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They’re Living Simply In A Tiny Log Cabin in Alaska


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I thought I’d share this excellent example of people living simply in a tiny cabin in Alaska.

It’s a simple log cabin with a covered front deck. When you walk inside you’ve got your living area and kitchen. And upstairs is your sleeping loft with skylights which you’ll get to see down below.

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The Simple Life In A Tiny Log Cabin, Alaska

What does the simple life look like for you? Is it in a tiny apartment in the city? A tiny home on wheels near a town? Or off the grid in a rural area? Let us know in the comments after you tour the cabin below:

Classic Log Cabin Design with Modern Touches

RELATED: Sons Build DIY Remote Log Cabin in Alaska for their Father

Kitchen with Lots of Open Storage

RELATED: Father and Son Build Tiny Log Cabin in Alaska in Just 15 Days

Sleeping Loft with Skylights and Storage

RELATED: Young Couple Builds and Live in 168 Sq. Ft. Tiny House in Alaska

I don’t know about you, but I’d absolutely love living in a cabin like this.

So what does your dream simple life look like? Tell us in the comments below.

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Alex

Alex is a contributor and editor for TinyHouseTalk.com and the always free Tiny House Newsletter. He has a passion for exploring and sharing tiny homes (from yurts and RVs to tiny cabins and cottages) and inspiring simple living stories. We invite you to send in your story and tiny home photos too so we can re-share and inspire others towards a simple life too. Thank you!
{ 43 comments… add one }
  • Annie
    April 15, 2014, 3:23 pm

    So lovely! And such a good use of space. My dream house would be very similar to this one, but right smack on the beach.

    • Alex
      April 15, 2014, 6:23 pm

      Right on the beach sure would be nice!

    • Eric
      August 3, 2019, 9:05 pm

      Sure you’d be happy there when climate change starts raising the sea levels… of course you could strap on pontoons to it when that comes to pass… lol

  • CathyAnn
    April 15, 2014, 10:35 pm

    This is a cabin I could live in quite happily.

    I don’t understand about not enclosing the area below the structure. If it were enclosed and insulated properly, I would be a great place to store some things.

    • Chas
      April 16, 2014, 5:01 am

      @ CathyAnn…
      Most likely to keep the permafrost frozen. There is going to be some heaving and sinking around the poles that the cabin sits on, but by maintaining the integrity of the “bulk” of the surrounding permafrost you can avoid sinking into the ground…

      Ever see cabins with giant rock chimneys that look like they are sinking??? Well, they are… Think about this: a rock chimney is a 2 ton column of masonry that soaks up heat from the fire as it burns and radiates it back long after the fire is out. Makes it nice inside the cabin, but this radiated heat is also melting / thawing the permafrost around the base of the chimney… So, once the permafrost melts, a 2 ton weight easily sinks and once the permafrost has melted, it will never be the same even if the cabin is not used for a couple of years and the “ex-permafrost” is allowed to re-freeze. Re-frozen permafrost will look okay on the surface, but the “thaw” damage has already occurred and there will no longer be enough integrity to support the cabin…

      Chimney sinking is the extreme example, but if you enclose the “crawl space” you’re trapping heat from the cabin that will melt the permafrost. Best solution would be to enclose with lattice backed by hardware cloth. Lattice for circulation, hardware cloth to keep smaller animals out. If you tried to use the area as a root cellar with access through a trap door in the floor of the cabin, you can expect the local bear gang to rip giant holes in the lattice and hardware cloth. Just the way it is…

      • CathyAnn
        April 16, 2014, 7:30 pm

        Thank you so much for the excellent explanation! Now I understand, and have learned something new. I really appreciate it.

      • William T. Guevremont
        September 10, 2014, 7:56 am

        I’ve built many homes on pilings in AK. The “floor” construction is similar to a conventionally framed exterior wall. Typically, plywood is used as a finish material.

  • David Ridge
    April 15, 2014, 10:47 pm

    Again Railings are needed on the porch.

  • Glema
    April 16, 2014, 1:03 am

    This is great!

  • Jo Ann Kokrine
    June 18, 2014, 3:47 am

    There are a lot of these little cabins in the woods all around the Fairbanks, Alaska area- it is not an uncommon way to live up here.

