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 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.”

“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.

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.”

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.

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“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.”

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.

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 Holly Water Cabin is now available to rent through Canopy & Stars.

Related Reading:

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Project Credits:

Design Team: Rupert McKelvie (project director), Luke Carnaby (project architect), Nathan Hilton, William Holland, Chris Gee, Jonno Cole, Out of the Valley / @outofthevalley_ltd

Builder/General Contractor: Out of the Valley

Structural Engineer: Barry Honeysett

Lighting Design: Out of the Valley

Interior Design: Out of the Valley

Cabinetry Design/Installation: Out of the Valley

Glazing: Tim Gaodin

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