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840 Sq. Ft. Modern and Rustic Small Cabin in the Redwoods


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Even though this isn’t a tiny house I still thought you’d enjoy this 840 sq. ft. modern and rustic cabin in the redwoods.

And the best part is that this particular one was designed and built in a way that makes it feel modern and rustic at the same time. But not only that… The exterior of the structure looks like a cabin. When you go inside though you’ll notice a cottage-like homey look and feel in certain rooms. So the result is a modern rustic cottage cabin, isn’t it? Oh, and good news- plans are available for this design if you like it enough to build it.

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840 Sq. Ft. Modern Small Cabin in the Redwoods

840-sf-modern-rustic-redwoods-cottage-cabin-by-cathy-schwabe-001

All Images © David Wakely for Cathy Schwabe Architecture

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Floor Plan

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All Images © David Wakely for Cathy Schwabe Architecture

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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!
{ 29 comments… add one }
  • Kim Tripp
    June 10, 2014, 11:15 am

    Alex,
    This one is wonderful ! It also has a modular look to it, where you could remove sections to appropriately size to your needs. For example, by removing the master bedroom and using the guest room instead you reduce the foot print of this home a fair amount while still having just a lovely, well laid out small home that would be quite comfortable for a couple. Even one of mine and my hubby’s age, we are looking towards retirement…not there yet but will build with that in mind (thus ladders, not so much)

    Thanks very much for the share!!
    Kim

  • Aretina77
    June 10, 2014, 11:54 am

    I enjoyed this very much. However seeing as there is an exposed basement I’m wondering if that space is included in the stated square footage or extra. Or is this a split level somewhere. I think this is great for a couple with young kids that want to keep open concept layout without ladders or stairs. A very flexible design, I agree. I’ve found that with my two little ones we generally congregate together in certain areas of the house and leave other areas unused. Small children don’t require as much square footage as the general consensus would have us believe. Safety, line of sight, and strategically placed gates can do the trick.

  • Steve G
    June 10, 2014, 12:05 pm

    I like the looks of the home but wouldn’t want to walk from the bedroom thorough the living room to get to the shower.

    • Eric
      October 14, 2017, 3:20 pm

      Oooh, first world problems. What’s the big deal if it is just you and possibly a partner?

  • Susan Stodola
    June 10, 2014, 12:14 pm

    @ Kim ~ I do elderly care AND I’m a senior citizen, so I am constantly exposed to living situations where accommodations must be made for walkers and wheelchairs. I like the openness of this particular layout and the kitchen plan, but can see major obstacles for an impaired person…….doors would have to be wider and the bathroom at least half again as big with the toilet closer to the door (utilizing a pocket door) and put in a roll-in shower, too, while you are at it. That toilet tucked into the cubby might be a great privacy feature, but there’s nothing private about having a commode in the middle of the living room because you can’t get to the one in the bathroom to use it. I’ve been doing some remodeling and doors are wider and LOTS of room around the toilet for a wheelchair or walker. I’ve got the roll in shower, too…….actually for my wheelchair bound client……….but it works great just for ‘regular’ use as well. With tasteful decorating, it doesn’t have to look ‘utilitarian’.

    • Kim Tripp
      June 10, 2014, 3:34 pm

      Dually noted Susan…that’s for the pointers! I am a fan of the “wet bathroom” so thus things would be less segregated and more maneuverable! I do however agree with what others said about liking the w/d in the bath under the counter…that looks lovely. I understand that it’s not incredibly ADA friendly however. Finding the balance as we design our home will be a bit of a Rubik’s cube of a puzzle 🙂 but we’re up for it!

      • Susan Stodola
        June 10, 2014, 3:59 pm

        I agree, Kim……….LOVE the W/D in the bathroom under the counter like that! And the bonus is you have a place to fold the laundry …….and think of the nice warm towels you can take out of the dryer after a shower! I did that for my client (and myself) before I moved the W/D to a separate room because I needed the turn around space for walkers and wheelchairs. I’m thinking if I remodel (or stick build) another house, I would definitely do this in a second bathroom with maybe only a toilet and a sink as the sink probably wouldn’t be W/C accessible with the W/D next to it, so ADA would only apply to the full bathroom.