  • Richard Adams
    June 18, 2014, 11:56 am

    Great cabin

  • dug
    July 27, 2014, 2:56 am

    As far as I know the insulation is built into the floor in the same or a similar method to that which I would of done when converting vans for the road, all we did was lay down some bubble wrap, then a layer of foil and finally a layer of wooden floor underlay then sandwich between initial ply floor and slightly risen upper ply floor, thus one insulated floor, that a gazillion caravans, mobile homes, offices and the likes are heat retentive by, the other far more expensive way is to strip vans floor back to bare metal sort any rust spots then batten out to gain one level front to rear, fill all voids with king span sheet insulation material as used in lofts etc, far more expensive route for not much more heat retention mind —- and it’s very likely that’s the way these (or the bulk of these guys will do) hope that helps a bit, I am about to attempt to put my thoughts and ideas, completed projects and the likes online under the URL douglasmcpherson.co.uk (meantime so here’s hoping Wordpress or Jommla are kind to me having limited knowledge in either it has to be said, Oh well nothing ventured, I suppose nothing gained sort of 🙂 🙂

  • Bob
    August 23, 2014, 12:27 pm

    I get so excited about the different houses shown on this site, then I get depressed, because, in the end, the question of property tax always pops up for me. Regarding this house and property, can you say, just ‘ballpark’ figure what your property tax is?

    • Alex
      August 23, 2014, 1:04 pm

      Probably not much for something like this Bob. My ballpark guess would be well under $900 in taxes for something like this for a year. Probably even less than $500. Anybody else want to chime in on this? I always depends though on location, size of the house and acreage.

      • Shelby
        September 15, 2014, 10:17 am

        OMG probably nothing as it is no doubt build outside city limits. 🙂 We have lots of places like that in Alaska — remember that means no fire services etc.

  • Hunter
    September 9, 2014, 2:43 pm

    Alex,
    I’m buying land from Ozark land.com and the taxes all inclusive for Missouri on 6.6 acres were $3.99 YES for everything!!!!! i almost fainted because, here in NY state on less than 1 acre in town ( a very SMALL town ) they are $6200.00 a year for all of them. so WHERE you own land makes a big difference. as you can see. contact the town where you plan on buying land and the tax departments can give you pretty accurate figures.

    • kristina nadreau
      February 8, 2016, 8:10 pm

      property taxes support schools and infrastucture. I never objected to paying my property taxes.

    • Suzie
      July 15, 2020, 11:33 am

      Alex I have been doing the same in Maine. It all depends on the town and their inspectors that come out every few years. One Inspector wants a access road put in to proove the home is save for emergency use. And would fail the inspection,which you could cost up to $2000 unless you follow through. A few years later a new inspector shows up from a different county and says it’s ok. And if one of these inspectors is call, to get off his butt off his chair. Then he will cause problems for you. So always check the town information out first and rules. If cabin has a cement foundation it could cause more problems by the State Forestry Commission if you locate the home close to State Parks. Oh! And check where the town limits are located. before buying the land. TR# lands are quite away from the city and more secluded. So do your homework before you buy land

  • sharon
    September 10, 2014, 8:51 am

    My dream is to get some ideas on a single level 12′ X 20′ tiny home. I’ve looked and looked but all the designs I find are for either side door entry or loft designs. I don’t have the ceiling high enough for a loft but I’ve still got to sleep. A 6′ X 6′ bathroom with a shower, toilet and sink plus enough room for stacked washer/dryer. A small kitchen and living area and I’m done. This is my dream. Please help me make it happen.

  • Comet
    September 10, 2014, 8:43 pm

    Taxes are an issue that we are hoping to lessen when we leave NY in a few years time. We are now at $3500 per year and climbing rapidly—I know they claim we have “Tax Caps” but—This is for ONE acre of rural land with two small sheds and a one floor with basement approx 50′ by 25′, no muni water or sewer etc. So don’t for get to factor in maintaining your OWN waste management (compost toilet or septic) and a WELL for that ever more important water source.

    Also if you need a school district don’t forget that YOUR taxes—wether YOU write that check yourself or your land owner writes it–SUPPORTS the school system. Whether or not YOU have kids in that school you WANT the school to do a good job so the local kids get ahead. It also supports the ROADS and BRIDGES and other highway maintenance (along with your vehicle registration and YES I do think bicycles SHOULD pay their fair share of this) and other needed infrastructure.

    I agree that for a LOT of places what you or your landlord is paying is a LOT but in some places the education and other infrastructure is DREADFUL but they are paying almost nothing. The people that you help pay to educate might very well be the ones doing your plumbing or fixing your car or bicycle or cutting your hair or drawing your blood at the doctors. The SAME local people who have lived there always.

    We have looked in places like Western NC and Tenn and Kentucky and there is an astonishing difference in taxation –and ALL are way LESS than what we are paying now–to the point where it is almost “worth” it to us to sell up NOW and move. We have a family obligation here at this time that won’t allow this but when I see selfishly how much better OUR lives could be if we were not paying the high taxes and electric bills of NY—-Our electric bill for a year is about the SAME as our taxes.

