Lake House

Retro Waterfront Vibes

A flat-roofed, split-level cabin, this waterfront getaway is all new construction, yet inspired by the cool geometric volumes popular in the disco era. Built to fit in with the original, 1970s-vintage house that occupied the property when the owners bought it, this compact creation feels spacious and bright thanks to its large wall of windows, creative built-ins that include cubbies and planters, and the long lean bar and kitchen at the cabin’s center, offsetting a sunken living area.

Taking cues from the original 1970s-vintage home on the lakefront lot they purchased in 2020, the owners of this campy, back-to-nature getaway created a contemporary space in homage to post-modernist, open-plan architecture. The compact cabin’s look is retro and rectilinear, with Brutalist-inspired geometry and exposed structural elements. Inside this cabin for rent in the Netherlands, the decor vibe is funky and mod, with wood panels, split levels, platform beds, and an earth-toned color palette.

The cabin’s waterfront façade is made up of a wall of windows interrupted by a wide, double-sided fireplace built of “misfires”, or upcycled bricks that took on irregular shapes in the kiln. A wooden outdoor deck skims the water’s edge and features a lounge bed. Inside the glass walls, a sunken living room holds a wraparound sectional sofa in one half of the open-plan room. Sharing the lake view in the other half of the space, a double bed hides behind a built-in planter, and a bathroom with two rain showers looks out over the bed and beyond. The cabin’s kitchen feels more like a bar, a long and lean island lined at one end with tall chairs, elevated above the living room. Even higher, on the cabin’s uppermost level, two single platform beds stretch end-to-end along the wall behind the kitchen, offering an ideal nest for children or teens.

The small lake that the cabin sits on has a central fountain and thickly wooded shores, plus a beach clearing adjacent to the home. A canoe is available to guests for tours of the lake, and fish and bird life are abundant.

AROUND

Located on a small lake, this cabin is all about simplicity, relaxation and getting back to nature. Bergentheim is in the province of Overijssel near the German border, a small village in a greater natural park-like setting, ideal for exploring on foot or bicycle. 

Hiking trails and bike paths are flat and kid-friendly, making the area a favorite of local families seeking gentle outdoor recreation. Boating options are numerous nearby, plus there are forest promenades ideal for foraging and footpaths for soaking up the woodlands and wetlands surrounding the cabin. 

This cabin for rent in the Netherlands is about two hours by car from Amsterdam.

LOCATION

Bergentheim, Netherlands. Nearest airport: Groningen Eelde (65km).

BEST TIME TO VISIT: Late spring to early fall.