This compact modern cabin sits peacefully on Washington's Wenatchee River

Modern cabin on concrete stilts with vertical wood siding and blue Jeep below

Nestled along the Wenatchee River in Plain, Washington, this one-bedroom cabin was designed by Wittman Estes as a compact and resilient retreat elevated above the floodplain, a modest yet deeply considered home that keeps the focus on the forest and the river. The owner had acquired this nearly 1/2-acre property to serve as a base camp for outdoor adventures, and for 10 years, he camped on site, often with friends, becoming intimately acquainted with the landscape and the region.

Just prior to the pandemic, he decided to build, desiring a small cabin that kept the focus on the forest and the river. As design and construction began and work-from-home became the norm, the owner, who was living in the greater Seattle area, began spending much more time at the property, eventually opting to live there full-time once the cabin was complete.

DESIGN DETAILS

ARCHITECT Wittman Estes
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER JWE Engineering
BUILDER Steve Strode Construction and Dan Wheeler

Wood-clad cabin elevated on concrete piers surrounded by aspen and pine trees

Owner involvement in construction was a priority, reinforcing the need for a simple, minimal design solution. Built with durable materials such as concrete and steel and shaped by the forces of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, the modest 746-square-foot, one-bedroom cabin reflects an interdependence between surrounding ecosystems and architecture.

Man standing on elevated entry deck of modern forest cabin Washington

Because the cabin sits within the river’s floodplain, the main floor was elevated ten feet above the ground by six concrete columns to provide a resilient design response. The simple form strikes a harmonious balance between shelter and nature.

Modern elevated cabin on concrete stilts viewed from forest path with blue Jeep

The cabin is composed of three levels: the ground level provides a covered parking space where the client can work on his vintage Bronco with protection from rain and snow; the middle level is essentially one large space (living, dining, and kitchen) and a full bathroom; the top level holds the main bedroom, office, a half-bathroom, and a loft with a cantilevered steel deck.

Black steel staircase and perforated metal balcony detail on elevated cabin

A single, twenty-foot-wide by twenty-four-foot-high window wall focuses views towards the river while screening the neighbors. In the bedroom, a view portal looks over the living room and the river beyond.

Black steel staircase leading to elevated entry deck of modern Wenatchee River cabin

A lifelong metalworker, the owner fabricated the raw steel kitchen countertops and backsplash, the hemlock and steel dining room table, and the tube steel and metal mesh guardrails.

Close-up of vertical cedar siding and shed roof on modern forest cabin

The living space features a cozy, wood-burning fireplace tucked beneath a fir-framed loft. The interior finishes are minimal, creating a simple backdrop for nature, light, and artwork. What was once a one-bedroom weekend cabin has become an idyllic, full-time home.

Elevated entry porch of modern cabin with wood ceiling and river views beyond

Man stepping onto elevated steel balcony through floor-to-ceiling wood-framed doors

A Cozy Living Room With Wood-Burning Stove

Living room with wood-burning stove Eames lounge chair and acoustic guitar

Floor-to-Ceiling Views of the Wenatchee River From the Living Room

Interior view past wood stove through large windows to Wenatchee River and fire pit

What We Love About This Home

We love how this one-bedroom cabin on the Wenatchee River shows how a modest footprint can deliver an extraordinary living experience. The twenty-foot-wide wall of glass focused on the river is simply breathtaking. The owner’s hands-on craftsmanship throughout, from the raw steel kitchen countertops and backsplash to the hemlock dining table and handmade guardrails, gives this home an authentic character. What began as a base camp for weekend adventures has evolved into a full-time residence that feels completely at one with its Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest setting.

Tell Us: What do you think of the design of this Wenatchee River cabin? Would you trade city life for a full-time home in the forest like this? Share your thoughts in the Comments below. We love reading your feedback!

Note: Check out a couple of other inspiring cabin home tours we have featured here on One Kindesign from the state of Washington: Serene cabin retreat tucked in the forest next to Washington’s Hood Canal and See this extraordinary steel clad cabin in the breathtaking Methow Valley.

