Granite Falls is called the “gateway to the mountain loop”.
The Mountain Loop Freeway is one in all Washington’s most scenic drives and a well-liked start line for fishing, mountaineering, tenting and sledding within the Cascades. The falls and close by parks appeal to guests year-round.
The city of Granite Falls sits within the foothills of the Cascades between two of Snohomish County’s largest rivers: the Pilchuck and the Stillaguamish.
Near every part are the Canyon Creek Cabins, a trio of cozy cabins constructed on about an acre of waterfront property.
The three cabins, owned by Andy Whitcomb and Forest Eckley, overlook Canyon Creek, which empties into the South Fork of the Stillaguamish.
Every has been furnished by the homeowners with furnishings, textiles, paintings and vegetation sourced from Glasswing and Glasswing Greenhouse. The 2 Seattle design boutiques are collectively owned by Eckley, Whitcomb and Alisa Furoyama.
“We designed it so there’s simply sufficient to be snug, join with associates, have a fireplace, go for a hike, and are available again to loosen up in a sizzling tub by the river,” Eckley mentioned.
Cabins 1 and three had been constructed within the Seventies as fishing cabins. Each have been just lately renovated to incorporate two bedrooms, a rest room, an open kitchen with eating space, two sofas and a fire.
Cabin 2, situated between these, was constructed as a tiny home in 2020 and has a bed room, rest room, kitchen, eating room, couch and fireside.
Every cabin has an out of doors seating space, on a deck or patio, in addition to a sizzling tub dealing with the creek.
“There is a demand for nice staycations,” mentioned Whitcomb, co-owner of Glasswing shops. “We do not have a look at issues from a aggressive viewpoint, however we do our greatest. We work to be on the prime of the market.
Right here is an outline of every of the Canyon Creek cabins. You possibly can ebook all three directly or choose your favourite for an area getaway.
The view from the bed room in cabin 1 overlooks the galley. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Cabin 1
This 1972-built A-frame asymmetrical cabin is the biggest of the three at 1,229 sq. toes. The cabin options wooden paneling, uncovered beams and huge geometric home windows. It might accommodate as much as six individuals.
After shopping for it in 2018, Whitcomb and Eckley put in slate tiles on the flooring, improved the final lighting and renovated the toilet. They added a hammock within the attic subsequent to the upstairs bed room. The loft has a beautiful view of the river under.
“We usher in as a lot gentle or nature as potential,” Whitcomb mentioned. “We additionally prefer to deliver classic touches.”
The homeowners plan to renovate the kitchen to make it look extra like their very own.
At 375 sq. toes, Cabin 2 is Cabin Creek Cabins’ smallest unit. Proven here’s a sunroom with a settee and a fire. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Cabin 2
Cabin 2 was designed by Whitcomb and Eckley and constructed on land they bought similtaneously their first Canyon Creek cabin.
The cabin is the smallest of the three, at round 375 toes. It contains two buildings related by a lined terrace and might accommodate two individuals.
A transformed delivery container contains the kitchen, rest room, and eating space. Subsequent to it’s a dormitory with a veranda, a settee and a fire.
This cabin’s sizzling tub is tucked away within the woods and accessible through a lighted path.
The delivery container was introduced in by flatbed truck after which trucked over rolling fence posts to its present location.
“It was a problem to get that right here,” Whitcomb mentioned. “We barely had sufficient room.”
Mild shines right into a kitchen and eating space in Cabin 3 at Canyon Creek Cabins Friday, September 23, 2022 in Granite Falls, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Cabin 3
At 672 sq. toes, this cabin is the second largest of the three. It was inbuilt 1975 and might accommodate as much as six individuals.
When Whitcomb and Eckley bought it in 2019, Cabin 3 was largely unfinished. They moved the entrance door, put in a bunch of home windows, upgraded the deck, changed the fireside, and added a dorm.
“We fully redesigned what house appears like and the way it flows,” Whitcomb mentioned. “It appears handmade to us.”
The signature of this cabin is the mid-century burnt orange range chimney.
The homeowners have additionally constructed the dorm subsequent door with room to sleep two extra. The 120 sq. foot addition options floor-to-ceiling home windows that overlook the creek.
