Your Guide to a Real Cabin Lifestyle

Kimberly Smith Cabins March 2, 2017

Cabin living is much different from city living or even suburban living. There are a few things you need to know before you take on such a huge lifestyle change. You can have a cabin styled home in or near the city, but real cabin life requires a bit of know-how when it comes to living off the grid. We are talking here about building cabins in wooded areas or remote country areas.

Here are some things you should know about the cabin lifestyle before buying or building a cabin home. 

 You may actually be off-grid, meaning that you may need to provide your own electricity, water source, and heat source for the winter. There will most likely be no “gas company” to pay every month. You will probably have to get the lines run yourself with your own money. The electricity hook-up will be the same. As for water, you will probably need a well. Many water wells are electric these days, so you will need to account for that fact. Also you will need to decide how you are going to heat your home if you are in a climate where the seasons change. Will there be electric or gas heating or will you install wood burning stoves and fireplaces?

You may be alone with no neighbors. For some people this may be a dream come true, and that is fine, but for others who may be used to a more urban type of living, the idea of the nearest neighbor being 20 miles away may be daunting. You must prepare yourself by having a storage of food and other items you need, like band aids, meds for colds and flus, food that does not spoil and some place to store it. If winter is near, you may need to gather and cut enough wood for the entire season, because if a cold front hits at the last minute, the nearest store may be miles away and it may be too dangerous to drive. Be prepared with batteries for flashlights if a storm takes your lights out. These are all things you used to walk next door to borrow. If you’re living a true cabin life, you may not have that luxury.

The key is to be prepared to supply your own needs, whether it is a water source or a dozen of eggs. Living the cabin life may make it extremely difficult to get these supplies if your neighbor is a  30 minute drive away.

photo: Pinterest via Moorea Seal

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Summer Tiny Home Idea – Super Simple Design

Admin1 Cabins February 27, 2017

Here’s a DIY tiny house unlike any you might have seen before. These fellows did it with just a bit of lumber and that piece of corrugated metal. Interested in trying something like this yourself?

They’re a couple of Californians, named Matt & Margo, and they built this one over a dry creek bed (usually dry, anyway).

It’s their summer cottage, and it’s located, for those interested, in the western foothills of Sierra Nevada Range, California.

They also mentioned that a tiny house like this, set up as a summer house in an out-of-the-way location in an area with a significant amount of fires, like those California mountains, is one that isn’t relatively that big an investment, and if it ever were to burn up in a wildfire, they could just rebuild it.

Nice little deck, and you probably noticed that sheet of corrugated metal is quite small, and they made do by using it like a single-pitch roof, with a bit of a slant to the rest of the building.

Find more tiny home and cabin builders indexed in our Home Designers and Builders Directory. You can search the company’s name and look builders near your area. And to see more cabins homes, click here.

And here’s a little gallery of some more little cabins — some even use corrugated metal sheets, but none do it like this cabin at the top, which is pretty interesting. Unfortunately, the picture at the top is the only one that seems to be around for Matt & Margo’s cabin so far (if anyone finds more, make sure to send them to us so we can update this), as well as if anyone has built similar structures. Of course, the top image also expands, as all the pictures on our site do.

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A Quick View of Fan’s Metal Cabin in Missouri

Kimberly Smith Cabins, Metal Buildings January 10, 2017

A cabin the beautiful state of Missouri is the place for a family seeking a great view of nature and a bit of solace away from the hustle and bustle of the city. This Metal cabin not only sits in the midst of perfect scenery, but also has everything a small to mid- sized family needs. It’s simple and minimalist on the outside but full of space within the interior.

This cabin is basically move-in ready. With two bedrooms, one being a large master bedroom and the other room for one or two small children, the layout is versatile. For singles or a couple, the extra bedroom can be used as an office, storage, guest room or nursery. This metal cabin also comes equipped with a laundry room/mudroom which is extremely convenient whether for a family or couple, especially living outside of the city.

If you are looking for a practical and comfortable home to live in, coupled with a touch of nature in the surroundings, then this metal cabin located in Missouri is definitely a top choice.

Some more information about this metal cabin:

Location:Missouri
Dimensions:  14′ x 60′
This home was built for Michael J. of Missouri

Find more from Morton steel buildings, and the metal and steel design and build companies we’ve indexed in our Home Designers and Builders Directory. You can search the company’s name and look builders near your area. And to see more metal homes, click here.

 

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These Amish style barn houses start at $5,400 and are built on site from $25,000

Alison LaPaglia Cabins November 21, 2016

If you are familiar with the Amish community in the business world, then you are also probably familiar with their reputation for quality products. I love the craftsmanship of Amish architecture, and the phrase “made with love” comes to mind when admiring their work. They pay close attention to the details which results in an astounding structure. So, if you are in the market for a house, barn, shed, cabin, or garage then keep reading to find out why an Amish build is a great idea!