Eames lounge chair by wood stove with floor-to-ceiling river and forest views

Open-plan kitchen and living room with mezzanine loft and floor-to-ceiling forest views

Modern kitchen detail with stainless steel cabinets and dark concrete backsplash

Dining area with double-height windows and textile wall art beside galley kitchen

Overhead view of open-plan kitchen dining and living area with concrete floors

Wood staircase with oak handrail and framed window view of aspen tree

The Bedroom and Mezzanine Loft Overlooking the River

Bedroom with framed window view of Wenatchee River and sunlit pine trees

A Simple and Refined Bathroom Vanity With Vessel Sink

Round vessel sink on wood vanity with round mirror and pendant light

Modern cabin with full-height glass facade on concrete piers with vintage blue Jeep below

Modern elevated cabin with floor-to-ceiling steel-framed windows between old-growth pines

Two-story modern cabin on concrete stilts with full-height glazing seen through pine trees

Modern cabin glowing at dusk seen through dark pine forest Washington

A Campfire on the River Bank

Two men sitting by campfire in front of glowing modern cabin on Wenatchee River

Aerial dusk view of modern cabin and historic farmhouse on Wenatchee River bank

The Wenatchee River Cabin in Winter

Modern glass cabin on stilts in snow-covered forest Washington winter

Glass and steel cabin elevated above snowy forest floor seen through pine trees

Modern cabin with full-height glazing receding into snowy pine forest

Modern glass cabin on concrete piers in heavy snowfall surrounded by trees

Glass cabin on stilts seen through crossed snow-covered pine trunks in winter

Aerial winter view of modern cabin and farmhouse on snowy Wenatchee River bank

Aerial view of modern glass cabin nestled in snow-covered pine forest

Glowing modern cabin beside Wenatchee River in blue winter dusk light

Modern cabin with warm interior glow and mezzanine balcony seen through snowy birch trees

Modern glass cabin glowing at dusk surrounded by snow-covered pine forest

Modern cabin with full-height steel-framed windows glowing at blue hour in winter forest

Distant winter dusk view of glowing modern cabin deep in snow-covered pine forest

PHOTOGRAPHER Andrew Pogue

Floor Plans of the Wenatchee River Cabin

Site plan showing cabin footprint among existing trees with Wenatchee River and rocky bank

Ground floor site plan showing cabin footprint surrounded by trees and riverside

Three-level floor plan showing ground floor main floor and upper floor with mezzanine

Cross-section drawing showing elevated cabin floors concrete piers and Wenatchee River

Sustainability Highlights

Compact Footprint
Air Source Heat Pump Heating and Cooling[Text Wrapping Break]- Wood burning stove as primary heating source
Locally sourced Cedar Siding and Soffits

Finish Materials

Exterior siding: 1×6 tight knot cedar with Cabot semi-solid stain 50% foothill / 50% shale
Soffits: 1×4 tongue and groove Port Orford cedar
Windows and doors: Sierra Pacific mixed grain fir wood clad windows, .30 value&nbsp
Stairs: precast concrete treads on C-channel steel stringers
Guardrails: tube steel frame with expanded metal mesh panel infill, fabricated by the owner
Roofing: standing seam metal from AEP span, color: silver
Kitchen casework: Reform FOLD Aluminum by Sigurd Larsen
Bathroom casework: hemlock and painted plywood hand-built by the owner
Flooring: 1×6 finished in place white oak
Kitchen counter and backsplash: 3/8” hot-rolled steel plate, custom-fabricated and welded by the owner
Kitchen faucet: Glacier Bay
Paint color: Sherwin-Williams Pure White 7005
Tile: 3×9 white ceramic tile (verify with owner)
Bedroom fixture: Eclipse Sconce and Table Lamp by Muutus Made
Kitchen wall mount sconces: Kuzco Barclay
Wood burning fireplace: MF Fire Nova

Landscape Materials

Paving: cast-in-place concrete stair threshold
Decking: galvanized steel metal decking from McNichols Metals
Planting: quaking aspen grove, existing native ponderosa pines, 5/8” minus crushed basalt stone beneath cabin

Furniture

Dining table: 1” solid hemlock top with 3/8”x 3 bent plate steel legs fabricated by owner
Side tables: 1” solid hemlock top with 3/8”x 3 bent plate steel legs fabricated by owner
Dining chairs: vintage Danish teak dining chairs
Area rug: Jute Cross by Nordic Knots
Floor lamp: Aynos S by Stefan Diez in black
Coffee table: Crawford coffee table by Tom Fereday from Stellar Works in walnut
Eames lounge chair in rosewood and black leather
Throw: Strip Fifth Avenue by Pendleton Woolen Mill