Refined and rustic find a balance on Bainbridge

Start with a great room with a great view. Add in authentic rustic charm and comfort to define this cabin and property that sits beside Murden Cove on Bainbridge Island.

Bainbridge close to Seattle, thanks to the ferries, and distant enough for a slower pace of life. That balancing act is valuable and was likely the inspiration for building this 937 square-foot cabin in 1930. The boats were a lot smaller then, and so was the city.

The cabin sits more than an acre with a sheltered view thanks to native trees. Decades of residents have found another balance between natural landscaping and outside areas for mundane things like parking and marvelous things like a porch and a large deck with a view. Sit outside and listen to the silence.

Inside, the great room holds the iconic cabin feel from wood ceilings, walls, and floors that are anchored by a massive masonry fireplace—made more efficient by a woodstove insert. It isn’t a log cabin, so within the rustic charm is an element of rural refinement.

The home comes with lots of windows, because for many months the view will best enjoyed from indoors.

White-painted wood paneling in the bedroom brightens the space, a good contrast to the deeper tones in the living and dining areas.

The extra land means more opportunities for other buildings and expansions. The listing suggests building a new home and keeping the cabin as a guest house, but maybe this is one case where as-is is just right.

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