    Retirement will mean we HAVE to move as we will no longer be ABLE to afford either the taxes or the electric–that has more than DOUBLED in the past few years.

    So it’s not just “The Taxes”–you have to consider the WHOLE picture.

    • Kristy
      September 15, 2014, 11:21 am

      When I read comments like yours, I give thanks for where I live. Those taxes are crazy! I live in Northeast Tennessee which for some reason tends to get overlooked for western NC. TN doesn’t have a state income tax and we have the same beautiful scenery as western NC does. When you get ready to move, check out the different tax structures in each of the states. NC and VA both have state income tax as well as personal property tax (required to list your personal property(cars, boats, jewelry, etc…) and be taxed on it. TN doesn’t have this). TN has a higher sales tax but if you live on the border you can just do your shopping in the neighboring state with lower sales tax. I don’t live close enough to KY to know their tax structure but other taxes like I mentioned are as important to know about as the property tax rates. These are things that everyone should check on before moving to another state. No use moving for lower property taxes if you are going to get killed by other taxes or fees you didn’t think about 🙂

    • Steve in Palm Bay
      June 19, 2015, 6:38 am

      Comet,

      Washington DC has high taxes and more money spent per child in the nation. But in dealing with the by-product of this spending in the past, the school kids, I’d have to say someone is due a huge refund. For the most past we are not looking at future scientists from my experiences. Most of these kids seem to have been dumbed down. More cash thrown at corrupt to the core political hacks only guarantees richer political hacks. YMMV

      As to the cabin, I love it. However, here in my adopted neck of the woods….central coastal Florida, this wouldn’t be the best choice. I am making mine a more airy island style mini-villa with a white steel roof and shaded windows with Bahamian awnings.

    • Suzie
      July 15, 2020, 11:45 am

      Did you ever think of putting up solar batteries and a 5×6 solar panel? Or even a wind tower. Set a shed away from the house and accumulate your electricity. Power the house off of it. You get a break from Uncle Sam and can take it off your taxes . Keep your receipts. Uncle Sam will want proof. Go to TurboTax and click on the highlighted words. It walks you through it. Why give money away to big Corp companies. They have to pay you. My dad would always write the meter in on a card and not allow the electric Company estimate. And sent it in.

  • Comet
    September 10, 2014, 8:47 pm

    Oh something I forgot—a lot of places have DIFFERENT tax rates for the different PARTS of your land–here in NY if you have a 100 acre piece of land the ONE ACRE that your HOUSE is on is taxed at one rate much differently than the rest; the other 99 acres is taxed as “Vacant land” or farmland at a mere fraction of the land the house sits on.

  • Bill the Pill
    September 15, 2014, 10:21 am

    Floor Plan please.

  • Mary
    September 15, 2014, 11:23 am

    I would love to see the floorplan for this one! Does it have a bathroom? Looks like water in the kitchen is carried in. I love the open shelving and storage. thanks!

  • Venus Monyhan
    September 16, 2014, 9:44 am

    Would like to see cabins with sleeping area on lower level and loft could be storage. Indoor bathroom!

    • Theo
      June 18, 2015, 5:38 pm

      Totally agree.

  • Kelly
    June 18, 2015, 12:29 pm

    My dream cabin.

  • AL
    June 18, 2015, 1:04 pm

    I love this, too! Simple, efficient, nice & cozy, yet with plenty of space (for us). :):):)

  • Anne
    June 18, 2015, 3:06 pm

    I love this one! So simple and homey. Would like to have an indoor rest room, however.

  • Susanne
    June 19, 2015, 12:47 am

    Very nice! But so far the cheapest idea I have seen are yurts. Saw one site-Pacific Yurts, made in Oregon. Largest size 700 square feet for $10,000…less than a week to build. 🙂

  • Patty
    June 19, 2015, 2:29 am

    Nice cabin & storage. Bathroom for me though. This really is a nice, homey cabin and love all the storage.

  • Nanny M
    June 19, 2015, 5:34 am

    Warm, lovely classic cabin. Agree just add a bath.
    My dream is a small (460-860 sq feet) cottage hidden in a forest.

  • Carlina
    June 19, 2015, 11:56 am

    Alex, ever since the first day a discovered your newsletter and saw LaMar Alexander’s cabin story featured, I have been an avid fan of tiny houses, simple living, and homestead life. As a result of my having found you guys I have set life goals and I a working on them. My ideal tiny house will eventually be located in rural Washington. Already spying out land, selling city condo, getting rid of excesses all around my life, paying off debt. It has been about a year and I continue to be motivated to radically change the way I live. Thanks a million for the wonderful work you and other folks like LaMar are doing in guiding people to alternative living.

