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Storybook Cabin Plan
Written March 18, 2010 by John Hendricks, AIA Architect • Filed Under Cabin Plans, Storybook Style, Whimsical This storybook cabin looks more like storybook cottage meets hobbit house meets Swiss chalet. Nevertheless, this quaint, whimsical cabin could fit in just as easily in a city such as Seattle or Portland as it would in the New Zealand countryside or the Cascade Mountains.
 Storybook Cabin Front Elevation This 850 square foot architect designed cabin is built for comfort and includes a comparatively large great room with open picturesque trusses and beams set amidst the curved roofs. The home is loosely inspired by the playful Storybook Style from English and French medieval farmhouse design. This style has several style variations, including English Country Cottage, Cotswald Cottage, Hansel and Gretel, Fairy Tale House, Disneyesque, Hobbit House and Storybook House. All were designed to create a cozy, homelike atmosphere.
A little more history, the Storybook Style is a whimsical variant of the Tudor Revival in the 1920′s and 1930′s. The Tudor Revival was based on late medieval styles and the Arts and Crafts movement. Many of the home buyers (as well as architects and builders) were veterans of World War I, and brought back memories of the English and French countryside. In the meantime, Hollywood was creating movies set in historic time periods in faraway lands. In pure Hollywood fashion, liberties were taken with the local styles by enhancing the charm and cuteness of these places.
The Storybook Style surged in popularity after a subdivision of cottage homes, called Hollywoodland, was built in 1923. The theatrically designed homes served as residences in Los Angeles for a number of movie stars and received nationwide media attention as America’s first themed residential community. The themed neighborhood included such places as The Humpty Dumpty Store. The Hollywood sign actually used to say Hollywoodland and was built to promote the neighborhood, which housed such notables as Bela Lugosi and Humphrey Bogart. The developers bowed out in the 1940′s and now the stars build to suit their own tastes. The neighborhood is now referenced as Upper Beachwood Canyon. For more information please see Southern California Storybook Style Architecture: Hollywoodland.
 Storybook Cabin Plan Whereas the historical homes were identified with false, distressed, ornamental half-timbering, this particular home includes fully exposed architectural and structural timbers on the interiors and exterior, which may or may not be distressed. The original Storybook houses had modern interiors resembling the homes of the 20′s, whereas this home has rustic interiors (yet modern in function) to match the exterior.
The home includes a comfortable two person bedroom with a built-in desk. An open loft sleeps two more in twin beds. The quality designed home also includes built-in cabinets, bookshelves and a window seat, as well as wrought iron lighting and hardware. A pantry/storage/laundry room is included, along with a storage attic (which could also be incorporated into a larger loft area) over the back rooms. The home includes an energy efficient stone masonry fireplace while still retaining the Old World look and feel.
The Storybook Cabin is our second “stock” cabin plan. Prices include:
- Study Home Plans – Schematic 8-1/2″ x 11″ Schematic drawings showing Floor Plans and the Front Elevation, for $100
- Preliminary Drawings – Hardlined 24″ X 36″ drawings showing Floor Plans and the Front and Rear Elevations, for $300
- Construction Documents – A full set of 24″ X 36″ detailed drawings and specifications including Floor Plans, Foundation and Framing Plans, Exterior Elevations, Building Sections, Wall Sections, Details, Interior Elevations, Window/Door Schedules, Electrical Plans, Finish Plans, and all Products and Materials Specified per the original design, all for $950
This energy efficient cabin is designed for “rustic elegant” comfort. Plans can be modified to be more unique per individual preferences. Preliminary drawings and Construction Documents are drawn with cad software, and are designed per the latest International Residential Codes. Plans may need to be modified for certain jurisdictions.
While we are beginning to delve into the stock plan arena, I still recommend a custom home design for maximum living and cost efficiency for individual lifestyles. For more information see Good Quality Architecture Adds Value to Your Home. Please visit our portfolio for examples of some of our recently completed custom projects. Sorry but we don’t sell plans of our client’s custom homes.
For more information on our plans please contact us by phone at 208.265.4001, by email, or by filling out your information on our contact page.
John Hendricks, Architect AIA
Hendricks Architecture, mountain architects located in Sandpoint, Idaho. Subscribe to Hendricks Architecture’s Blog.
8 Comments
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I LOVE this design! I am wondering if this same Storybook architectural style could be applied to a larger home (say 3000 to 5000 sf). I don’t want to lose the “Storybook Cabin” look or feel but would need more space. I also like the fact that many can now afford their dream vacation cabin and have the opportunity to customize it as well. Your cabin plans are very unique. Will you be offering more plans in the future? I agree about buying plans from an architect. I would feel much more confident in the soundness of the design. Also, you offer to customize and that is another big plus. Can either this cabin or the Storybook Cabin be customized to fit in more of a suburban landscape? I can see the Storybook Cabin set in New England!
John: I met this week with a client who is a book translator. Her husband passed away a few years ago so she is older and single and get this …from England! She works in New York City but is looking for a quiet retreat to do her writing. The storybook cabin may be perfect. Any authors, writers or technology professionals seeking a quite cozy place to get away from all the ‘urban’ distractions should love this. Starbucks should take a look. One lucky winner gets a Starbucks Storybook cabin outside of Seattle or Portland to …my favorite word – CHILLAX !
The Storybook style can be applied to a larger home. Time permitting, we hope to get more cabin and storybook plans out there.
Storybook houses or cabins can fit in just about anywhere. I was reminded today of a builder/designer named Hugh Comstock who designed and built a multitude of creative Storybook/Hansel and Gretal houses in Carmel, California in the early/middle 20th century. He did beautiful and imaginative work but it was, and still is, a rarity to not have an architect involved to get the quality in the details and as a whole.
[...] visit Storybook Cabin Plan for our most recent stock plan, or our Projects for examples of some of our recently completed [...]
John please run with the Storybook Cabin idea!! I really feel there is such a need for more character in a home. When you have that detail it makes all the difference. I know about Hugh Comstock’s work in Carmel and it was fantastic. Too bad many of those homes are gone. Keep the blogs coming!
How fun! You are really on the right track with the storybook idea. I’ll send you a link for a guy who is doing storybook playhouses, and our son Erin just did a really great storybook chicken coop. It would sure be neat if we could fund a Hendricks storybook cabin project on our property to augment our Hendricks custom Mountain house. Something to dream/think about that’s for sure. Keep the creative juices flowing.
[...] mentioned the neighborhood and some of the Storybook style origins on a recent blog post titled Storybook Cabin Plan, and since we were in the area, I added Hollywoodland to our itinerary. Entrance to [...]
I love your Storybook cabin! If I ever need an architect for a cabin or cottage in the mountains…..