The artist has given us this cabin with an exterior finish of redwood boards and battens, combined with a small amount of stone for added interest, but the same plan would be adaptable to almost any treatment—logs, for example, laid up in stockade fashion, or milled redwood siding or even an all-over covering of hand-split shakes. The roof, by all means, should be of shakes, stained brown or just left to the weather.
A stone terrace and a landing stage for boats is shown in the illustration, but these features are, of course, optional.
Inside you’ll find a 12½ × 18½ foot living room, dominated by a fireplace that takes up most of one wall, but well lighted by windows and doors at each end. The fireplace chimney, incidentally, also serves the kitchen stove.
The two bunk rooms offer ample quarters for four persons even if twin beds are used, but in this, as in many modern cabins, it would be wise to conserve space by using double-deck bunks. There’s plenty of closet space, too—one of them even has a window in it.
There are a number of other points of convenience about this cabin that may not meet the eye, at first glance. Note the kitchen has its door opening onto the terrace, making meals outside much simpler to serve. The bathroom is far more convenient than some found in urban homes. Just to keep the whole family happy, the shower has been placed in a separate enclosure from the main bathroom.
Another of those rather streamlined summer homes which some people call “functional” style is shown here. Actually, the word simply means useful, and that is one of the aims of all good architecture. The effort here has been to get away from the frills and gingerbread that make “horrors” of so many older houses. Although this was designed for a beach house, it would do as well in almost any type of location except a forest site. Streamlines don’t seem quite suitable for a woods home. If built away from water, the boat shelter would make an ideal workshop, laundry or storehouse.
Construction is of stucco over wood frame, with a broad, flat roof extended several feet for added shade. Naturally, this flat roof would be unsuitable for snow country, but it is quite effective in other sections. The over-hang, by the way, might be stained green. Foundations should all be of reinforced concrete block, which is strong and cool. The porch rails may be either pipe or stained wood.