Compact cabins

Picture a cabin on a lake, tucked into a forest clearing, perched on a mountain, or set near a wide beach. Gerald Rowan's Compact Cabins gathers 62 designs for these modest hideaways, where people can slow down and spend their days on rest and simple pastimes. Each design fits a different taste, and the cabins range from about 100 square feet to roughly 1,000 square feet. Every one includes sleeping space, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a source of heat, and the designs aim to keep running costs low and energy use modest without giving up comfort or style.

The book opens with chapters on durable, low-maintenance building materials, utilities and appliances, and alternative energy sources, all geared toward living efficiently in a small structure. For each design, readers get a floor plan with detailed notes on arranging the space for everyday use. Many plans use modular parts that can be combined to suit a particular owner's needs or hobbies. Extras such as an outdoor fireplace, a covered porch, or an outside storage locker can be added to several designs. The emphasis throughout is on making small spaces work well for the people who use them.

Rowan makes the case for building small at a time of uncertain energy prices, concern about global warming, and tighter budgets, a message that will especially interest owners of second homes. The book is aimed at anyone planning a small cabin, whether for a weekend retreat or a permanent getaway.