To help you get the picture, we’ve assembled a selection of our favorite plans on the smaller side. Here you’ll find everything from a versatile 560-square-foot log cabin getaway to a four-story timber-framed abode that looks like a lighthouse, because when it comes to crafting the perfect petite plan, creativity and a healthy dose of design sense are everything.
Golden Canyon
Square Footage: 1,610
Bedrooms: 2
Baths: 2 Full, 1 Half
Two things drew us to this comfortably sized timber frame design: the two-story atrium and the staggered floor plan. Both features create a bright, spacious interior, not to mention a thoroughly mountain-modern facade. The plan also affords ample privacy for occupants of the first-floor master, thanks to room’s separation from both the living room and the lower-level guest suite.
Cumberland Cabin
Square Footage: 560
Bedrooms: 0
Baths: 1 Full
Coastal Retreat
Square Footage: 2,070
Bedrooms: 3
Baths: 2 Full, 1 Half
In what’s got to be one of the most unique timber-framed homes we’ve seen, this lighthouse-inspired design boasts four floors of exceptional living space. The main (and largest) level is devoted to daily family life. The upper level is an owner’s retreat, featuring everything from a huge dressing room to a cozy reading nook. On the lower level you’ll find two more bedrooms and ample storage. But it’s the rooftop patio — with its ability to capture 360-degree views — that makes this plan truly irresistible.
1813AR
Bedrooms: 2
Baths: 2 Full
This new design from Golden Eagle is ranch living at its best. Two bedrooms flank each side of the central great room, while covered porches border it front to back. A large mudroom leads from the garage, through the laundry area to the living quarters, helping to make short work of housekeeping while also keeping washer/dryer sounds at bay. The option for a finished basement allows buyers to expand and tailor the home to their needs.
MLH 017
Bedrooms: 2
Baths: 1 Full
For a tiny cabin, this floor plan packs a huge punch. The simple footprint is cost effective, but inside, the design is smart and satisfying. With a master bedroom and loft, the upper level is dedicated owner’s space, while downstairs there’s a second bedroom that can easily be converted to a hobby room or home office. A deck off the kitchen is the ideal spot for outdoor dining, and the cute covered front porch gives the cabin a storybook cottage feel.
Tip! Create Flexible Spaces
In a small cabin or cottage, combining the living area, kitchen and dining room in a small footprint is common sense, but there are other spaces besides the “great room” that can multi-task. With the addition of a Murphy bed, a home office — or even a dining area — can morph into a guest room with ease. A loft has unlimited possibilities (den, game room, gym, crafting spot) and a mudroom not only can serve as the family entrance to the home, but also as a drop zone, bill-paying station or pet-grooming area if it’s designed with all its potential uses in mind. That’s the power of planning!
Hawk Mountain 5750
by Timberpeg
Square Footage: 1,600 Bedrooms: 2
Baths: 2 Full
There are many things to love about the main living level, from the flowing floor plan to the ample storage, but it’s the upper level that sold us on the design. The second story is an owner’s dream. The spacious sleeping area is highlighted by a sitting room and a walk-in-closet with shelving. The huge bath boasts a separate shower and soaking tub, and the level boasts a private study with a built-in desk. All these fantastic features are wrapped up in a European-cottage-inspired facade.
Birchwood
Square Footage: 2,245
Bedrooms: 3
Baths: 2 Full, 1 Half
We love this new take on a traditional log cabin. Somehow this plan manages to define individual spaces but not lose that airy feeling created by a more open-concept configuration. We particularly like that the living room and sunroom share a doubled-sided fireplace, the spacious foyer (with enough room for seating) and the master bathroom bump out.
Black Fork
Bedrooms: 1
Baths: 1 Full
Birch Carriage
by MossCreek
Square Footage: 1,970 Bedrooms: 3
Baths: 3 Full
Drawing inspiration from outbuildings used to house horse-drawn carriages, this modern version is perfectly designed for human occupants. The reverse floor plan places one bedroom, a den and garage on the lower level and the master suite and main living areas on the upper, affording an opportunity to capture amazing views. Outside, the carriage-house charm of yesteryear is unmistakable.
Sugarhill
Bedrooms: 3
Baths: 2 Full
Smart in its straightforward design, the Sugarhill chalet offers open-concept living and soaring cathedral ceilings, creating a spacious feel within a modest footprint. The upstairs is dedicated to the master suite, but there’s plenty of space for family and friends in the main level's dual bedrooms. Plus, the deep deck expands the living space outside, while the shed dormer offers protection from sun and rain.
Madrona
Bedrooms: 3
Baths: 2 Full
The most intriguing thing about this floor plan isn’t merely its angular layout, it’s the use of that offset space. The arrangement creates something of a culinary suite, incorporating the kitchen/dining area with a huge walk-in pantry, shelving for cookbooks and a fireplace, while the aesthetic is replicated in the covered entry and open patio. The result is an edgy twist on timber frame design.
P.S., Browse hundreds of log home floor plans here and timber home floor plans here!
The Art of Hybrid Timber Framing
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