  • Comet
    June 19, 2015, 7:36 pm

    This is very nice–and lots of room for bears under the house!!!!

    No seriously–very nice. I am in LOVE with that kitchen—way more space and so much more functional than the house I own NOW!!!! And the old fashioned but SO handy pull out cutting board! Why did these ever go OUT of fashion???? One of these–I I could FIT one in–would DOUBLE my “counter” space!

    I miss the wood I used to have in my old farmhouse–where the floors; part way up the walls and the ceiling were ALL old wood–the ceiling and beams and floor were original to the house–beautiful hand planed wide wood–and the walls were old chestnut from a 100 year old carriage barn from an old church nearby. In another room we had pumpkin pine floor boards—

    Now I have plaster board and some weird faux wood molded paneling–not exactly what I am in love with!

  • Jaix Brooks
    June 22, 2015, 4:38 am

    My ideal home is one of those Old Hickory lofted barns 14 x 30. On a floating platform 35 x 45 with a PV array, water cleaning/filtration, waste grey water treatment, composting toilet, wind turbine, room for garden and chickens. I have it all priced and planned. I can get everything from either one of the big box building stores. $25,000 total.
    Glad you asked.

  • dea
    June 27, 2015, 2:42 pm

    Oh this is way fabulous!, lovin it all…how beautiful, and spacious everything works so nicely, thanks for the peek!

  • Nick
    September 4, 2015, 4:03 am

    I wish my first cabin in Alaska I built would have been as simple and efficient as this one. I was going for fancy and top of the line. Took too long to build and huge windows are not practical. Oh well live and learn, and this time no Zha Zha Gibor wife bugging me.

    I can tell you now there are places where there are no property taxes in Alaska. Yep , I just bought a piece and yep there is a volunteer fire department and yep a maintained road and school down the road. You have to look hard but they are there. I currently own a cabin In the far south west that costs me only $65 per year in property taxes for ten acres including my cabin. No I didn’t fill out the form the county sent me asking me how much I paid for my land because it’s voluntary not a legal requirement. But FYI after much buying and selling property I ended up getting it for free even made $1000 after swapping and selling other pieces after it was all said and done. Cabin cost me $7000. To build but only because of the lack of trees In the area and requirement for super thick and insulated walls ceiling. Yep it’s off grid , but I have hot n cold running water and electricity from solar.

    Back to Alaska,,, This time I will build a much smaller simpler structure using the trees located in the area. Small and fewer windows along with a low roof will make it efficient heat storage cabin. Been saving and denying myself for a few years now so I have everything I need once it is built, but I’ve used the lack of wandering around vacationing to learn how to play a few musical instruments, to learn how to use non electric house hold appliances / tools to educate myself in the most efficient use of electricity , water storage and use/ Conservancy. Came up with the most simple cost effective way to have a hot indoor shower / hot dish water in Alaska , and took the couple of years to figure out what I really need and what I don’t. Not to mention finding the most efficient vehicle that will run on veggie oil during the summer months and happens to get 50 mpg when using regular diesel.

    Ok I know it sounds like a bunch of horn blowing! Maybe it is , but I said all this to say two things .

    1) it takes a lot of planning , education, life style changes , and some natural talent to live well in a remote situation.

    2) life is tough, but life is tougher for the stupid

    • kristina nadreau
      February 8, 2016, 8:15 pm

      yes. Life is tougher for the stupid and the deliberately determined ignorant.

  • Pam
    September 4, 2015, 10:41 pm

    From what is shown, I could live here in a second!! Some questions though:
    – what is the SF?
    – price
    – location to “any” amenities?

  • Pat Quackenbush
    September 17, 2019, 10:43 pm

    I love these cottages, but I am very interested in a THOW as I have two kids in California, one in NYS and one in Cincinnati OH and a lot of family including my only sibling alive, my older sister and I want to travel not only to be a part of everyone’s lives but to see my great country.

  • Randy
    August 5, 2021, 10:31 am

    I spent time in Alaska for my work in 2006 (AlasCom) and it is definitely like nothing most folks in the lower 48 can ever imagine! Awesome job on your cabin! I had a two-burner Griswold similar to yours! Your bedroom upstairs in my dream room. The bookshelves lining the walls and the skylight over the bed – so you can see the stars or watch it rain – are the bomb! Good job! Enjoy living in “the last frontier” while we still have it.

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