Prefab Cabins

Have you been checking out tiny log cabins? If you take your search to Pinterest, you’ll see beautiful pre-built cabins of every size and variety; the choices are overwhelming.

So how do you know what type of cabin is right for you? How do you sift through it all to narrow down your options? The best place to start is deciding what type of floor plan to choose: Should you choose open or closed?

Let’s look at the differences and talk about the advantages of each.

Open vs. Closed Cabin Floor Plan—How Do You Choose?

Open Floor Plan Prefab Cabins

What is an open floor plan? Most often, it’s a floor plan that combines many of the traditional rooms you’ll find in a home, such as the living room, kitchen, and dining area, into a great room. You can have an open floor plan no matter the total square footage, but open floor plans are more advantageous in tiny houses and cabins.

By eliminating the walls that typically separate and compartmentalize these rooms, you’re making the space feel larger than it is. In a tiny cabin especially, the openness will keep you from feeling hemmed in.

You’re also creating the perfect room for entertaining and staying connected with your family. Whether you’re in the kitchen cooking or relaxing on the sofa, in an open floor plan you’ll be better able to entertain your guests no matter what activity you’re engaged in.

An open floor plan can also simplify your heating and cooling, eliminating hot and cold zones in your general living space.

And don’t forget about lofts in an open floor plan. You can open up your cabin completely by adding a loft as a bedroom. This will create a visual point of interest in the unused space above your great room.

You’ll also notice you’re able to take better advantage of natural lighting in an open floor plan. That’s because in most great rooms, the windows are on more than one exterior wall, maximizing the room’s exposure to the sun as it moves throughout each day.

So the advantages to an open floor plan are:

  • Wide-open spaces that make the general living space feel larger.
  • The ability to stay within line-of-sight while engaged in a variety of activities.
  • Elimination of hot and cold zones.
  • You can opt for a loft.
  • Maximize natural lighting.

Open vs. Closed Cabin Floor Plan—How Do You Choose?

Closed Floor Plan Prefab Cabins

What is a closed floor plan? The opposite of open: It’s a floor plan with each room separated and compartmentalized by walls.

What are the advantages of a closed floor plan?

You can create your own flow from room to room, but you are more easily able to set apart each room as its own space with its own purpose. You can choose to create a focal point for each room, utilizing the added walls and separation from the rest of the cabin.

Typically, a closed floor plan only works well in larger prefab cabins. Adding walls to a tiny cabin can make the space feel cramped and uninviting.

And if you prefer to keep the noise of cooking and doing dishes restricted to the kitchen, then a closed floor plan will help make that happen. Adding walls will help to reduce the space in which sound can bounce around, containing most of the noise in whichever rooms it’s created.

You are also better able to keep things private, creating a degree of separation from the rest of the house and its activities. If you’re an introvert who recharges by spending time alone engaged in your preferred activity, then a closed floor plan can give you the private space you need to make that happen.

More walls also mean more customization options. This can be especially appealing if you need very specific spaces for very specific purposes (a crafting room, an office, a den, a library, etc.).

So the advantages to a closed floor plan are:

  • Creation of a focal point for each room.
  • Works well in large homes and prefab cabins.
  • Keeps noise levels within the home to a minimum.
  • Added privacy.
  • The ability to carve out space for your preferred activities.

Open vs. Closed Cabin Floor Plan—How Do You Choose?

Prefab Cabin Customization

The key to any floor plan is the ability to customize it to suit your needs. One size does not fit all, especially when we’re talking about floor plans.

At Leland’s Cabins, we’re able to fully customize each cabin. While we have beautiful floor plans already created for each model of cabin we sell here in Texas, we rarely sell the exact same cabin twice.

So come visit Leland’s in Grandview, and we’ll show you a variety of floor plans and options so you can see the differences for yourself.