Details, details, details! They are the key factor to quality work. Of course, the Amish Barn Company understands this very well. They are based in upstate New York and have been providing customers with quality work since 2005. From small dog houses to large two story horse barns, the Amish Barn Company does it all! However, not all us have animals to attend to, so let’s look at one of their structures that we could all use. A home! Whether you are looking for a weekend getaway spot or a full time residence, these cabins are a great choice!

There are several styles of cabins to choose from. I will be highlighting a larger style called the Board and Batten Cabin with Loft! This is an A frame cabin featuring a really great front porch! The first thing you will notice when looking at this cabin are the beams that are used to accentuate the A frame roof and frame the porch.  As a single beam runs horizontally across the porch with three vertical beams connecting it to the top of the roof there is a subtle yet warm resemblance to the sun rise. This may or may not be intentional, either way this detail can certainly give a new appreciation for the design. The next thing you should notice are the windows. Windows are important because they fill homes with natural light and allow for some amazing views! The best part about this feature is that it can be adjusted to fit the clients needs. You will see in the pictures provided that one home has a small circular window on the second floor while the other has two large windows upstairs. It might be fun to do a set of double cross brace doors on this cabin and accent the front porch area with a large triangular window above them!

It’s hard not to notice the beautiful wood that makes this structure. Stain can be a homeowners best friend with this cabin! It will allow you to get the shade you like without sacrificing the grain of the wood used to build it. You will see in the pictures below that two different shades of stain were used. On one cabin, a red tint was paired with unstained porch beams to create more contrast to the home. Inside the cabin you will find a large space with a staircase that leads to the loft area. The interior is dependent upon the client, so there is a lot of room to adjust the space to meet your desires!

Some other details that this company covers can not be seen in the build. The Amish Barn Company works with customers to make owning one of their structures more affordable. This can be seen through their rent to own program. They also cover delivery for free to any locations within one hundred miles of their home base in Oneonta, NY! It seems that it is safe to say, this is a company who cares about their product as well as their clientele!

Here is a message from them to you! Amish Barn Company says, “Our single wide one story cabins start at around $5,400. Our built on site cabins start around $25,000. We custom quote all our projects. Please contact me at info@amishbarnco.com or call 607-432-0527 to design your own and for more information and pricing.”

By Alison LaPaglia

For more information about Amish Barn Company, find them in our home directory.

 

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This rustic cabin!

Admin1 Cabins October 1, 2016

These mountain cabins are something else. They’re rustic, yet these guys build them to be not just for wilderness retreats, but also for more modern purposes: park model RVs, park cabins, log cabins, HUD single section, HUD multi-section or Modular Cabins. The uses they can be put to are also wide: getaway cabins, vacation cabins, fishing or hunting cabins, and ranch cabins, Kind of neat, huh.

Pine Mountain Cabins come with covered decks, bunk rooms, rustic yellow pine cabinetry, real wood accents, cedar stained fiber cement lap siding by James Hardie, and galvanized roofs. They are designed to take the wear and tear of rustic vacation living and come in sizes from 250 square feet up to over 1300 square feet. There is truly a design and size to fit every need.

According to the company, “Pine Mountain Cabins are a product line of Recreational Resort Cottages, a nationally recognized retailer of recreational homes and cabins. Pine Mountain Cabins are designed for the outdoor enthusiast who wants a quality, rustic product for a hunting lodge, fishing cabin, bunk retreat, a home on the lake, log cabin, or just a private getaway in the country. To accommodate every need, Pine Mountain Cabins are available as RV Park Models, HUD Cabins and Modular Cabins.”

Here’s some of their work:

For more information on Pine Mountain Cabins’ modular cabins, park models, or other buildings, find them in our cabin builder and designer directory.

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Cosy Wood Cabin at 1,600 Square Feet

Admin1 Cabins October 1, 2016

According to the designers, “Fording a stream is necessary to reach this cabin, nestled into a valley in Southeastern Minnesota. The design features a central soapstone wood stove, southern and eastern views and a unique bed-berth. Local hardwoods were used for doors and cabinets.”

This is the “Trout Fishing Cabin”, designed by Dale Mulfinger with Abbie Seba. Construction was done by WA Kreofsky

Photographs: Troy Thies

Gallery of images of this great 1600 square foot rustic cabin house design:

For more from home designers, find them in our Building Homes and Living directory.

