At 520 square feet of floor space, the Aspen Cabin may just be a great way to “Live Big while Living Small” – and an absolutely perfect structure to turn into the perfect off-grid living space!
We look forward every year to see what cool, new project Weaver Barns will reveal for the coming season. Perhaps what we love most about their designs is how versatile they are. And how easily they can be adapted.
We should know, we have modified quite a few of their structures to help create our little 3 acre farm.
One such Weaver model ended up becoming the basis for our 1054 square foot “Simple House” at the farm. See : Simple House Project
And when they introduced their Timber Pavilion, we later used a version of it to cover our outdoor kitchen area. Even our tiny, 140 square foot, off-grid cabin project began with a Weaver Highland shed as it’s shell. See : The Completed Off-Grid Cabin
So when we saw their latest, we could only think of all of the possibilities!
Like taking this incredible 520 square foot modern cabin design with traditional power, and turning it into a perfect off-grid living space anywhere.
Especially when you consider how the sloping roof line could easily be used to collect solar power and rainfall to create an off grid wonder house.
A Look At The Aspen Cabin – Living Smaller Is Living Better
The Floor Plan
At just 26 feet long by 20 feet wide, the footprint of the cabin is small enough to fit anywhere. But it’s how the space is laid out and utilized that allows it to feel so large!
The combined living room / kitchen, with it’s large sloping roof, gives a spacious feel to the space. And with windows all around, the natural light lets the outdoors feel like additional indoor space.
The attached porch, with it’s covered roof, helps gives the feel of more living space as well.
In addition to the front porch, we also love that the cabin has an exterior door off the bedroom too. It would be perfect for creating a small private patio for morning coffee or breakfast!
The Sloping Roof – The Perfect Design For An Off-Grid Cabin & Living Space
But one of the things we love most about the Aspen is its sloping roof design. For starters, it’s great for circulating air and allowing more light with more space for windows.
But the sloping roof adds a few other big potential opportunities as well. Like the perfect place to mount solar panels and collect rain water. Talk about creating an off-grid living space like no other!
We power our tiny off-grid cabin with just two 150 watt panels. But the potential for the Aspen’s roof to handle 10 or more panels makes it perfect for big solar power.
The slanted design of the roof lines are also perfect for collecting rainwater as well. And with water and power at your fingertips, the sky is the limit.
Imagine an off-grid living space powered for free by the sun, and with everything you need to live large while living small.
The Allure Of A Small Home
The Aspen’s design really is perfect for so many needs. Even as designed for traditional power, it’s small size is both energy and budget friendly.
The single floor design is perfect as a retirement home, weekend getaway or lake cabin or first home. But maybe best of all, it’s simply a great way for anyone to live with less expense, less stress, and a smaller footprint.
Living Small Is Living Better…
After spending three years in our 1054 square foot Simple House, and the last 6 months on the road in our tiny camper, we can both attest to how small living is not only good for the pocketbook, but great for the soul.
And I love that with designs like the Aspen, it can all be done in style!
Who knows, maybe we will just have to “downsize” a little more and make it into our new off-grid living space someday. One thing is for sure, off-grid or not, the Aspen design makes for one great little cabin!
Here is to living small and dreaming big! Jim and Mary
*For those interested to see the model in person, Weaver Barns has the modern Aspen cabin on display at the Cleveland Home and Garden show through February 9th at the IX Center.
Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. The two are frequent speakers on all things gardening and love to travel in their spare time.
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