Heartwood cabin

The Heartwood cabin is one of several cabins built at the heartwood retreat center located on the beautiful Sunshine Coast in British Columbia. The center has shared amenities (kitchen, bathrooms, hot tub, living spaces…etc) and individual cabins spread out on the forested property.

Designing the Heartwood cabin was very much the result of a collaborative work. We sat down at a table with Neo & Skye, owners of the retreat center, to talk about their cabins project. We drew a sketch, talked materials and colors. Simon, a local builder, joined the conversation. Everybody threw in ideas and we started building shortly after. The result pleased everyone and 2 other cabins followed shortly after.

The Heartwood cabin is cladded with western red cedar, that was sourced at a local mill, and dark metal panels. The cedar brings character to the cabin while ensuring longevity in the Pacific Northwest wet climate as it’s a very durable wood. The porch offers protection from the rain and has enough space to put a table and two chairs. The interior is warm and cozy, the decoration includes paintings from Skye, owner of the retreat center and renowned artist. The desk placed by the corner windows, that were re-used from a different project, offers a view of the forest that surrounds the cabin and creates a sense of spaciousness inside. The queen size bed allows for a comfortable stay for two people. The cabin is fully insulated, the interior walls have painted plywood paneling and the ceiling is tongue and groove pine boards. All the interior trims are western red cedar to create an accent with the exterior finishing. The overall rather simple design made the project budget-friendly and the cabin was built in three weeks.