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rockies
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# Posted: 20 Oct 2015 07:57pm
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This is the plan that I've decided on building next spring. It will be built in stages as the money becomes available. It only took about 45 revisions to get to this design lol (as you could see in the thread "The First Phase of the Cabin").
The main problem I had was where to put the bathroom? I liked Creeky's suggestion of having it open into the mudroom so that you could clean up immediately after coming inside without tracking dirt all through the cabin.
The layout is alright for now since I will be using the loft as the bedroom, but some day I'll be too old to climb up and down a ladder and I'll want a proper bedroom on the main level. The only place to add it is on the north side of the living room, but then to get to the bathroom from the bedroom I'd have to walk through the kitchen and dining area.
Finally, I decided to add to the bathroom now and include a laundry area. When the bedroom is added later, the west laundry wall will be turned into a doorway leading into the bedroom. This way I won't have to walk through the whole cabin and I won't have to add a second master ensuite.
How will you adapt your cabin to your needs as you get older?
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Borrego
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# Posted: 20 Oct 2015 10:16pm
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Well, I built the shower with a bench in it and kept the house all one level with no loft. Other than that I purposely put no thought into the aging equation as I don't want my current lifestyle dictated by future possible problems. Maybe I'll fall of a mountain hiking at age 75 and won't need a 'old person' house at all... If I make it to 'old age' I'll modify the house then. Just my .02
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hattie
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# Posted: 21 Oct 2015 01:08am
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We started with our small cabin for recreation. Then it morphed into a cabin with attached small motel to provide an income in our semi-retirement (this is now). We didn't actually change the cabin much other then add a stove in the kitchen area. What we did do, however, was add a big laundry room/storage room/closets/mud room (this is all one room), and cold room, raised bed gardens, an attached greenhouse, plus the 3 motel rooms. When we decide to close the motel, we will continue to live in our cabin and the motel rooms will be for family when they visit. With the exception of the cold room, our place is all on one level.
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Donkeydave
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# Posted: 21 Oct 2015 01:04pm
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I'm already "older" and I'll be 74 when we start to build next spring. It will be one room with a bathroom in the corner. We've been debating about the size of the shower stall but Borrego convinced me that it has to be five feet wide to accommodate a bench. I don't care to make my darling put up with a smelly old man just because I can't stand up long enough to get clean.
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creeky
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# Posted: 21 Oct 2015 05:15pm
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nice looking layout rockies.
I've built what I want to live in. More or less on one level. If I look at my neighbor, who's 79. Keeping active and having good genes seems to be the key. I think I have at least one of those two things. Just got 'em on sale too.
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beachman
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# Posted: 21 Oct 2015 05:36pm
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I built a walkway down to a cove so I can hobble down there in my later years - assuming I get to them. I already appreciate it at 66.
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Aklogcabin
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# Posted: 23 Sep 2018 02:08pm
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I am putting in an elevator. From my main floor to the upstairs ceiling is 20’ . I will put pipe flanges on each end to fasten 1†pipe from floor to ceiling. One on each corner. Build a 2’ square frame from 1-1/4 black pipe as the elevator box, will slide over the 1†black pipe on each corner for frame. Fastened from floor to ceiling.
Then put a 12v atv winch on the ridge beam , cable down to eye bolt drilled through 4 way 1-1/4 pipe that connects to the carriage. Made from 1-1/4†pipe. Power up or down control on carriage. Takes up a 2’x2’ area. I have a few old 2000 lb winches around and pipe should be under 250 bucks.
And I can get it to our remote cabin in the winter.
Was going back spending time learning from others. Saw this older thread, I haven’t seen this idea before on the forum.
Maybe something folks could do . I also have steps.
One of the other concerns we have to deal with is bears. Not just black but grizzly also. If one does get in down stairs, we will have the pantry with emergency type food supplies in it upstairs. The ladder folds up so that hatch is closed off also. Then whatever we don’t feel would keep a bear around is upstairs when we are gone.
I love Alaska !
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naturelover66
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# Posted: 23 Sep 2018 02:44pm
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My cabin is single story... No loft !
Open floor plan and when i add on i will have large doorways ... No stairs. I plan to retire n die there happy happy happy.
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rockies
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# Posted: 23 Sep 2018 05:19pm
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Whoa! I haven't seen that plan in a while. Needless to say that isn't the one I'm building, although now that I look at it again it does have a lot of nice features (but hey, I'm biased).
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rockies
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# Posted: 23 Sep 2018 05:52pm
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Actually, looking at it again made me focus more on the reasons I rejected it. When I first got interested in designing smaller homes I focused mostly on square footage figuring that just making a house smaller would make it a lot more efficient but lately I've been analyzing floor plans based on function.
One of the great resources that has helped my with this are the Sarah Susanka series of books based on the "Not So Big" design and building concepts. She really zeros in on what is needed in each space and what isn't needed (mainly more space).
