Charming Cabin Built for $500 with Repurposed Windows

Located in the mountains of West Virginia, photographer Nick Olson and designer Lilah Horwitz have built their own enchanting retreat made out of discarded windows. The towering home away from home boasts a creative facade made of windows of varying sizes, giving it an artistic flair that is both rustic and modern. More than anything, though, it is a representation of the couple's diligent and penny-pinching efforts.

Salvaging most of their materials from a nearby abandoned barn, the creative duo was able to construct the incredible glass cabin with roughly $500 and several months' worth of elbow grease. Olson says, “We were able to make it a reality because we are first artists and creators. We had to be resourceful to do it cheaply.” This meant living off of beans and rice while dedicating their time and energy to constructing their one-of-a-kind home.

Olson and Horwitz admittedly don't spend their time at the cabin year-round, as they primarily live in Milwaukee, though they do enjoy an escape from time to time, amidst nature. Though the cabin the two have built doesn't include electricity or plumbing, it offers a refreshing “oneness” with the surrounding environment, heightening certain aspects of nature's beauty. Horwitz gushes about the wonderful light show created through their windows/wall just as the sun is setting. “That's when everything inside is on fire,” she says.

Nick Olson website
Lilah Horwitz website
via [Yahoo!, Half Cut Tea]

Pinar

Pinar Noorata (she/her) is the Editorial Director at My Modern Met. She is a writer, editor, and content creator based in Brooklyn, New York. She earned her BA in Film and Media Studies from CUNY Hunter College. She has worked at major TV, film, and publishing companies as well as other independent media businesses. She also runs her own art & culture newsletter called The High Low. She first joined the My Modern Met team in 2011 as a Contributing Writer, pitching and publishing articles about a wide range of topics. Her expertise in visual media lends itself to in-depth analysis of varied art forms, including but not limited to painting, illustration, sculpture, installation, design, and photography. Pinar has a particular affinity for spotlighting up-and-coming artists, affording them a platform and offering a voice to lesser-heard individuals looking to break through, especially BIPOC creatives. She has helped multiple artists make a name for themselves and reach a wider audience over 10+ years as a writer and editor (both through long-form articles and short-form videos). When she isn’t writing, editing, or creating videos herself, Pinar enjoys watching films and TV, reading, crafting, drawing, frequenting museums and galleries, and volunteering at her local animal shelter.
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