and humble materials." layout="wide" credit="Add credit" photoUserId=""/>

25. A Not-So-Simple A-Frame in the Canadian Maritimes

26. A Cozy Refuge in Chile

This chic, minimalist 1,506-square-foot A-frame house came together in a mere six months—and the architects’ studio next door took just three—thanks to the clever use of off-the-rack materials." layout="wide" credit="Add credit" photoUserId=""/>

27. A Budget-Friendly A-Frame in Colorado

The homeowners braved snow, fire, and falling trees to transform a ’70s cabin into a Scandinavian-style retreat." layout="" credit="Add credit" photoUserId=""/>

28. A Northern California Cabin With Vintage Charms

29. A Matte-Black Beauty in the Catskills

Concrete floors, which span the first floor of the cabin, hold up against snow and mud from tromping about the woods." layout="" credit="Add credit" photoUserId=""/>

30. An Understated A-Frame in Southern Chile

31. An A-Frame for All Seasons, Outside of Stockholm

32. A Geometric Take on the Classic A-Frame Shape in Connecticut

Appearing like a prism at water’s edge, this secluded retreat was designed and built by architect Vincent C. Amore in 1971 to serve as a creative retreat." layout="wide" credit="Add credit" photoUserId=""/>

33. A Rustic New York A-Frame Revived for $77K

Related Reading: 101 Best Modern Cabins

Appears In

33 A-Frame Homes We Love

In Chile, an Architect Couple Build an A-Frame Cabin in Just Six Months