You Won't Believe this Prefabricated Home

Written by Janice Brewster

“Prefab” is not what it used to be. This cabin from FabCab shows what can be accomplished with prefabricated component building systems, and it won Fine Homebuilding’s Best Small Home of 2015 award.

FabCab, located in Seattle, Wash., features homes designed by a team of designers led by architect Emory Baldwin. This cabin’s timber frame was enclosed with structural insulated panels (SIPs) and creates a 550-square-foot space that lives much larger thanks to simple elegance and an open floor plan. Located on Idaho’s Lake Pend Oreille, the cabin owners – a pair of empty nesters – wanted to take advantage of long views of the water and the Selkirk Mountains.

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The cabin features timbers, wood-clad ceilings and wood trim that add warmth to the home’s contemporary lines. One large space serves as the living and dining area, with a galley-style kitchenette running along the back wall. Sliding barn doors close off a large opening to the bedroom.  In the bedroom and main living area, corner windows open the rooms to sweeping views of the lake. A small deck is off one corner of the living space. Just steps away are stairs that lead down to the waterfront. The cabin was designed to be energy efficient and earth friendly, with finishes like engineered quartz countertops and FSC engineered wood flooring.

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Although FabCab (fabcab.com) offers predesigned layouts, each is customizable to a homeowner’s desires and particular site.