        If you haven’t had your laugh today, do a search for “Terrible Real Estate Agent Photographs”. MANY pix of bathrooms (and others) that will have you picking yourself up from the floor……SO, SO funny!! Have a great day!………SS

  • Barb B
    June 10, 2014, 12:25 pm

    Love it! I’m not a big fan of “modern” houses but this one is so nifty. There must be some personal reason as to why the architect made the bathroom convenient to the guest room and not the master bedroom. Other than that, it is darn near perfect for a bigger house. I love the openness feeling.

  • Rebecca
    June 10, 2014, 12:28 pm

    Beautiful. I wonder if the bedroom was placed for sun/views. I am changing my plan to incorporate the W/D under the bathroom counter. Not only better plumbing but more attractive and useful. My design is 480 sf plus greenhouse. I like the size and am finetuning and collecting materials now. Daily tinyhouse blogs are wonderful.

  • Lisa E.
    June 10, 2014, 12:41 pm

    WOW!!! Usually, I only like TH’s on wheels and colonial decorating but this is the exception that makes the rule. This is FABULOUS!!! It’s visually exciting but very homey with an added plus of being totally functional. This is a keeper, for sure! Bravo!!!!

    • Lisa E.
      June 10, 2014, 12:44 pm

      PS: And I agree with Rebecca about the w/d under the counter in the bathroom; it even makes these two appliances look attractive.

  • jean massey
    June 10, 2014, 2:09 pm

    needs a pantry if someone had a freezer, there is nowhere for it and the master needs to be the bedroom by the bath otherwise this is a wonderful plan

    • Susan Stodola
      June 10, 2014, 5:11 pm

      Besides freezing, I do a lot of canning, Jean…..so I thought about that, too. As others have noted, it appears this house is built on a slope………I would extend the room next to the deck to house steps to the basement where I would keep a freezer and my canning, and also use it for all my sewing and craft projects that I wouldn’t want to clutter up the actual living space with.

      When I remodeled this past time, I was in town when my nephew started working on my addition and when I came home, found what appeared to be a basement instead of just a ‘crawl space’ and a trench for the foundation walls. He explained to me that they always built a walk in crawl space of about 4 feet. He said the foundation had to go down that deep anyway where we live and it doesn’t take that much more time and effort to go down the extra two feet or so from a ‘traditional crawlspace’. Then they smoothed out the ‘floor’ and poured a layer of concrete. He said it makes it a LOT easier for the plumber, electrician and the HVAC guys to work…..no crawling around on their bellies in damp, dark musty dirt(he also installed lighting when he was doing the wiring). So if I had access to natural sunlight, I would definitely put a basement in and keep all the fuss downstairs, and as someone else suggested, bicycles, etc., etc.

  • Sally
    June 10, 2014, 2:16 pm

    Wow! Very nicely suited for a pretty piece of property with good views. The interesting angles, woodsy exterior and big windows make this a unique place, rather 70s, and I mean that as a compliment.
    Quibbles: The entry is unexceptional for such a pretty place, and I see ongoing problems during rainstorms with the gutter, since much of the roofline is directed toward that front door corner.
    As a gal from the “hide the messy kitchen” generation, I never do like walking into someone’s house welcomed by a mix of doors or a refrigerator unless we’re heading in from the back porch, but this would be convenient for a mom with a load of groceries and kids. Looking at the layout, I guess the approach is from the back to make the most of the view???
    The interior (great ceilings) can be adjusted for anyone’s needs. I’d use the guestroom as my primary bedroom (who needs views when you’re sleeping?) since the bathroom is nearby, and use that wonderful big room with the view as a studio or library or sewing room. After all, that’s where I’d be all day. Why waste it as a bedroom?
    My two cents, per usual. I really love the look of this place, modern and clean, yet could be cozy, too, if you changed some furnishings. I’m saving this one.

  • Rusty44
    June 10, 2014, 2:53 pm

    This is right up there as one of my favorites. Open, cozy and so much light. The kitchen size compliments the house by not being small. I too would probably swap the two bedrooms to have the bath closer.
    I notice a basement which would make perfect place for storage of bicycles, water heater, etc.
    It is definitely a place I could call home.

    • Alex
      June 11, 2014, 10:27 am

      Thanks Rusty glad you liked it!

  • carrie
    June 10, 2014, 3:57 pm

    simply>>>>>>>>>>>>DROOLING !

  • Paul
    June 10, 2014, 7:41 pm

    Agree on the comments about walking thru the lounge from master bedroom to the bathroom.

