The Holly Water Cabin is a new vacation getaway set in the middle of a lush 4.5-acre meadow in Devon, England. Out of the Valley designed the cabin for clients with a working farm, and the secluded retreat embraces its surroundings with minimal impact and a material palette that echoes the great outdoors.



The wood-clad cabin is located on a working farm in Devon, UK.



The nearly 650-square-foot cabin has just enough interior space for a relaxed weekend getaway.

The clients wanted the cabin to embrace the farmland and provide picturesque views of the surrounding meadow and oak forest. "They asked for a mono-pitched cabin with generous outdoor space for a bath and siting area," says Out of the Valley’s founder Rupert McKelvie. "They also wanted to be able to lie in bed and watch the sunrise over the woodland."



The minimalist design approach allows the materials to take center stage.

"Beyond that, we are guided by our principles-timeless structures, designed with respect for the environment; working in perfect harmony with nature; and building a better way to live," McKelvie adds.

The Douglas fir–framed structure uses cedar cladding for exterior walls and larch for the veranda-all sourced from a local sawmill. A simple silhouette with a shed roofline allows the materials to take center stage.



Thoughtful details include leather cabinet and drawer pulls.

The cabin is raised on a concrete pier foundation, which required less material than a traditional slab. "It minimizes ground disturbance and could easily be removed if it were ever required. It also elevates the build above ground level," McKelvie says. "We avoid processes and materials that emit high levels of carbon-either in their production or use on site."



A wood sleeping berth with built-in storage helps to delineate the bedroom from the living area in the open-concept cabin.

Plant-based insulation made from jute and wood fibers ensures that the cabin is energy efficient. The interior walls are finished with a clay render, which is a more natural alternative to plaster that helps regulate humidity and temperature.



A wood stove set on a raised hearth acts as a focal point between the living and sleeping zones. Built-in nooks provide storage for firewood.

"It’s an old material that has been brought back," McKelvie says. "We were using much greener materials before the construction revolution of concrete, steel, plaster, plastic, and VOC-infused insulations and materials. The need to build cheap and fast has had a huge environmental toll."



Instead of plaster, Out of the Valley finished the walls with a natural clay render that gives the cabin an earthy quality.

In the open-concept cabin, the kitchen is positioned along the back wall, and a sleeping niche and bathroom are tucked in a corner. The bright and airy 644-square-foot living space flows out onto the veranda, where there’s a copper tub for bathing.



A copper tub on the larch veranda encourages al fresco living.

The structure is heated with a wood stove, water is drawn from a well, and the cabin is currently connected to the grid-although the clients plan to install solar power in the future. "The connection to the electrical grid means excess power for the solar panels can be fed back in when they are installed," McKelvie says. The owners also plan to use rental income from the Holly Water Cabin to rewild the surrounding 4.5-acre meadow.



The larch veranda has no railing, so it appears to float in the lush meadow.



An organic palette allows the cabin to blend into its natural surroundings.