A custom cabin retreat perfect for family gatherings in Pittsboro
By Morgan Cartier Weston | Photography by John Michael Simpson
Dense clusters of pines cast long shadows as the sun rises on a quiet hill in Pittsboro. This is where Terry Blanken and Dennis Swartzlander’s dream of a forest getaway took root.
“When I had this idea, I just thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be fun if we had a little cabin in the woods?’” Terry says. The couple envisioned a quiet home that would stand as a testament to the land’s natural beauty and also serve as a playground for their grandchildren for years to come.
“We started looking for land in 2019,” Terry says. “We wanted a place not too far from our kids and grandkids in the Triangle, so they wouldn’t be more than a short car ride away.” Their quest led them southwest of their condo in Chapel Hill, until they stumbled upon a plot of land off of Jones Ferry Road that spoke to them. “We were just really, really excited to find it,” Terry says.
The pair closed on the property in early 2020 and recognized they’d need a skilled hand to breathe life into the project. They reached out to Ellen Cassilly and Megan Patnaik of Ellen Cassilly Architects, who shared Terry and Dennis’ vision and reverence for the environment. “We had already worked with Megan on our Chapel Hill home and knew we would be in good hands,” Terry says.
Initially, the cabin was meant to be a modest escape, a small retreat tucked among the trees. However, as the days passed and plans evolved, the project grew more ambitious. “We started asking ourselves, ‘What if we did this? What if we added this?’” Terry says. As the couple’s approach expanded, Megan and Ellen didn’t miss a beat. “We decided we wanted it to have the effect of little boxes that go in all different directions,” Terry explains. “They took our abstract ideas and transformed them into tangible designs.”
Even with an airtight strategy in place, the land posed its own set of obstacles: It is nestled on the slopes of an extinct volcano. “A lot of people don’t know this part of Chatham County actually has two ancient volcanoes,” Terry says. The first time she and Dennis set foot on the lot, piles of rock and rubble greeted them. The terrain was unforgiving, but also held history that the couple was hesitant to destroy. “This volcanic stone is so special,” Terry says. Instead of clearing it out, they consulted with Tributary Land Design and Build’s Katherine Gill, who worked tirelessly alongside her colleagues to transform the rugged landscape into a functional work of art.
Once the design was finalized and the site was prepped, the design team entrusted Kent Wiles of Broyhill Wiles Design Build in Chapel Hill to lead the construction. “If you want a timber-frame home in the Triangle, Kent is the expert,” Ellen says. The exterior was finished with reclaimed wormy chestnut siding, adding a layer of character and history to the home. The humble wooden mallet used to drive each dowel into the frame became a cherished artifact, taking pride of place on the staircase.
Though the home has only two bedrooms, it also boasts a large playroom complete with a hidden ladder, fire pole, rope hammock and secret bookcase entrance. “It’s all about the grandkids here,” Terry says, adding that the house is also the family’s new holiday haven, a time Terry says is all about being together.
“We look forward to our son and family who live out of town coming to visit, so all three of our sons and [their] families can be together.” During this season, Dennis and Terry will fill stockings for each of their six grandchildren, and the entire clan makes meals together. “Perhaps the most joyful aspect for all of us is that our grandchildren get to have wild and wonderful times enjoying their cousins.”
Design considerations were made to ensure Dennis and Terry can continue to enjoy the home as they age. “We have their primary bedroom on the ground floor, and the bathroom is completely accessible,” Ellen says. “Levers are the hardware for all doors, and there are no steps between the garage and the mudroom as you enter the home.”
The timber frame construction is the house’s most remarkable feature, enabling it to blend seamlessly into the landscape. “[The]craftsmanship [of the style] blew us away, so choosing [it] was a no-brainer,” Terry says. The design is as natural as it gets, relying on all-wood mortise-and-tenon joinery to hold the frame’s signature beams in place. “It is also surprisingly easy to assemble,” Ellen says. “We used structural insulated panels, or SIPs, which are prefabricated and can go up rather quickly,” she explains. “It’s already insulated and everything, sort of like a sandwich, and it all comes together beautifully.”
“We’ve never built a house before,” Terry says, “and we had zero idea of anything, so it was incredible [to us] that the three different groups – the architect, builder and landscaper – came together to create a team that worked together so well.”
The build relied on several local artisans and experts to complete the finishing touches: Mark Burford of Wood Done Right in Chapel Hill contributed his expertise in crafting bespoke glossy cabinets, adding a touch of modern elegance to the open kitchen; the house was outfitted with state-of-the-art electrical work by MSS-Ortiz Electrical Services; Boer Brothers Heating and Cooling took charge of the HVAC system; Chapel Hill Plumbing ensured seamless, sustainable functionality throughout the home; and finally, the railing and stair system, a vital component of both safety and design, were sourced from View Rail in Indiana. Other thoughtful details include the hearth, a focal point of warmth and comfort, which boasts a custom surround and an impressive guillotine-style fireplace that lowers a glass panel when it is not in use.
The meticulous conceptualizing phase spanned six months, from June to December 2020, and construction completed in autumn 2022 – a remarkable feat given the challenges posed during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We’re thrilled with the results,” Terry says. “It is exactly what we wanted.”
Want more home and garden inspiration? Subscribe to our newsletter for stories like these in your inbox!