    And, at 840 sq ft I would have expected 3 bedroom capability. Don’t think that this uses space that well and… what is it about so many houses in the US where there aren’t any curtains/blinds on the windows in kitchens/lounge/living rooms etc.? In this house, only in the guest room and the master bedroom. No wonder heating bills are astronomical for so many… I mean yeah the view… but not at the expense of burning fuel unnecessarily to keep warm.

  • Ruth Vallejos
    June 10, 2014, 9:56 pm

    Lovely house. It’s a house, not a cabin. You could live there easily, with stuff.

    Love all the detailing. The wood siding looks rustic, and yet it’s more precise than a swiss watch. And, despite it’s open window look, I suspect this building is built to current standards with high performance glazing, insulation, etc. And, in a mild climate (for instance N. California) you’d only really need the wood stove for 2-3 months out of the year.

    Yes, oh yes I could live there. I’m an architect and I would be happy to let Ms. Schwabe build a house for me.

  • Jack
    June 11, 2014, 9:30 am

    Nice cabin, too bad the plans are ridiculously overpriced. They’re about double the price of other similar plans.

  • Cahow
    June 11, 2014, 11:59 am

    YOU knocked it outta the Ball Park with this one, Alex!!!! This is Exactly my ‘cuppa’, from the clerestory windows/skillion roof/floor plan and great utilization of a sloped lot. 😀

    Like others that have commented, I’d switch where the master bedroom was and the guest room/office. I make many a trip to the loo at night and don’t feel like traversing the entire home to get to it. LOL

    Other slight tweaks: Make the clerestory windows MUCH LARGER…I don’t need to see all that wood; I’d rather have light!light!light! in my home during dark, gloomy Winter days. And then there’s the bedroom switch out. Also, because Michigan is Bug Capital U.S.A., a portion of the deck would need to be screened in, otherwise it would be useless when the No See Em’s and Skitters come out to play. 😉

    But other than those two asides, this is a keeper and I can see many a family quite happy here! If this was for an Empty Nester that had loads of kids or friends that stayed the night, I’d use bunk beds in the guest room and have two sofas in the lounge turn into beds.

    Well done, Alex, well done! I’ve not seen many postings lately that I’ve wanted to comment upon: too wee and not my style. But THIS one…WOW!!!

  • Comet
    June 24, 2014, 2:38 pm

    If I had the room to do it the washer and dryer would be in my BATHROOM like this TODAY. Genius as some one else mentioned!

    AS for the handicapped access issues mentioned by another poster—

    I am handicapped and approaching–sigh–the Senior designation. For some a toilet with closer walls AND grab bars might be an easier way to get up and down. I know just the inadvertent addition of a replacement toilet that was higher really made a big difference—and this is just a regular toilet we used to replace an old 1970’s one. It depends on the level of handicap and the persons agility–which of course can change. And using a wheel chair changes things altogether.

    For me when I was confined to a chair for several months the biggest thing was the DOORS and STAIRS. The width of the doors was completely NOT wheelchair friendly; for some I had to reach forwards quite a bit and grab the door casings with my fingertips and pull myself thru barely clearing the sides. Annoying but much much worse when this is the bathroom! And making a TURN in a wheelchair—not nearly as easy as it might sound. Sharp turns are almost impossible without being able to back-n-fill and re-align so as to be facing the door or hallway head on. My hallways and doors were not up to this challenge!

    My bathroom was barely wide enough to get from the door to the toilet and if I had not had some mobility would NOT have been able to be used.

    Getting in and out of a bedroom–same issues.

    Getting in and out of the HOUSE–the step between the side of the house up TO the front door–almost impossible and it is only a few INCHES. Building a shallow ramp to this would have taken the ramp far out onto the porch causing–irony alert here!–a tripping hazzard to others. There are ways to do this with angled sides but you have to know what you are doing. To get UP and DOWN the outside stairs—No your insurance company will NOT build buy rent or pay YOU to build a ramp that could be the difference between THEM paying for your extremely expensive care in a nursing home or being in YOUR home. Their “logic” is that “Other people will benefit” if YOU in the wheelchair with one leg have the ramp.

