Cabin Porn: How tiny minimalist cabins are conquering Ukrainian market

Fear not, Cabin Porn is an innocent phenomenon. This term humorously denotes the love for cabins – small, cozy houses nestled in forests or wild nature. We've previously covered cabins and featured custom projects in the USA, Finland, and Germany. Now, we turn our attention to the Ukrainian context, where cabins are just beginning to gain traction. Over the past two years, numerous vacation spots have emerged, not only in the Carpathians but also elsewhere: the OBRIY project in Poltava Oblast has been renting out cabins since 2022, and ULIS recently launched a site with such houses near Kyiv.

LIGA.Life spoke with ULIS and OBRIY to find out why these companies decided to venture into this segment. We also talked to the manufacturer of tiny houses, Svitanok company, and discussed the intricacies of production and why cabins are becoming popular in Ukraine.

What cabins are and where they come from

A cabin is a small dwelling. Modern technologies allow it to be equipped with basic functions: a bedroom, kitchen, and shower. Its size varies but usually ranges from 15-20 sq. m. Another feature of a cabin is its design: sleek and ascetic to harmonize with nature, often using various types of wood, with charred wood being a popular choice.

The most important aspect is the cabin's location. These houses are placed in the wild – in forests, on mountain slopes, or by riversides, to be away from the city and closer to wild nature. Modern cabins can be mobile, designed as a house on wheels that can be easily transported, making escapes into the wild hassle-free.

Digging deeper, cabins can trace their lineage to "hütte," small shepherd huts in Norway, situated in fields, far from home. Scandinavians have long had their philosophy of coziness – hygge, which influenced how cabins are furnished inside: without unnecessary details, minimalist, yet comfortable.

Cabins' popularity was also shaped by American culture. For instance, the Volkswagen Transporter T1, also known as the "hippiemobile," was often converted into a mini-house for traveling across the United States in the 1960s, making the idea of mobile home travel iconic.

Many picturesque natural locations in the US are national parks. Since construction there is prohibited, a small house on wheels became the only way to relax in conservation areas, thus popularizing mobile cabins.

Cabins became mainstream in 2009 when American Zach Klein created a Tumblr blog with cabin photos, naming it Cabin Porn. Later, he published a book under the same name. Klein, co-founder of Vimeo and DIY.org, and a real estate agency Dwell director, lived in New York but always dreamed of a cozy hut deep in the wild forest.

In 2015, Klein's dream came true when he found a tiny house in the woods of upstate New York. He bought the house and land, renovated it, and later built several other cabins with friends. This created a community of people who spent time there relaxing.

Klein named the place Beaver Brook after the nearby stream. An article about Zach Klein's cabin appeared in the New York Times.

In 2021, Klein sold his forest cabin, but his project sparked a subculture of enthusiasts and inspired hundreds of people to engage with cabins and create similar projects. For example, two Harvard students Jon Staff and Pete Davis founded a camping site with cabins called Getaway. The philosophy behind this project is to connect with nature and escape city stress. The cabins in Getaway have no internet, and guests put their phones in a special safe for a digital detox.

Who creates cabins in Ukraine

Kyrylo Yarko, co-founder and COO of Svitanok Tiny House, which manufactures cabins and modular cottages (prefab houses), has been in the construction industry for over 20 years but began making cabins after the full-scale invasion.

"I've had my own house on wheels for 15 years, traveled through Africa, Europe, and have a lot of understanding about what needs to be done and what doesn't. So, it happened that my hobbies and skills intersected," explains Kyrylo on why the company started producing cabins.

Svitanok currently manufactures two models of houses – the one-story Model 1 and the two-story Model 2. All houses are mobile, meaning they can be loaded onto a trailer and transported by car. The trailer is an optional extra that can be ordered if desired.

"The idea of cabins is that you go into nature as a guest. You don't cover everything with asphalt. Nature is most important to you, and you snug up to the side and create comfort for yourself with the least resources," Yarko explains the house on wheels concept.

Model 1 features a large panoramic window next to which the bed is placed to enjoy the views. Each house also has a bathroom with a shower and a full kitchen.

Kyrylo says cabins are ordered by both commercial brands and individual clients who want their own tiny house. Some order them not only for suburban relaxation but, for example, as an additional house or use it as a summer cottage. "Usually, they choose Model 2 for this – it has more storage space, more sleeping places, there's an exhaust hood. It's like a mini-cottage, where two can live," says the entrepreneur.

All cabins manufactured by the company come in two types: autonomous and non-autonomous. Autonomous ones have a gas heating system (convector or boiler), while non-autonomous ones are equipped with a thermo-electric convector or electric boiler. The cabins also have a compact fireplace made by the company, which complements the interior of the house well.

Yarko dispels the myth that cabins are cold in winter: "To heat the house, you only need 2 kW of thermal power because the space is very small. Moreover, we use an 80 mm thick layer of polyurethane foam for insulation. It's twice as much as in modern refrigerators. Even at -18 degrees Celsius outside, it will be +20 inside."

It takes an average of up to two months to manufacture one cabin – a month for preparatory work and a month for production. The lifespan of one such house is over 30 years, Yarko says. Despite cabins becoming increasingly popular among Ukrainians, most orders are from foreign clients. The Ukrainian market accounts for about 40%, says Kyrylo.

