These solar-powered steel cabins make a perfect desert getaway

The Folly Cabins appear like a mirage in the desert. Clad in salvaged steel and running off of power generated by a “solar tree,” the small buildings have a dusty appearance that blend into their arid surroundings just north of Joshua Tree National Park.

The off-grid cabins are the work of Malek Alqadi and Hillary Flur, who bought an abandoned house on the property with the intention of completely transforming it. They succeeded. The duo tore down the house and salvaged the steel cladding to use as the facade for a pair of tiny homes.

At 460 square feet, the main cabin is a more or less a self-contained house with a living room, dining room, kitchen, bathroom, and sleeping loft. The second cabin functions like a guest bedroom with a lofted bed area and a rooftop observation deck where you can survey the expansive desert views. Both cabins can be rented, which is great news for design nerds who need a desert getaway.