Co-owner Andy Whitcomb stands beneath Cabin 3 and above a flowing Canyon Creek at Canyon Creek Cabins September 23, in Granite Falls. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
“Related tastes however totally different factors of view”
Whitcomb, 42, and Eckley, 40, had been associates earlier than turning into enterprise companions.
In 2009, they stayed at a pal’s cabin in Index and began speaking about shopping for one in all their very own and renting it out to vacationers.
Round 2015, Whitcomb and Eckley rented a six-bedroom turn-of-the-century house to attempt their hand at trip rental. After about three years of on-the-job coaching, they bought their first cabin with the earnings.
The cabins had been bought or inbuilt 2018, 2019 and 2020 — all right away. Now householders are specializing in sustaining and enhancing their houses away from house.
Whitcomb, from Black Diamond, and Eckley, from Seattle, are each captivated with artwork, structure and design. Whereas Whitcomb is drawn to mid-century fashionable design, Eckley is impressed by wabi-sabi, a Japanese philosophy that emphasizes acceptance and great thing about life’s imperfections. Collectively, they kind an amazing crew of creators.
“In the case of design, we have now comparable tastes however totally different viewpoints,” Eckley mentioned. “It’s extremely complementary.”
Most cabin furnishings had been designed and constructed by the homeowners. For instance, the sofas in cabins 1 and three are customized to be able to sleep comfortably there, in the event you want extra beds.
“I’ve by no means seen a sofa like this anyplace else,” Eckley mentioned. “It feels good to have a purposeful piece of artwork that sits proper in the course of the house.”
If it is not theirs, then a desk or chair might be from Tirto, an Indonesian-style furnishings firm in Seattle.
Every of the cabins additionally includes a sculpture by Aleph Geddis. The wooden carver from Orcas Island is a pal of theirs.
And there is extra: they’ve Pendleton wool blankets within the closet. The couch cushions are created from classic Kaleen rugs in a wide range of patterns and textures. The paints come from Mineral Workshop. All vegetation come from the Glasswing nursery.
Whitcomb and Eckley plan to finally design extra cabins. Ideally, they need to have a number of leases bordering a sleepy lake with a dock. They look ahead to the correct alternative. For now, they’re having fun with the areas they’ve renovated — and why they moved right here within the first place.
“What we love essentially the most about this place, greater than the structure or the furnishings we designed, is the setting with the timber, the river, the way in which the sunshine filters by means of within the morning when it is foggy “, mentioned Whitcomb. “That is what makes this place particular and the factor that we might by no means recreate on our personal.”
Cabin 3 faces the highway at Canyon Creek Cabins on September 23 in Granite Falls. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Suggestions for a Nice Keep at Canyon Creek Cabins
• Fall asleep. The trio of cabins are booked out about 10 weeks prematurely, so it is best to get on the waitlist. In case of cancellation, you could possibly ebook an earlier keep.
• Go mountaineering. A few of Whitcomb and Eckley’s favourite hikes whereas staying at Canyon Creek Cabins embody Gothic Basin, Massive 4 Ice Caves, Mount Pilchuck Fireplace Lookout, Twenty-Two Lake and Heather Lake.
• Attempt the spa. Regardless of which cabin you hire, you will have an amazing view of the creek as you loosen up within the tub.
• Play a recreation. House owners assortment contains Monopoly, Life, Catan, Ticket to Experience and Threat.
• Uncover the file assortment. In Cubicles 1 and three you will discover albums by Sunhouse, Bob Dylan, Miles Davis, Woody Guthrie, Led Zeppelin, Marvin Gaye, Prince, David Bowie, Patsy Cline, The Smiths and extra.
If you’ll
Visit canyoncreekcabins.com for more information and to book your stay.
Sound & Summit
This text is featured within the Winter difficulty of Sound & Summit, a Each day Herald complement. Discover Snohomish and Island counties with every quarterly journal. Every difficulty prices $3.99. Subscribe to obtain all 4 editions for $14 per yr. Dial 425-339-3200 or go to soundummitmagazine.com for extra data.
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