Before and After: This A-Frame that Needed TLC Is Now a Dreamy Scandinavian Modern Minimal Retreat
Name: Michelle Cortez
Location: Rhododendron, Oregon
Type of home: Cabin
Size: 1,150 square feet
Years lived in: 1.5 years, owned
Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: This cabin was purchased as a labor of love. We bought it knowing it needed a little TLC but fell in love with the space and all the trees surrounding it. We initially wanted to have a place that was close enough to the city that we could just escape to with our family on the weekends. Now we split the time and Airbnb the property to cover the bills!
Our cabin style is an asymmetrical A-frame, which is different from a traditional A-frame because it has one straight wall and one sloping roofline instead of two sloping rooflines. We love it because it actually feels more spacious. We named it Niksen House because of the Scandinavian aesthetic we tried to create. Niksen is the Dutch concept of doing nothing. We hope that people that visit here find ways to disconnect and feel at peace.
Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Scandinavian modern minimalist
We love clean lines and lean toward mid-century modern design, hence our choices in some of the furniture. We like neutral colors overall with a pop of color here and there. Art is important to us, and we have thoughtfully curated some framed pieces as well as some pieces that we have collected over the years.
What is your favorite room and why? The bedroom is our favorite because of the skylight feature. You go to sleep staring at the stars and wake up to the morning light. It feels like you are in a treehouse. Plus it has a reading nook that makes it feel like a bigger space.
What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? We needed to add more light to the living room area without being too much, and this light was perfect. And this wall hanging. We fell in love with the colors, and even though it is a scarf we knew it would fit perfectly on the tall wall next to our spiral staircase.
Any advice for creating a home you love? Knowing that we would be renting this cabin out part-time, it was important to make it feel like a home without feeling like it was someone else’s home. We intentionally tried to pick things that would appeal to our audience and chose not to have any family photos/mementos around. It was also important for us to have a cohesive design throughout, playing off the pine ceilings and white walls. We also love to be playful in areas to make it feel like a space people feel good being in.
This submission’s responses were edited for length and clarity.
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