The cabin: my plan

I grew up in a log cabin on a section of my grandparents’ farmland in Central Illinois. The acre yard and 20 acres of pasture beyond were literally my playground. While my life is now happily rooted in the city life of Madison, Wisconsin, I have a built-in need for quiet and fresh air. That and my love of hammocking (yes, it’s a verb in my world) is what inspired me to buy a small wooded lake lot in late 2019! It’s about an hour away and I dream of having a cabin there someday for slumber parties and remote work. Until then, I will continue to use it for day trips to hammock and kayak on the small no-motor lake. It’s truly dreamy and I’m so grateful to have this little getaway!

Originally, I wanted to build a majestic A-frame on top of the hill. Sadly – no matter how beautiful it would have been – the price tag was just not worth the ineffecient floor plan. So back to the drawing board I went. I emerged with a basic 25′ x 35′ rectangle that will ultimately feel anything but basic. You’re going to have to wait a bit to see what the outside will look like, but the main level floor plan is ready for its debut!

While the lower level will be largely unfinished, the main level is split in half along with a central hallway, which creates four distinct areas:

• Entry/Bathroom
• Bedroom
• Living Room
• Kitchen

The more private spaces face the driveway with the open kitchen and living room facing the lake. The stairwell is just to the left of the main entry door and will get flooded with natural light from windows that wrap around the corner.  These same gridded windows will also be used in the bedroom, but the lake facing windows in the kitchen and living room will provide as unobstructed views as the budget allows.

The ceilings will all be vaulted, so the rooms will feel more spacious than their relatively small footprints. And knowing what is to come – I can say with confidence that while this cabin may be small, she is holding onto a few really big moments (stay tuned – the entry is next!).

So what makes this a cabin and not a small house? Good question! While this would fit Webster’s definition of a “small one-story dwelling of simple constuction”, I will also have a basement added. Since the building code in my area requires a 4-foot frost wall below grade – and I’m on a hill – it makes sense to go ahead and dig a full basement while they’re at it. So I guess it’s technically a small house?

But I consider this to be a cabin because it will be used as a getway and not a full-time residence. With that comes different considerations for the amount and type of space I will need. In one word? LESS. Here’s the working assumptions and priorities that went into this plan:

• Will be used year-round.
• Most trips will be relatively short with 1-2 of the owners as guests.
• Needs to be able to accomodate 4-6 total guests on occasion.
• There will be some clothing left there full-time, but not a full wardrobe.
• Basement level will hold laundry appliances and a powder room, but will otherwise remain unfinished.
• Prioritize lake views and comfortable seating / sleeping spaces.

What would be different if it were a short-term rental? This particular plan could quite easily be modified to suit a short-term rental by:

• Incorporating a stackable laundry unit on the main level.
• Ensuring the sectional sofa holds a queen sized bed for additional guests.
• Creating an ‘instagram-able moment’ with a cantilevered window seat in the bedroom.
• Finishing the basement with a second bedroom and bathroom.
• Including a ping-pong or pool table in the basement.

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