Clearwater Cabin
The brief was simple: a cabin in the backyard. Not a shed with insulation — a proper cabin. Steep roof, natural materials, generous glass to the garden. Every square foot earns its place.
The brief
The owners have a beautiful backyard they barely use. It’s shaded by old-growth cedars, gets dappled afternoon light, and has a creek running along the back property line. They wanted a space to retreat to — to read, to work from home on quiet days, to host a guest who doesn’t want to sleep on the living room couch. The word they kept using was “cabin.” Not “unit.” Not “structure.” Cabin.
Making it real
A cabin has a steep roof. That’s not just aesthetics — it sheds Eugene rain efficiently and creates a vaulted interior that makes a small space feel expansive. We went with a 10:12 pitch, exposed rafters inside, and a single large window facing the garden. The floor plan is essentially one room: living/sleeping at one end, a kitchenette and bathroom at the other, with a covered porch connecting it to the garden.
The details that matter
Board-formed concrete piers instead of a full foundation — lighter footprint, less disruption to the existing trees. Cedar siding that will weather to match the canopy. A small wood stove because nothing says “cabin” like a real fire. And the porch: deep enough for two chairs and a cup of coffee, covered enough to sit out during a drizzle. In Eugene, the covered porch is where life happens eight months a year.
440 sf + covered porch
Studio / flex
Concrete piers, minimal site disturbance
Cedar siding, metal roof, exposed fir rafters
Wood stove + mini-split