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Cabin Mirrors and Wood with Invisible Parts

Admin1 Cabins September 20, 2016

A tiny home using mirrors. If you heard about that, you might think they were using mirrors in the traditional way to create the impression of mach larger volumes of space in interiors, but in this case they used mirrors as a unique, eye-catching design element for the exterior of this tiny house.

The artist Phillip K Smith III is responsible for this amazing project, called Lucid Stead, which plays with some special properties of light. The small house, which is in the desert of Joshua Tree , California, has mirrors and LED lighting controlled by computers that create a unique visual experience.

All the work was done in an old tiny house hut which is already 70 years old. The result is so impressive that some people even think that they are hallucinating — after all, is not every day that a cabin like this appears in front of a person.

Each mirror plate reflects the desert around the house, creating an interesting illusion. The viewer is free to create their own experience, since the perception changes according to the angle, and gradually the magic will be revealed.

The major challenges of the project were energy sources, since the artist wanted a clean look with no apparent cables and wires. The solution was to use six solar panels that provide power for the home.

The artist says he already has new ideas that expand the concepts used in this interesting cabin. Let’s wait and see!

For more info on Lucid Stead, find them in our directory. Photography by:Phillip K Smith III

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2 Bedroom Cabin Plans for a Couple or Young Family

Admin1 Cabins September 20, 2016

Beautiful cabin style farmhouse comes in at under 1,000 square feet. This small family-sized cabin has an interesting rural design that incorporates a compact size and shape with a barn-style peaked roof with gable and a fireplace.

It’s one of the house plans being offered by Southern Living, and this one is called “Deer Run.”

“Thoughtfully designed and affordable to build, this home illustrates cabin living at its best. It’s the perfect hideaway for the lake or mountains, with a design that combines compactness and rustic styling.

“An adorable front porch is just the place to set up a couple of chairs, or maybe a hanging swing and take a load off your heels. Inside, the open living room enjoys a fireplace, windows along three walls, and a set of French doors that open to a screened porch at the back.

“With warmth wafting over from the living room and the soothing smells of dinner being prepared in the adjoining kitchen, the dining room offers a place to settle down at the end of the day. A spacious rear bedroom makes use of the main floor’s full bath. Upstairs, a second bedroom enjoys a roomy sleeping area, plus its own private bath.

Specification for this small family cabin:

Square footage: Main Floor: 763, Upper Floor: 210
Bedrooms: 2
Baths: 2 full
Foundations: Pole/Pier
Fireplaces: 1
Kitchen features: Nook

Dimensions: 30′- 0″ W x 36′- 0″ D x 0″- 0” H

For more from Southern Living, find them in our directory of building plans.

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You Ever Wanted to Stay in a Seaside Cabin?

Admin1 Cabins September 20, 2016

When it comes to prefab homes and where they can be situated (they’re easy to place, so they can be situated almost anywhere), this modular home on the coast might weigh in on the ocean ledger on the old “Do you prefer to live on the ocean or in the mountains?” question.

What do you think of this small-ish, simple prefabricated house, hanging over the stacked stone wall above the Steigen Archipelago (the Barents Sea), Norway. Actually, this is a resort, the Manshausen Island Resort, so these places can be rented, but obviously you can build this prefab design for your house.

The designers for these prefab houses is Stinessen Arkitektur, and they’re purposed as holiday cabins. Like a lot of modern prefab architecture, these ones are designed with a consideration for minimal environmental footprints.

Part of that is the prefab house building material: mostly wood. The wood used for these modular cabins is Larch, and there are two layers to the building, plus, glued to the outside of the building, that full-height window section you see.

Like several other prefab houses we’ve featured here, these ones also have cantilever design. They hang over the sea. Those stones you see piled up in the picture above are from a historic stone quay that was there before.

To see more work from Stinessen Arkitektur, find them at our Prefab Home Designers and Builders directory (click here).

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Three Great Cabin Tiny Home Designs

Admin1 Cabins September 18, 2016

After taking a look at a house plan company called Texas Home Plans a while ago, we decided to also look into what they had on offer in the way of tiny homes and cabin designs, and what they had stands out from what most of the tiny houses we’ve featured here so far, so we thought we’d share some of their work.

#1 is the Hahn Cabin, a small two-story stone house in this case using pale colored stones that is topped with a metal roof.

#2 is the Haynes Cabin, a single story metal building with a metal roof that they have sitting on a stone walled porch.

#3 is the Amionetti Cabin, a tiny house built in the countryside. Here they used an almost bleached peach colored stone and a regularly shingled roof for the finish.

For more about Texas Home Plans, find them in our metal buildings directory. Their average price seems to have been estimated around $40 – $130 per square foot. Or to read more about their process when it comes to metal homes, tiny homes, or whatever else, click here.

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