Step Inside: A Fiber Artist’s Modern Portland Cabin

When Rachel Bratcher and her husband first encountered this tiny cabin nestled alongside the Salmon River in Welches, Oregon, they thought it looked like something straight out of a fairytale. Part of that was the proportions: At 750 square feet, there was something distinctly “elfin” about the abode, explains Bratcher, a fiber artist and the owner of Ritual Dyes in Portland. Beyond that: The rushing river, the trees, the hot tub overlooking the water—they all added up to this sense they had stumbled upon someplace magical. Photography by Nicholas Peter Wilson. 

It didn’t hurt that it was turnkey, either. “We have never purchased property that wasn’t a mega project, so it was a treat to find this place, which had been so lovingly restored to the tune of how we would have done things ourselves,” Bratcher adds. “We have teenagers, and we really wanted to be able to spend time with them there right now, not after years of renovation.” Needless to say, they snapped it up. Here, Bratcher shares how she put the finishing touches on the sweetest family getaway. 

It’s in the Mount Hood area—there are actually a lot of little cabins that were going up around the time this one was built, in 1930. One of the reasons the previous owners decided to renovate the original structure rather than build something new on the 1.5 acre property was because they would have had to move it: You can’t construct anything this close to the river nowadays. It’s obviously been updated but still has the original floors, layout, and location. 

The cabin has these great big doors that open to the river and a large, covered porch, and that really expands the living space. I also really committed to a very specific palette in order to create continuity between the indoors and outdoors, and the colors we used intentionally reflect the natural setting, which eases the transition and keeps things really restful and serene. Because it’s small and unfussy, it really allows you to get into the relaxation zone as soon as you arrive. 

There’s also a tiny home on the property that’s constructed in the same style and has the same vibes as the cabin. When we’re all there together, my eleven-year-old son sleeps on the couch, which pulls out, and our teenage daughters sleep in the tiny home. It gives them some autonomy to be out there on their own. But the funny thing is that the WiFi doesn’t really work out there, and so they have to come hang out with us in the cabin if they want to use the internet. 

I wanted to channel the vintage cabin look, which Schoolhouse is so spot-on in creating—not too rustic, elevated—and a lot of those pieces were a perfect fit. I knew I wanted to use the June Console and the Rospo Table Lamp. In the living room, the rug almost has a folk pattern to it, but the neutral colors make it feel a little more modern. Same goes for the Stillwater Floral Quilt. 

I really think repeating themes can be helpful, as can thinking about whatever you buy as something that could live in multiple spots of the house. That versatility can be really helpful if you need to rearrange or switch things up, for whatever reason. Thinking about proportion is really important, too, as is considering how each piece of furniture you bring in relates to everything else. Plus, that consistency in palette. When you’re in such limited square footage, you don’t want your eye to go everywhere: It needs somewhere to rest!