[Illustration: Elevation]
[Illustration: Floor plan]
Here is a big, comfortable cabin of no particular period of design—just
a grand place to while away one’s leisure time in some secluded spot
where the only sound is the music of the wind in the pines. The broad
flagstone porch is just the spot to spend lazy afternoons, and the
living room is large enough for entertaining but not so large that it
would be hard to heat.
According to the original design, this cabin might be built with a board
and batten exterior, finished with a preparation of linseed oil and
rotten stone—or it would be beautiful covered, roof and all, with
silver-weathered shakes or shingles. In either case, the trim should be
in a bright color for contrast, and the chimney would be best if built
of rough field stones.
Inside, the living room might be finished in knotty Western cedar
vertical-channel boards, sanded until they feel like satin and rubbed
with linseed oil. Here again, for contrast, the trim and doors might be
painted some bright color. The designer suggested waxed vermillion
lacquer for the floor, but if this sounds too bright, it could be left
natural color, or perhaps covered with one of the tile patterns of
inlaid linoleum.
The two bedrooms, just for variety, could be panelled in knotty pine,
while the bathroom and kitchen would be nice in some gay color such as
canary yellow.
The arrangement of the fireplace at the back of the house allows
construction of a feature which is especially popular in southern
California—an outdoor fireplace. A single chimney carries both flues.
The inner fireplace may be used for heating purposes, while the outside
one is ideal for barbecues on the terrace.
for BEACH or LAKESHORE
[Illustration: Elevation]
[Illustration: Floor plan]
Here’s a thoroughly modern little cabin with very trim lines. It will
fit into almost any sort of sloping site. Shown here, it’s a mountain
cabin with stone foundations forming the walls of a garage for two cars.
However, with only a few minor changes, the same plan could be used for
a beach house, and the garage could be transformed into a boat house.
Construction details are quite simple. The foundations, stairway and
retaining walls are stone, which can often be had for nothing on the
site. The upper structure is wood frame, covered outside with milled
siding. The studding is so planned as to make application of wallboard
or plywood very easy, for the interior.
If the cabin is to be built in snow country, such a flat roof would have
to be supported with unusually strong beams. The simplest covering would
be composition roofing. To provide a serviceable walking surface, a wood
floor raised on slats should go over this built up rooting. Another
excellent—and cheap—roofing for a deck that will have considerable foot
traffic is made by applying canvas over the matched roof boarding, just
like the deck of a boat. If kept painted, this type of roofing is
entirely satisfactory.
This is essentially a one-room structure, but it includes in a compact
space all the conveniences of a much larger house. At one end of the
living area is a small but complete kitchen, screened by a cupboard. On
the reverse side of this cupboard is a hinged table that swings down at
meal times.
Sleeping quarters include two double-deck bunks against one wall, with
closet room at one end and the bathroom at the other. This entire area
can be screened off with sliding curtains hung from a ceiling track.
There is also room for a couch or day bed on one side of the fireplace.
Wood storage is outside, but the small closet by the fireplace could be
used for this.
Another interesting feature is the barbecue on the roof deck. It is
built into the chimney, but if such an item adds too much to the cost, a
portable barbecue would do quite as well.
a CABIN in the SANTA CRUZ
[Illustration: Elevation]
[Illustration: Floor plan]
For anyone who wants to satisfy that inner urge to live in a real log
cabin, no better guide could be followed than the plans shown here. A
glance at the illustration really doesn’t give an idea of the roominess
and comfort of the place that is apparent from a study of the floor
plan. However, this cabin would be quite a task for an amateur builder
to undertake.
The original of this cabin was built by the Hugo Eastmans on a knoll in
the Santa Cruz mountains. The rustic idea is carried out in every
detail, with real logs, a rough stone fireplace and rugged rafters, but
inside are all the conveniences of a modern residence. A pergola of
rustic poles shades the front entrance.
Because of the size of the cabin it is unnecessary to crowd the living
room with beds. There is one, but it folds up and is concealed in a
closet. There are two comfortable bedrooms, each with private bath. One
of the baths opens into the kitchen also.
Since this is a real log cabin, every possible detail should be made of
this material, including door and window trim, porch rail and possibly
the living room furniture. The floor should be of random-width planks,
pinned with wooden dowels.
Light is an important factor in a log cabin, so much care should go into
planning the color scheme. If the cabin is of peeled logs, the most
beautiful interior finish would be to give the walls a couple of coats
of clear varnish. This brings out the whiteness of the logs and makes
them easy to keep clean.
The bedrooms, for contrast, might be done in greenish blue and the
kitchen in grey or tan.
here is a CABIN THAT GROWS
[Illustration: Elevation]
[Illustration: 1^ST Stage]
[Illustration: 2^ND Stage]
The building of any sort of a vacation cabin represents quite an
investment for the average family, and it is sometimes necessary to omit
or hold back on certain features in order to make the budget work out.
The plan illustrated here is a splendid example of a charming cabin that
started as a modest little place with just the minimum amount of room.
In its first stage, the owner can erect the central frame, which
includes the living room, a bunk-room, kitchen and bath. This all fits
into a 19- × 20-foot structure, and may be sheathed on the outside with
board and batten, as above, or any type of material that fits the
budget. A feature adding a great deal of charm is the pair of casement
windows at the front.
This much of the house could be built the first year, with perhaps a
temporary shelter for the car at the rear. The following season, or as
soon as needed, two real bedrooms could be added on one side, utilizing
the space formerly taken by bunks for closets. It will be noted in the
plan marked “Second Stage” that a stairway to a cellar is indicated, but
the cellar, of course, is optional.
On the opposite side of the house, the garage may be constructed, either
attached directly to the house, or as shown here, with a small porch and
a breakfast room in between.
Following the style of many of the recent houses, this design uses a
nice combination of board and batten and fitted masonry.
This plan was designed by Howard H. Riley, Seattle architect, and was
furnished through the courtesy of the West Coast Lumbermen’s
Association.