A country cabin love story 

Love at first sight

The idea of owning a charming cabin in the country had been a constant presence in Genny’s life for many years. Inspired by skiing trips in America, Genny and Steven had always imagined that one day they’d live in a cabin just like the ones they’d seen in those snowy mountains.

Then, while flicking through Country Style magazine one day, Genny came across an advert for a Cedarspan cabin.

And that was it!

“I said to Steven, that’s the one I want,” she recalls. 

Clipped from the magazine and placed on her fridge, the picture stayed there as inspiration for years – a daily reminder of the dream she was determined to one day make real.

First dates

With the passing of Genny’s mum and the receipt of a small inheritance, the couple were able to purchase a small block of land in the heart of rural NSW. And this was the catalyst for their cabin dream to take shape. 

The couple recall the journey from planning to building fondly.  

“We didn’t want a big cabin. We wanted an intimate space that both of us could enjoy,” Steven says.

It turns out that a Cedarspan 3030 was the ideal design to fulfill both their vision and budget. 

“From the day that I saw it in the magazine to going to meet Doug and what a wonderful person he was, it was meant to be,” Genny tells us. 

A labour of love

With plans drawn up and the PreCrafted Cedarspan delivered to their rural site, it was time to install it. And this, too, was a labour of love.

“So many people were involved and had some little piece of them there. That’s what made it special,” Genny tells us.

A family and community affair, a local handyman from the nearby town of Neville assisted in the install process, with Genny recalling, “It was the windiest day!” Then, with the install and fit out complete, Genny’s sister and niece helped with the staining.

And the finishing touch? A rustic sign naming the new country cabin ‘Scooter’s Lodge’ after Genny and Steven’s dog.

It was finally complete, after all those years of it being just a dream pinned to the fridge.  

Made for each other

And it was everything they ever wanted.

True to their love for a simple country lifestyle, the cabin was created for off-grid living, with rainwater, wood heating and a septic system.

Classic cedar weatherboard cladding, handcrafted cedar windows and doors, and a quintessential verandah to the front and rear gave the cabin that timeless country charm they’d fallen for in the magazine all those years ago.

Inside, there’s rich timber flooring and VJ panelling lines the walls, painted cream to match the welcoming farmhouse-style kitchen. There’s a laundry, a bathroom, a loft that’s reached by ladder, and at the heart of it all, a log burner, completing the romantic picture of country life.

Forever in the heart

With space to cook, eat, relax and sleep, this idyllic rural retreat became a much-loved weekender for Genny and Steven. And of course, Scooter, who loved the cabin as much as his owners.

“We wanted somewhere he could roam and enjoy himself,” they tell us. And he certainly did that.

In acknowledgment of the dream being made possible, the cabin became the perfect place to keep Genny’s late mother’s special things. And all of Genny’s collectables from life in the US and Canada were housed in the cabin as a tribute to its inspiration. 

All good things must come to an end, though. When the time came, many years later, to part with her beloved cabin, it was a tough decision for Genny.

“We’ve had some lovely homes, but there is nothing that will ever mean to me as much as that place,” she fondly recounts. “I can’t talk about it without having a cry.” 

“It was one of the greatest achievements of our lives.” 

‘Love letters’

We’ve kept some correspondence from Genny and Steven, written to second-generation family member Doug, all those years ago.

Dear Doug  
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you, Matthew and all the team at Cedarspan for the outstanding and excellent customer service provided to us. Your thorough attention to detail, follow-up and efficiency made the entire process a pleasure and it is a credit to you. The cabin was delivered to our building site in perfect order and it looks beautiful.
Genny & Steven 

These words, written decades ago, summarise what matters to us most. We don’t just deliver a quality building, but we truly understand what that building means to the people who will call it home.

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Design	Cedarspan 3030
Size	5.4m x 5.6m
Add-ons	1.9m x 5.4m decked verandah 1.3m x 5.4m decked verandah 2.4m x 5.4m loft
Cladding	Western Red Cedar weatherboard
Doors	Handcrafted Western Red Cedar
Windows	Handcrafted Western Red Cedar
Roofing	Pale Eucalypt Colorbond®

All measurements are approximate.

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