In addition to its main activity, Svitanok helps the Armed Forces of Ukraine and has joined the charity project Vsimdim, which creates temporary housing for internally displaced persons and helps with their adaptation.

Where to rent a cabin in Ukraine

If you like the idea of relaxing in cabins but don't want to buy your own house, you can rent one. More and more camping sites and locations with cabins are appearing in Ukraine.

One such project is ULIS. Founded in 2021, it is a complex of suburban houses that rents out cottages and now cabins. In January this year, ULIS installed the first seven cabins and has plans to launch a total of 45, allowing for day-by-day vacation bookings. All cabins are situated in the middle of a forest with a considerable distance between each house, enabling visitors to isolate themselves. The complex is 40 km from Kyiv, situated in the village of Dudky.

"The main feature of ULIS is the placement of these cabins. Because of their location, we achieve maximum isolation which in turn impacts the mental health of our guests," says Maxym Vynogradnyi, marketing director of ULIS.

"We integrate the houses into nature, meaning initially compact machinery lays all the communications and a small smart excavator moves among the trees and digs. Then, paths for guests are laid over these trenches. The houses are carefully installed in the locations among the trees. We don't interfere with nature any further. No landscape designs. Even when we plant trees on the location, they are ordinary firs, just like those growing nearby," he says.

All ULIS cabins are owned by investors and are fully mobile. This means the houses can be loaded onto a trailer and transported at any moment.

The idea of mobility arose after the full-scale invasion – Dudky village was under occupation for over a month, but the cottages were not damaged. To alleviate future owners' worries about their property, ULIS decided to launch the next phase of houses in a mobile format.

"It was a response to the present," says Vynogradnyi. "Mobile houses can be transported to a safer place at any moment."

"Moreover, it's easier to place such a small form in dense forests than a large house. For instance, the current cabin site has numerous trees, and setting up cottages there would have necessitated cutting down many of them, something we wanted to avoid," Maxim explained ULIS's preference for the cabin format.

Another project where you can rent a cabin for a day or more is OBRIY holiday village. The location is in the village of Opishnya in Poltava oblast, an ancient Cossack town known for its highlands. OBRIY cabins are situated on slopes, offering picturesque views. Currently, the complex has 7 houses, with plans to open 9 more soon.

The project was launched almost immediately after the full-scale invasion, in May 2022, says Lyudmyla Shevchenko, manager of OBRIY holiday village. Their concept is defined as "reboot and recovery through unity with nature."

"We were captivated by this idea (of cabins – ed.). We saw similar projects abroad, and this format seemed to perfectly fit our concept — uniting with nature in a way that is as gentle on the environment as possible," Lyudmyla says.

OBRIY's cabins vary in size, some with a modular design, making them easily transportable to other locations.

The smallest cabin has an area of 16 square meters, and the largest is 30 square meters. There's a significant distance between each cabin to ensure guests can experience "total seclusion."

"People usually come to us seeking peace, to take a break from the city. But some guests come for a 'think week' — a time when they need to make a complex business decision. So, they isolate themselves as far from civilization as possible to avoid any external distractions," Lyudmyla says.

What makes cabins so popular

"Everything from the West reaches us with a delay of 5-7 years, both in socio-cultural and economic terms. The cabin hype, which started 5-7 years ago in California, is now reaching Europe, and it's just beginning to touch us," says Kyrylo Yarko, founder of Svitanok.

The second reason is psychological, Kyrylo believes. In times of war, people want to get as far away as possible from sirens and alarming news, to escape the noise of the city. "A person can fully recover only in nature. All other methods are half measures," Kyrylo says.

Ultimately, the popularity of cabins is also due to their economic benefits. Investing in traditional real estate is risky, so people look for alternative options. In Western Ukraine, particularly in the Carpathians, there's a boom in cottage and vacation complex constructions, as it's the region furthest from missile threats during the war.

"That's why people build there. And what do they build? — A house. Which kind? — A small one. Because no one wants to invest a lot of money," the entrepreneur explains.

Lyudmyla Shevchenko, the manager of OBRIY holiday village, believes that a phenomenon known as "modern luxury" is emerging in Ukraine. It's an understated, conscious form of relaxation chosen as an alternative to loud and ostentatious rest. The main feature of modern luxury is minimalism. Since cabins have an ascetic design, without unnecessary details, they find their audience.

"Modern luxury is about being in a natural environment with sustainable comfort inside the house, which doesn't distract but facilitates a connection with nature. That's why our interiors lack unnecessary details, bright colors, and superfluous elements," Lyudmyla says.

Cabins have become popular worldwide because "it's a combination of the general trend towards escapism with a convenient solution," according to ULIS's top manager, Maksym Vynogradnyi. "As for Ukraine, it's primarily a trend of 'escaping the city,' which is gaining momentum, and cabins offer the most convenient technological solution," says Vynogradnyi.

ULIS adds that cabins are most popular among IT professionals, top managers, and business owners. Thanks to their location in the forest and the opportunity for seclusion, the cabins are in demand among couples and sometimes individuals. "We predict that the audience will remain the same, but the proportions will change. Since staying in a cabin costs less than in a cottage, we'll see an increase in mid-level professionals among our cabin guests," Maksym says.