It’s hard to believe, but out off-grid mini cabin project at the farm is all complete. And it even has a name now too!
As we finished up the final touches over the last few weeks, we kept thinking about what would make a fitting name for our tiny cabin at the farm.
And then it suddenly came to us – “The Shiplap Shanty!”
After all, much like every other structure at the farm, the interior is decked out in shiplap.
And with it’s exterior wood siding, tiny 10 x 14 footprint, and a little covered porch to boot, the term shanty fit right along with shiplap perfectly.
So with that said, here are the final details along with a look inside and out of our little Shiplap Shanty. In addition to the photos, we included a quick three minute video tour at the end of the article.
The Shiplap Shanty – A Look At Our Off Grid Mini-Cabin
The Interior Of The Cabin
At just 10 x 14, the cabin has a small footprint, but it certainly doesn’t feel cramped at all.
It is hard to believe that this is how it all looked just a few months back:
We had originally thought of putting a murphy bed in to save floor space for sleeping options. But instead, we ended up using a dual-use couch.
During the day, it is a great seating area. But at night, it pulls out with ease to create a queen-sized bed.
We created the interior using 10″ wide shiplap boards and metal ceilings. It is a look we fell in love with when we completed the farm house.
Not only does it look clean and bright, it is extremely inexpensive and easy to install. (See: How To Install Shiplap With Ease)
We included a small dining table in the cabin as well in case the weather is a bit dodgy outside. It has also become one of our favorite places to use when we need a quite place to write.
Solar Power
The off-grid mini cabin is entirely powered by a solar generator that runs off of two, 150-watt panels secured to the metal roof.
It has enough power to keep the cabin going for 3 days without any sunlight.
We did install a single electrical outlet for back-up, and to power a small room air conditioner if needed. So far, we haven’t had to use it all!
The Patio / Grill Area
The cabin’s paver patio and grill area is located right off of the side double-door entrance to the off-grid mini cabin.
We really wanted to create a place for visitors to the farm to have their own space and privacy. And this little “tucked-away” space is certainly perfect for sitting and relaxing.
It has a little charcoal barrel grill that is perfect for grilling up a dinner for two. In addition, we also lit the area with string lights overhead for a bit of added ambiance.
The Off-Grid Mini Cabin’s Front Firepit / Sitting Area
In addition to the side dining and sitting area, we created a little “beach” area in front of the cabin as well.
It includes two of our 2 x 4 Adirondack Chairs and a small fire pit. We can often be found down here in the evening relaxing a bit after a day of working on the farm.
It faces our old reclaimed barn, and makes for a perfect sunset viewing area.
The Adirondack Chairs are still one of my personal favorite DIY projects we created at the farm.
They are going on 3 years old now, and their tough 2 x 4 construction has held up to everything mother nature has delivered! See : Adirondack Chair Plans
A little Video Tour Of The Off Grid Mini Cabin
And last but not least, below is a little video tour of the cabin.
I have to say it is a bit tough to video inside such a small space! We hope you enjoyed our little tour today of our off-grid mini cabin.
We can’t wait to start hosting a few visitors to the farm for overnight stays.
A lot of folks have asked us what we plan on doing with it over time. I guess we will need to figure that out!
Happy Gardening and Outdoor Living! Jim and Mary.