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Inspired by Frank Gehry's experimental forms, the Hergest Lee Cabin, designed and built by owner Paul Gent, is a quirky take on the classic countryside cottage. Reminiscent of the Hobbit hole-like Estonian Iglucraft cabins, Gent's build mirrors the rolling hills of the surrounding Welsh countryside with a unique curved structure that creates an equally distinctive interior.
In place of the clean and minimalist forms that characterize so many modern and prefab cabins, Hergest Lee is somewhat funky and has a particular bucolic charm that's hard to ignore. There's a clawfoot tub in the bedroom, for instance, and Gent built much of the other furniture himself, too.
It's precisely the building's playful form that helps it stand out, even on Field Mag's ever-growing list of awesome prefab cabins. It's all the more exciting that the Hergest Lee cabin is also available to purchase as a flatpack kit.
Completed in May 2020, Hergest Lee's footprint spans roughly 390 square feet. It's appropriate for a couple or for flying solo, and the interior features a living area and kitchen separated from a sleeping area by a bathroom and shower unit. Floating stairs lead up to a mezzanine where there's enough space for an extra bed, storage, or lounge area. Space-saving elements like a fold-away table and handmade stools neatly tuck away, while Gent's unique cabinetry provides plenty of storage throughout.
Besides the cabin's handmade elements, Gent stuck to a formal color palette of grays, browns, and dark blues inspired by Edwardian drawing rooms. He used natural paints, wood stains, and varnishes to keep the space breathable and environmentally friendly. He also built the structure sustainably using cedar from a local Welsh sawmill, and its heat comes from infrared lighting, a method "40% more efficient than other forms of electrical heating."
Recently, Gent began selling the Hergest Lee Cabin and its Mini counterpart, which has an open plan and no mezzanine, as flatpack kits. Starting at roughly $42,355 and $25,950 USD, respectively, the Basic packages come as insulated shells, ready to be completely customized.
Gent also offers Complete packages that contain a kitchen, bathroom, and appliances, among other additions. Delivery and VAT cost additional and once on site, the Hergest team assembles the kit. (Read up on purchasing info here.)
The kits are available to ship worldwide, but if you just can't wait to try out a Hergest Lee cabin for yourself, the original is available to rent for $177/night.
Published 09-30-2021
