The idea of living in a hole in the ground may conjure images of ants or moles, but in the mid-to-late 1970s, it was all the rage among environmentalists. Earth sheltered homes, or earth-bermed homes as they were sometimes called, are buildings partially dug into the ground to utilize the natural cooling abilities of soil. These homes were supposed to save energy and be better for the environment.

The brief earth home craze never really caught on outside of people who could afford custom-designed houses, but some of the relics of the days of underground houses actually look pretty sweet. You wouldn’t expect a literal hole in the ground to have such cozy-looking furniture or idyllic vistas, but many of them do.

Check out these pics of earth sheltered homes that make subterranean living look stylish. You don’t have to be a solar power nutcase to appreciate the appeal of these partly-buried abodes. And if you want to live in one of these but can’t afford the price tag, you could always just dig a hole in the backyard.