Most portable dwellings are made to roam a range of climates, but few can boast winter-proofing like the Leaf House, a $50K model made to take anything the tundra can through at it and keep on rolling.

Designed by Laird Herbert, the structure has an aesthetic that matches its season-sensitive goals, looking rather like a modular combination of trailer-home elements and log-cabin materials, mixing metal and cedar wood siding. The sloped roof provides for a lofted sleeping space, but is also critical for shedding snow in northern environments.

But beyond its appearance, it also features a great deal of in-wall insulation as well as triple-paned windows and other features made to help keep things warm in the worst conditions. Traditional and cozy detailing extends inside to stone floor tiles and a vintage gas range, contributing to the sense that one is snuggled up inside a cabin-esque retreat.

Laird explains some of his thoughts on the project at Tiny House Blog:

“This is my second tiny home that I have built. I lived in one full-time for a year over the winter and sold it last spring. I’m 28 years old and have lived in the Yukon for the past five. I am pretty happy puttering away building things. I’d much rather do this then sit in a cubicle! My passion is actually the design, that’s what I enjoy the most. So I’m diving into it full-time (hopefully) and will be building two more this summer (one for myself and another to sell), under Leaf House, which is my new company named after the famed Leaf House on Hornby Island which is where I spent my summers as a kid.”

“Anyway, I hope you enjoy this northern rendition of a tiny house! It is much more challenging build tiny houses in an extreme winter climate. I’ve learned quite a bit about what you need to do when it’s -40 outside and your space is 160 ft2. I’ve also learned that it is a lot more expensive to build things in the North!”