Recently r | one studio architecture was chosen to design a modern cabin retreat in the great state of Wyoming….yes, WYOMING. Truth be told, I had to look it up on Google Maps, because I had no idea where Wyoming was other than a general “over there” direction. As it turns out, Wyoming is actually quite nice. It’s north of Colorado, south of Montana and sits between Idaho and South Dakota.
Cody, Wyoming, where our little cabin will be situated is in the northern part of the state east of Yellowstone National Park and north of the Shoshone National Forest. The property has fantasic views of each.
The clients, a father-son duo, want a modern cabin retreat that they can use as a vacation rental when they are not in residence. The program is quite simple:
2 bedrooms, 2 baths, living, dining, kitchen and a 2 car garage with room for work space and tools (they are avid car enthusiasts). Like any good client I received lots of imagery depicting the style and materials they want to use. Budget is a concern, but they are going for a minimalist aesthetic, so that works to our advantage. Innovative uses for common materials will be key to the success of this project.
I am very excited about this project and I plan on posting regular updates as the design progresses and especially once construction starts, which will hopefully be in the fall before the snow starts falling and the ground begins to freeze. Below is the conceptual floor plan. Things are still in development, but I think we’re getting close to nailing it down. And as always, I welcome any and all comments, suggestions and critiques (I do not cry easily, so don’t hold back). Cheers.
image copywrite 2011 r | one studio architecture
r | one studio architecture 
Jeremiah, the first thing that came to mind to comment on since there is only a plan is a dimensional question. The garage doors are noted as 8′-0″ wide which is too narrow to comfortably pull a car in. I prefer 9′-0″. Also, the overall length of the L/D/K seems too small. The living room especially looks too small in scale. The second bedroom seems a wee bit small too. Now if this is just for a few days visit periodically then perhaps my comments are not valid. I am not sure if any of these dimensions can be adjusted, but those are the first things that came to mind. If you add other images, I’m sure others will comment. Based on the narrative above, it sounds like a great project. I can’t wait to see more.
Lee, thanks for commenting. There will be more updates very soon. We’ve almost got the floor plan locked in, so I’ll have that update plus a model in the next few days. On the L/D/K and guest bedroom comments, what would be a minimum size on those spaces for you? The guest bedroom, as shown, is approx. 12′-8″ x 10′-0″. To me, that’s a nice size for a bedroom, but then I tend to design very “efficient” (read small) spaces in all my homes. 😉 You are right that this will be a vacation home, so the sleeping spaces aren’t as important as they would be in a full time residence, but obviously I still want them to work. Thanks again for your comments! Cheers.
I have two suggestions (both involving the bathrooms): 1) the guest bathroom door should open towards the linen closet and side hallway instead of towards the main public areas – this will shelter the bathroom entry so you won’t have a view of a toilet from the dining room. 2) the master bath could use a door – a knock on a door sure beats someone just walking in on you while you’re using the toilet.
I like that the bedrooms are small, but I agree that the living/dining/kitchen seems slightly short overall – maybe an extra two feet of length can give breathing room to the egress around the furniture – the living area seems a bit close to the entry wall.
Brinn, thanks for the comments. I didn’t even think about the guest bath issue. Thanks for that! I’ve since updated the floor plans to version No. 3 and will be posting soon with images of the model that is also under development. This project is really starting to come along. I’m EXCITED! 🙂 So stay tuned. Thanks again!