So in this plan, although it has individual spaces for each function (like living, cooking, dining, bathing, sleeping, entry, etc) and lots of storage I don't like that you have to walk through the kitchen to get from the entry (in the upper right corner) to the living room.
Also, until I build on the bedroom I'll have to use a Murphy bed in the living room and will have to walk through the kitchen, dining area and entry to use the bathroom.
Every plan has a flaw. Some are minor but others will irk you every single day. These two flaws killed this plan for me.
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Just
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# Posted: 23 Sep 2018 07:53pm
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Rockie ,with all do respect, Life is short you best get at it !
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Nate R
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# Posted: 23 Sep 2018 07:56pm
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I agree with Just.... I've wondered what your timeline is these days, Rockies? Curious what plan you honed in on, etc.
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rockies
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# Posted: 23 Sep 2018 08:18pm
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The problem is being an architect. No matter what you design you see something on another site and want to include it. My cabin plans have gone from 400 sq' to 1000 sq' and back again. It's now sitting at 636 sq' which is really around the best size I think.
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skootamattaschmidty
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# Posted: 24 Sep 2018 10:10am
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One thing I am doing next trip up is installing some railings off the front step, the bathroom and the front door. My mother, who will be 80 this year, still enjoys coming up but she is having a harder time getting around. She uses a walker to get around outside but my place has a step up to the porch, a step into the cottage and a step into the bathroom. This summer she took a couple little falls and luckily was not hurt. I told her I would put some railings up and she did not want me to go to the trouble and expense and said maybe she should not come up next time. Well I quickly dispelled that and told her if she enjoys coming up, then I would do whatever to keep her coming up. So I took measurements and designed some railings out of 1" black pipe. I sprayed black plasti-dip, rubberized paint on them. They look sharp and fit into the rustic cabin look. I will be installing them next week and am having the family up for thanksgiving. My mom is excited!
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Gary O
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# Posted: 24 Sep 2018 10:27am
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Quoting: Nate R I agree with Just.... I've wondered what your timeline is these days, Rockies? Curious what plan you honed in on, etc.
I quit asking a few years back
Quoting: Just Rockie ,with all do respect, Life is short you best get at it !
For some, dabbling, dreaming....IS the fun
I get that
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rockies
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# Posted: 24 Sep 2018 06:23pm
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Dabbling and dreaming is much easier on paper than after the wall framing has gone up, and of course now with modern architectural software the results of your changes can be seen instantly.
It's no great rush to build the cabin. The land isn't going anywhere but construction should start next April. The great thing about taking so much time have been the refinements I've made to the original plans. Adding ceiling beams, or clerestory windows along the ridge and figuring out a better way to bring water into the cabin without exposing the pipes to freezing outdoor temperatures.
I do marvel at the people who just sketch out a shape on the back of an envelope and then head off to the lumber yard. Sometimes it all works out, other times the results turn over time into a pile of moldy firewood. Still, it is a lot of fun.
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Borrego
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# Posted: 24 Sep 2018 09:37pm
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Quoting: rockies or clerestory windows along the ridge
I love 'clear stories' as the non french speaking carpenters used to call 'em....!
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paulz
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# Posted: 24 Sep 2018 09:48pm - Edited by: paulz
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As some may have gathered, my wife has been wheelchair bound for most of her life due to a teenage auto accident. Obviously this necessitates an open floor layout, wide doors, ramps..
One thing I've learned over the years is, in addition to creating space for her to get around, I need space and ways to get around her. For example, I have two doors from the cabin to the deck, so if she is sitting near one door I can use the other.
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fiftyfifty
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# Posted: 25 Sep 2018 09:25am
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That deck! Those trees! Wow!
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rockies
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# Posted: 25 Sep 2018 06:20pm - Edited by: rockies
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To me one of the most important things in a design are traffic patterns. Too few people take the time to include the furniture in their layouts, construction starts and then it's too late to make corrections.
How do people get from the front door to the bathroom, how does the position of the dining table affect serving food, can you have guests move easily from the deck to the kitchen? If the furniture is included you can spot those bottle-necks and adjust the plan.
In studying houses and cabins I find I'm not interested in super tiny plans. Although some of the layouts are quite clever, too often the room relies on "gimmicks" to make it work. I mean, who wants to hand crank a dining room table down from the ceiling every time they want to sit and eat?
On the other hand, I dislike rooms that only have one function (like a traditional bedroom). Typically it's just a 100sq' space that's only used for sleeping. Why not include a window seat with built-in bookcases on either side and create a library/reading nook on one wall? Or use a Murphy bed cabinet so the mattress can be folded away and the room could be used as a yoga studio?
The other thing I suggest is to design a cabin that has everything in it that you'd want but if money is tight then design it to be built in sections. If you know the final layout you can include the framing in the walls for when you add on later.
When you finally get the layout just right, then you can move on to the next crazy inducing category: cabinets!
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