A Tiny Cabin with a Big Heart
- Jennifer Chartier
- Sep 19
- 4 min read
Tucked into the quiet hills of Tennessee, just thirty minutes outside Nashville city limits, sits a retreat that proves small spaces can hold the grandest of stories. We call it the Foxhunt Cabin, a nod to the history and tradition of the land itself. For generations, the rolling fields have been the backdrop for fox hunting clubs, where horses have always outnumbered residents and time seems to move just a little slower.
Our studio has always believed that design is as much about people as it is about spaces. We're not just in the business of creating beautiful rooms, we're partnering with extraordinary clients to turn dreams into spaces where they can truly live well. When we met our Foxhunt clients, we knew immediately that this particular partnership would be something special. Bob and Dawn are as magical as the property they chose: warm, welcoming, and brimming with stories that make you want to stay all afternoon. We felt truly lucky to collaborate with them and bring their vision to life.
After adding a wood-clad barn and devoting countless weekends to shaping the land and cultivating vegetable gardens and fruit trees, they approached us with the vision of creating a vacation home. They imagined a place that could match their lifestyle: intimate, character filled, and large in spirit. Our first foray into the Tiny House sphere, as well as our first true out-of-town project, was off to the races!
The Challenge: Large Character in a Small Footprint
Designing a tiny home is never about simply shrinking square footage, it's about creating thoughtful moments of style and functionality. Bob & Dawn's wish list was clear: a kitchen as capable as any suburban four-bedroom, a study that doubles for guests, creative ways to incorporate heirloom pieces, and plenty of nooks to relax and soak in the views. With an open kitchen and living area connected to two modest bedrooms and a single bath, every square inch carried weight. From the start, we understood the importance of being thoughtful with both the layout and the finishes. The true challenge? Making this tiny build feel expansive where it mattered most.
A Kitchen That Thinks Big
The kitchen became the heart of the design. We leaned on ceiling height, cohesive finishes, and a meticulously planned cabinet layout to stretch the space. The result: a kitchen that functions and feels like it belongs in a much larger home, but without stretching the intimacy that makes a tiny house special. In a space overflowing with little "wow" moments, it's difficult to pick a favorite design element. Perhaps it's the separate coffee bar that oozes charm, or the cozy central island stained a rich wood tone to accent the surrounding creamy cabinets. Maybe it's the lighting selections - the travertine sconces and patina brass pendants add to the ambiance, and we adore their smaller scale balanced against the large custom range hood. This space-anchoring find was the result of a perfectly timed trip to the Kitchen and Bath show in Las Vegas, and we were thrilled with the ability to customize the shape and metal finish for a rangehood that truly looks like art. A thoughtful blend of open shelving and glass cabinets prevents the kitchen from feeling congested, and allows for display of Dawn's treasured sunflower dishware. For a design firm that thrives on a good kitchen project, this one will forever be a favorite!
Living Spaces Full of "Moments"
Beyond the kitchen, every corner was an opportunity to create a moment that reflected Bob and Dawn. The living room makes quite an impression with wood beams Bob salvaged himself, and pickled wall paneling that has quickly become the most talked-about feature whenever friends drop by. The stone fireplace serves as a dramatic focal point that grounds the home and turns this modest footprint into a place of gathering and comfort. And who could resist a classic foxhunt scene for the painting over the mantle. We made certain to leave space for collected keepsakes and key furniture pieces, like their bar cabinet and antique breakfast table. The upholstered banquette tucks in perfectly under between the kitchen and living room, and doubles as a front row seat for their cat's morning sun lounging.
The singular bathroom fulfilled another opportunity to infuse the new build with depth and history. A green stained glass window that Bob had painstakingly saved became a driving force in the style and color palette of the space.
And then there is the study — a room we find ourselves falling for a little more with each visit. Enveloped in built-in bookcases and millwork, it feels less like a simple office and more like a gallery of their lives. Every photograph, every trophy, every treasured object tells a piece of their story. To step inside is to be invited into their world, and it brings so much joy to discover a new detail waiting to be asked about.
Million-Dollar Views
While the square footage is humble, the views are anything but. Every angle of the cabin opens to sweeping Tennessee landscapes, ensuring the couple never feels confined indoors. Life here spills naturally outside- into the gardens they tend, the poolside cabana where they spend their summers, and the porch swing just big enough for an afternoon nap while deer graze in the pasture beyond. Outdoor living spaces are an integral part of the experience at Foxhunt Cabin.
More Than a Cabin
We couldn't be more proud and thankful of this project journey. The culmination is a home that truly embodies Bob and Dawn's story. It's not merely a house, it's an invitation to slow down, to savor, to live fully. It's proof that detail and heart will always outshine scale. This project reminded us that design isn't measured in square feet, it's measured in moments.
As I do with every home feature I set out to write, I start by asking Andrea for her favorite aspects of the house. Whether it's thoughts on the design process, things we learned along the way, or the selections themselves, she always offers a beautiful summary that helps to drive the editorial. So we sat and poured over the photos from the cabin as I began my usual post-project interview. Without missing a beat, she responded "my favorite element? oh it's no contest- it was Bob and Dawn." And I couldn't agree more.
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