    Moving on—I have steps made longer and more shallow than usual as my husband built them FOR me. Getting a ramp to work with ANY steps is hard and there was NO other way to do this. We ended up using a stack of PALLETS as a “landing” and then running shallow ramps from the ground to the landing and then another set to the main porch. This caused lesser angels and made it much easier to get me in and out. And NO Lowes etc do NOT sell handicapped ramps—the hospital PT staff tried to tell us this with big perky smiles as if we were stupid and did not HAVE the Store Manager of Lowes sitting right there in the ROOM with us. Ah well—

    IF you use a shallow ramp system without a railing use a 2×4 EDGE to keep the chair and feet ON the ramp! And on any platform landings as well.

    Shower—make SURE that the seat area is NOT too far from the controls; from the water (or you will freeze or scald) that the seat area is big ENOUGH to move around on but not too slippery so you don’t slide OFF; that if you use a free-standing seat the legs won’t bow and spread over time (secure them with chains or bracing) and that they won’t SLIP; and that you can WARM them–I just run the hot water over for a minute but I live where water is not an issue–otherwise use a hot water bottle or warmed rice bag on the seat for a few.

    Closets can’t be fully accessed by a chair user. Kitchen cabinets either! Ovens are hard to lean into as are dishwashers depending how they are set up. If your fridge is all drawers on the lower end this will NOT be easy for a wheelchair user to get to. A smaller fridge on a pedestal or cabinet base and a seperate small freezer will be MUCH easier to access.

    And NO most designers etc do NOT know these things. Get a chair and a walker and YOU try it for a few days! (Rescue squads usually have some on hand to lend out) Give you a much better appreciation.

    • Karen Blackburn
      August 23, 2018, 7:26 am

      Totally agree. When I was confined to a chair for a couple of years (with some mobility using sticks depending on amount of pain that day) my husband put a long ramp up to the front door using old scaffolding planks, he could push the chair up or help me to walk up while leaving plenty of steps free for more able bodied visitors, which also doubled as somewhere to sit on out in the sun, and he also set up a “temporary kitchen” consisting of a trestle table with a washing up bowl and drainer space for the wet/dirty dishes, a couple of gas hobs for cooking on and a toaster oven, the height was perfect for me to reach and he was able to fill and empty the bowl for me as needed, I could cook for us easily but the original kitchen was there untouched for when we moved on (incidentally you can cook using an AGA from a wheelchair without a problem plus it provides much needed heat in winter as well as drying all the washing over night). The toilet was made usable by adding one of those portable frames that are easily available to buy, again can take with you to a new house and you don’t have to worry about grab rails putting off purchasers while he made a shower seat by screwing treated timber intended for use on a terrace together so it fitted across the bath and enabled me to shower myself – again cheap, easy, taken with us when we moved and again nothing to put off prospective purchasers or insurance companies -and a single (3′) bed was put in the living area for me to sleep on.
      A neighbour who had a stroke and was wheelchair bound got around their house by using a narrow chair without arms indoors on bad days or by using it as a walking frame on good days, this got around the problem of normal narrow doorways, and the local council paid for a disabled friendly bathroom and bedroom to be built on the back of the house at ground level for him so he could continue to live at home with his wife and son instead of moving to a home, this is still there for his wife who is now retired herself though she’s been a widow for many years now.
      We now live in a mobile home – not sure what US equivalent is – of 12’x40′ and the same portable frame makes this toilet usable by me, and here grab bars aren’t an option, and while the bathroom door isn’t wheelchair friendly the rest of the space is, and I use sticks or a walking frame indoors mainly now which helps.
      Also, here in Ireland now all new homes must have wide doorways downstairs plus a bathroom which is accessible, and usable, with a wheelchair, to accommodate disabled visitors. Some are juyst a toilet but others are a full bathroom with a shower which is disabled friendly for use by family members who might be in a wheelchair or just not as mobile. Friends live in one and they really are designed to be used by wheelchair users without assistance.

  • Nancy
    August 13, 2014, 10:09 am

    I really like this home. Thanks for sharing.

  • Debbie Bullington
    August 13, 2014, 3:39 pm

    Modern Rustic is an oxymoron…just like Jumbo Shrimp…

  • Chuck
    August 21, 2018, 8:12 pm

    I will bet this was VERY pricey to build.

  • Gabriella
    August 22, 2018, 6:45 am

    When one is in “good company”……,it is pleasant, romantic to stay here…..and the Infinity becomes Reality!!

  • Nancy M
    December 29, 2019, 3:11 pm

    I really like this bc as I’ve said before, I can’t go with tiny. I need ADA re baths, doorways and such. Tyvm for continuing to bring us small and tiny.

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