Brooklyn’s ‘A Cabin in a Loft’ Transforms a Space with Two Treehouse-Like Bedrooms

Remember as a kid how much you loved hiding out in a fort made of couch cushions or creating a make-shift house in the backyard? The owners of A Cabin in a Loft recreated that fun feeling by building a cabin and treehouse within their Bushwick loft to serve as private sleeping quarters. Each wooden bedroom cabin has its own semi-private garden, set at both ends of the open loft.

The idea came about in 2009, when artists/designers Terri Chiao and Adam Frezzo wanted to create separate bedroom spaces within their open-plan guest house and artist space, located in a former textile factory building. Instead of cutting off light and making the unit feel half its size by building floor-to-ceiling walls, they decided to construct the simple, geometric volumes. What resulted is a space that feels like an outdoor environment and takes a new approach to loft living.

The pitched roof of the cabin and elevated floor of the treehouse make for interesting vertical appeal, while also mimicking traditional outdoor architecture. Both room entrances are set slightly back from the oversized building windows, framing a picture-perfect streetscape view. The cutout windows on the cabin walls provide ventilation and glimpses into the rest of the apartment.

Underneath the treehouse is a study and storage area. The cabin also has storage built into its raised floor. Between the cabin and building windows is a semi-private nook that offers a wardrobe rack to hang clothes, as well as a garden. In the middle of the two houses is the main living area, which consists of a living room, kitchen, and large table used for eating and working.

Terri Chiao was trained in architecture, and her work explores contemporary housing in the city and country. At A Cabin in a Loft, Terri and Adam wanted to build a global creative community by offering inspiring, affordable lodging to traveling artists. The spare bedroom is available for rent on Airbnb.

Check out more projects from Terri Chiao and Adam Frezzo here.

Photos courtesy of Shawn Connell