A Sea Ranch-inspired retreat is for sale in the Snowy Mountains

With its views of Mount Kosciuszko and a bucolic setting on the banks of the Thredbo River, Cedar Cabin invites outdoor enthusiasts to experience the serene side of the Snowy Mountains through its minimalist interiors, designed for relaxing after a day of adventure.

The open-plan 45 sqm cabin was built in the 1990s by Robin Dyke of DJRD as part of Riverside, west of Thredbo’s central ski village. Dyke was inspired by Charles Moore’s iconic Sea Ranch retreat in California, transposed to the New South Wales landscape. He envisaged the cabins as ‘caravans in the snow’ and adopted pitched shed roofs to withstand high winds, robust cedar exteriors, and window seats for taking in the unobstructed view of the mountain.

In 2019, designer Nicholas Gurney and Monique Easton reworked the Aussie cabin, honing a pared-back minimalist aesthetic with inky contrasts that imbue the bolthole today. The project was shortlisted in the Interior Design Awards for Residential Design.

Gurney’s emphasis on clean lines and restraint contrasts with the tactile, tawny exterior of the cabin home, though there is ample synergy between the two. Beams and rough-sawn timber ceilings are exposed overhead, while a custom mural by Shal spans the lofted bedroom wall, alongside works by ‘supergraphics’ pioneer Barbara Stauffacher Solomon that nod to the cabin’s Sea Ranch inspiration, and a print by photographer Zain Kruyer of the nearby mountain peak.

The all-black kitchen has bespoke joinery and a large island for congregating. Gurney also sought inspiration from Japanese design, adding an onsen big enough for two to enjoy a deep soak after a long day on the slopes (there’s a heated drying area for airing soggy ski gear).

Cedar Cabin is listed with Modern House with price on application.