This stunning Decatur Island cabin is the next best thing to owning a private island – Seattlemag

When life gets too chaotic, demanding or just plain too much, its pleasant to daydream about escaping to a private island.

Though they dont own a private island per se, what Louise and Jonathan Franklin do have is pretty darn close: a getaway cabin on gorgeous and secluded Decatur Island (in the San Juan Islands, just east of Lopez Island). With limited access (no ferry transportation, restaurants or stores) and a population of fewer than 100, its the perfect antidote to urban living.

The Queen Annebased coupleshes an attorney, hes an associate dean at the University of Washington School of Lawmake monthly escapes to the cabin and extended trips over holidays and summer vacations, often joined by their kids, Noah, 18, and Camilla, 22. Theyve been visiting Decatur for years, thanks to friends who had a place there. We fell in love with the island, its natural beauty and quiet, says Jonathan. One day, we found ourselves talking about what we would do if we won the lottery. We agreed that we would love to have a cabin on Decatur. Soon after, it suddenly became a possibility, and we took the leap.

After the Franklins decided to invest in a vacation home, Jonathan began researching options and came across a standout Methow Valley cabin. They approached the designersEggleston Farkas Architectsto help them realize their vision, which included creating a dwelling that used space efficiently, offered areas where the family could spend time together and took existing surroundings into consideration. One big challenge for the project was receiving design approval from Decatur Northwest, an organization of island residents that oversees the protection of the islands wildlife and communally shared land from too much development. Requirements dictate minimizing the visual impact of buildings, and leaving the environment and character of the land as undisturbed as possible.

Photograph by Ed Sozinho The communal spaces, where the Franklin family (pictured here: Louise, Jonathan and Noah Franklin with friend Kevin Reeves of the AIA) can enjoy spending time together, are a favorite feature of their vacation cabin

As a result, very few fir trees and none of the madrona trees on the property were removed, and the footprint of the house was configured into the existing slope of the land. We fit the footprint between rocky outcroppings and with minimal tree removalfar less than was allowable, says Allan Farkas, lead architect on the project. The floor level was recessed so that the structure appears much more compact when one approaches, or passes by, from the north. Similarly, the roof slopes and folds down to the eastern side, to minimize its profile from the community paths and provide privacy to and from the living spaces.

Photograph by Ed Sozinho The Franklins have a ringside seat from which to watch the islands many creatures, including a herd of wild sheep. Roundups are held on the island to cull, shear and provide care for the sheepdescended from a herd set free on Decatur in the late 1800s

Exterior materials were chosen with an eye toward blending them in with the surroundings. We had collected materials from, and had a photo collage of, the site that we worked with. Natural stone, grasses and mosses, madrona bark and leaf colors all influenced the palette, says Farkas, who further achieved this natural fusion by staining the exposed structural lumber and installing the panel siding backward, with its coarse side facing out, to unite with the natural textures of the surroundings.

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This stunning Decatur Island cabin is the next best thing to owning a private island - Seattlemag