Here in Minnesota, we love heading ‘up-north’ to our cabins or second homes for relaxation, creating memories and connecting with family and friends. As a place to escape our day-to-day lives, we often have different approaches in terms of design and use of our second homes. The kitchen is no exception. At Sawhill Custom Kitchens & Design, we’ve helped numerous clients with designing or remodeling their cabin kitchens and understand how your use of the space impacts the design. Here are just a few considerations that are typical when designing or remodeling a cabin kitchen:
Entertaining
Whether it’s the Fourth of July or just a gathering of friends for the weekend, there is a lot of entertaining that happens ‘up-north’! Considerations for a cabin kitchen include ample space for casual seating, perhaps a large island for serving food and adequate food preparation areas.
Style
For many, a cabin offers a unique opportunity to step outside of the style you have in your home. While you may not consider knotty woods, rustic or colored cabinetry in your ‘city’ kitchen, it may be the perfect fit stylistically in your cabin.
Seasonality
An important consideration that is often missed is whether the cabin will be a 4-season or 3-season cabin. If your cabin will be closed up, and therefore not heated for the winter, it’s critical to take this into consideration when selecting your cabinet and countertop materials. The materials need to be able to withstand the cold and the slow change of temperature as it warms in the spring. The same is true if the cabin does not have air conditioning. Moisture and humidity do not work well with wood cabinets or wood countertops. If this is the case with your cabin, check with your Sawhill designer for suggestions.
***
Building a new cabin or remodeling your existing cabin? Give us a call. Whether it’s your first home or your second home up-north, we’ve helped countless clients create kitchens that function as beautifully as they look.