Modern Cabanas

Once the private, getaway destinations of jet-setters and Hollywood moguls, modern  cabanas are now available to more down to earth folk, and right in their own backyards. Modern Cabanas are pref-fab, environmentally conscious designs that  arrive flat packed and can be fully constructed in as little as one weekend. And while these sleek builds have the look of a practiced architect's close involvement, any DIY-er can build one with just a few basic tools.

These buildings fill the void in an empty backyard, add space to a smaller home or become a detached getaway for an office, writer's studio, musician's sound lab or even a yoga studio. The latter is the fate of the first cabana architect Casper Mork-Ulnes designed with his brother in law, a general contractor.

Mork-Ulnes came up with the idea when he was designing a residence for owners who needed a temporary space while their new home was being constructed.  "As I searched for small prefab units, I realized that there were very few alternatives available that were aesthetically pleasing and had a contemporary design sensibility," Mork-Ulnes says.

He talked about it with his brother in law, and the two decided to build their vision themselves. Here's how it all turned out. See more and order at Modern Cabana.

Photography byBruce Damonte