Sister Cabins Frame Sweeping Views of Rocky Mountains, Colorado

Renée del Gaudio architects completed the design of a project named Big Cabin | Little Cabin in Fairplay, Colorado. The new pair of cottages are surrounded by a thick forest on one side, opening up to a magical landscape on the other. Large windows frame views of Colorado’s Sangre de Cristo mountains, the Collegiate Peaks, and the South Platte River.

“The cabin’s gabled roof form and rustic materials recall the area’s early vernacular buildings,” the architects explain. “Exterior cedar siding is stained dark to blend the house with the surrounding forest. Plywood interior walls and ceilings keep the cabin low key and rustic.”

The “Big Cabin” accommodates the master bedroom, living and dining areas, kitchen, pantry, gym/sauna and a bathroom. An extra bedroom, with a bathroom for guests, is located just nearby, in the sister cottage, connected to the larger cabin through steel decking.

Step inside, and you will find welcoming, airy, contemplative interiors. Soft colors create a friendly ambiance. Scandinavian design influences are visible in the clean lines, uncluttered spaces and simple accents.

“We all carry preconceived ideas of the word ‘cabin’ in our collective memory: a family gathering place, a place of rest after a long day in nature, pegs on the wall to hang your coat,” the architects say. “Ultimately, a cabin tells a story of it’s particular place and time in history, and of the people who dwell inside. “Big Cabin | Little Cabin” strives to embody the character and sensation of a traditional cabin, and tell the story of this particular family, all within a purely modern framework.” Photos courtesy of David Lauer Photography