This Tranquil Whidbey Island Cabin Is an "Essay in Wood"
"We wanted a place that would wind down the senses and naturally allow you to go within," says homeowner Lakshmi Nidamarthi of the meditative home.
"We wanted a place that would wind down the senses and naturally allow you to go within," says homeowner Lakshmi Nidamarthi of the meditative home.
Selvam Velmurugan self identifies as an introvert. "I just love being in quiet places," he says as he recounts his ongoing journey with meditation practices. Having lived in Bellevue, a growing city just east of Seattle, for nearly 35 years, Selvam and his wife, Lakshmi Nidamarthi, decided they needed a space in a quieter place. "I remember talking to one of my colleagues who said every time he got in his car to drive out to his cabin, his blood pressure would immediately drop," recalls Lakshmi. "The next thing I knew, we were driving around trying to find one for ourselves."
Seattle firm Wittman Estes designed this 1,300-square-foot cabin, which floats above a meadow on Whidbey Island.
Photo by Andrew Pogue
The cabin’s entrance is screened by locally sourced, tight-knot cedar, and a narrow vertical window gives a peek inside the cabin’s meditation room.
Photo by Andrew Pogue
So began the couple’s search for their own private retreat. "Initially we looked in the areas around Bellevue, but everything we found fell through," recalls Selvam. Working within their requirement that the property be no more than 90 minutes from their home door-to-door, the couple expanded their search to nearby Whidbey Island, which is a short ferry ride from the mainland. "The island felt like it provided a nice gap from the city, without being too far," says Selvam.
Wittman Estes designed the cabin with a pin foundation system, which elevates it above the ground and offers far less site disturbance than a traditional concrete foundation.
Photo by Andrew Pogue
See the full story on Dwell.com: This Tranquil Whidbey Island Cabin Is an "Essay in Wood"
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