DIY Tip Sew a Simple Pillow Cover 5
1. Start with an insert that measures 15 inches x 15 inches. 2. Cut a piece of fabric to be 16 inches x 34 inches. 3. On either of the short ends, fold over a half-inch of fabric, and press flat with an iron. Sew a line to create a finished edge.
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A small cabin in the Tillamook State Forest is transformed Thirteen years ago, Jeff Weithman had a quest. On Friday afternoons, the Portlander would load up his toddler in the car and go for a drive. Sometimes they would head to Mount Hood, or cruise along the Columbia River, or motor up and down the coast. Weithman’s goal for these trips? To find a cabin. Weithman spent his early childhood in Wisconsin, where he and his family frequented a neighbor’s Eagle River retreat. “I wanted to find a place where I could create an experience like that for my kids,” Weithman said. One summer day he was driving toward Tillamook and found it—a 1967, prefab cabin that oversees a stretch of the Wilson River, nestled in the Tillamook State Forest.
Weithman and wife Tess Darrow, who founded Egg Press, lived with the 600-square-foot cabin for five years, pondering the question of whether to expand. They hired an architect and discussed bumping out the back. “Finally, we just said, ‘Let’s work with what we have and make it as efficient as possible,’” Weithman said. They gutted the cabin in a top-to-bottom remodel, installing a 300-square-foot sleeping loft for the kids over the single bedroom and bathroom. The loft is accessed by a ladder that fits neatly into a thick plywood framework surrounding the kitchen, with the last step up on a platform suspended over the fridge. A 13-foot island wrapped in butcher block offers seating and plenty of prep space. In the living room, they made the window pattern symmetrical by mirroring the units on the river-facing façade on the adjacent walls, adding built-in window seats to create cozy nooks, and fitting in a wood stove with a tall stack,
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which leads the eye up to the clerestory windows. The project was a communal affair, with Darrow sewing cushions and their furniture designer friend Reed LaPlant crafting the window seats and waterfall island top. Simple subway tile, plywood paneling, cork flooring and Ikea buys further stretched the budget. Later, the couple converted a carport into a guesthouse, so the cabin can sleep up to twelve. Now, it’s the ideal getaway for any time of year, whether winter suggests curling up in front of the fire, or it’s summer and catching newts and fishing in the river is on the agenda. “It keeps us on the analog side of things,” Weithman said. The experience even inspired a career change, as he left a position as a creative director at Nike to become a real estate agent specializing in modern living, especially via unique Mid-century or modern finds. “I like helping people envision the possibilities,” Weithman said. “That’s what we did with this cabin project.” SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2019
4. Lay fabric so the pattern faces up. Fold one end over 10 inches, then fold the opposite end over 8 inches, so they overlap. Sew the outside edges, only coming in a ½-inch. 5. The finished cover should be 15 x 15 inches, or a little smaller for a tight fit. Turn the cover right side out and stuff the insert inside.
1) Huge windows offer stunning beach views, and wood lines the walls of the Manzanita home. 2) The home is three stories, with corner decks on each level. 3) A black, white and charcoal color scheme ties the home together. Photos: Oregon Coast Modern 4) The 600-square-foot prefab cabin was built in 1967. 5) The home overlooks the Wilson River. 6) The owners installed a 300foot sleeping loft for the kids over the bedroom and bathroom. Photos: Jeff Weithman
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