The owners of this small house on Camano Island in Washington originally intended it to be a vacation cabin. After using it a short while, they soon decided to make it their full-time residence. Given the location and the quality of the space, that likely wasn’t a difficult decision to make. They built the home themselves from a design by architect Tim Carlander of Vandeventer + Carlander Architects. He was faced with a number of requirements: The cabin had to be built on an existing 16′ by 22′ foundation, provide privacy from nearby neighbors, take advantage of an existing garden, and be easy for the clients to build.

A shed roof atop a simple rectangular box met the requirement for simplicity of construction. The cabin is clad in galvanized metal and fiber cement panels for low maintenance and long life. One metal-clad wall extends from the cabin to screen the windows from the view of the neighbors or of anyone coming down the driveway.

A sleeping loft surrounded by windows fits snugly under the high end of the roof. A small kitchen and bathroom are tucked below the loft. The living room has two sets of eight foot tall glass doors providing views of the garden and nearby waterways. With the expansive views and the light flooding in from the loft windows above, this small house is unlikely to ever feel claustrophobic.

The architect has given the space a very boat-like feel through the use of nautical finishes and fittings. The interior is lined with maple and cherry plywood fastened with exposed screws. The loft has a cable railing and is reached by a boat ladder.

If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy our other articles about small cabins.

Photos by Steve Keating Photography.

Plans for the C3 Cabin can be purchased through the Vandeventer + Carlander Architects website.

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