Off-grid retreats and houses far from big cities are getting more and more popularity as people want to escape from what’s bothering and stressing. Today we are featuring one more such dwelling – a treehouse-inspired cabin by architect Greg Dutton.
Located on a cattle farm in the Ohio Valley, The Hut is set among a forested area on an elevated bank that overlooks a lake. Dutton designed The Hut to create the sensation of being in a tree house, elevating it above a dirt slope on concrete pillars.
Untreated pale cedar shingles that clad the exterior will turn grey as they weather over time, blending in with the forest. Pared back material and color palettes were selected with the intention of bringing nature inside.
The home is off-grid, which means that it has no access to mains electricity or water. Instead, the dwelling runs entirely on solar energy, and so the structure was positioned to benefit from southern sun exposure. Environmentally friendly design features include a natural ventilation system that uses prevailing breezes. A rainwater collection system also serves as the building’s plumbing.
Inside, the hut has a simple layout comprising a kitchen, bathroom, and small entryway that opens up into a living space and connected sleeping area. The interior’s minimalist design – which features eastern white pine floors and southern yellow pine panelling on the walls and ceiling – was influenced by Scandinavian architecture and the Denmark’s hygge, which describes the feeling of coziness. Floor-to-ceiling windows stretch across one of the walls, framing views of the landscape and allowing light to enter the space year-round.