When friends Ilona and Andrey Gorokhovskiy; Jose and Alex Sanchez; and Trevor and Michelle Reed began building their dream Broken Bow, Okla., retreat, they wanted it to be an elegant destination that felt like home for all future guests.
The three couples combined their talents to creating the perfect getaway.
“Our vision was to build a modern luxury cabin,” Michelle says. “We wanted to keep all the amenities of a modern home, with the vibes of an all-wood cabin. It was a real challenge to make all of those design elements come together into a cohesive look.”
Up for the challenge, the couples created an elegant cabin they call Lodger than Life that is bright and sophisticated yet highlights the natural beauty of its surroundings.
“When designing the cabin, we wanted it to feel big, grand … larger than life!” Jose says. “Thankfully, I think we’ve accomplished that with the design and finishing touches. From the exterior, you get that feeling as soon as you turn into the driveway. And when you walk through that front door, it’s actually even more grand than you expected.”
Sunlight immediately welcomes visitors as they enter the great room.
“The wall of windows feels like the main focal point of the cabin – from both the interior and exterior,” Andrey says. “The house is elevated to a level where you don’t see the street or driveway, but instead enjoy a beautiful scenery of trees.”
“When you stay at such a beautiful location, you want to enjoy the natural beauty as much as possible,” Ilona says.
From the windows to the 1,000-square-foot covered deck to the stunning quartzite stone countertops and natural pine walls, Jose says, “All of the design elements in the home were intended to bring the beauty of the outdoors inside.”
The cabin accommodates 14 – so Michelle says, “It’s definitely the perfect family retreat. With three king suites and a bunk room that sleeps eight, it’s great even for more than one family.”
Each bedroom is cozy, yet sophisticated. “We wanted the rooms to feel like a relaxing escape with timeless beauty and comfortable elements so anyone could feel instantly at home.”
And let’s not forget the bathrooms - each a spa-like retreat. “Who says that a cabin can’t be luxurious?” Alex says. “Whether you’re spending the day at the lake or go hiking, it’s so nice to be able to come home, relax and freshen up in one of our three rainfall showers.
“Each king ensuite has its own elegant design with unique features … All the tiles and materials used were chosen to complement and in ways mimic many of the natural beautiful elements found in the Broken Bow area - from the pebbles found in the streams to the many sparkling quartz rocks one can find all over that area. Bringing the outside in was really important to us.”
Another important goal of the group was making Lodger than Life a “low-tox” destination. In keeping with the all-natural theme, the cabin utilizes organic, fragrance-free, plant-based cleaners so it’s friendly to those with sensitivities.
“On top of that, we chose organic linens, including our luxuriously soft bamboo sheets and spa-like bath towels. The laundry detergent we use is also natural and plant-based so that it’s gentle on the skin,” she says. “We provide guests with a Berkey water filter to use for drinking water.”
“When planning a vision for the cabin, a low-toxic approach was a big deal to us. And we knew it would be a big deal to the growing population of chemical-conscious communities around North Texas,” Andrey says. “We hope to be a safe haven for many families wanting peace of mind about these essential everyday details.”
Above all else, the couples say they hope the cabin feels like home to its future guests.
“Something that makes this cabin special is the three families that came together to bring it about,” Trevor says. “And unlike most cabins out there, we are a family-owned cabin, not just a management company, so we designed it specifically with families in mind. We have pack n’ plays, highchairs, baby gates and toys for little ones. Lots of board games, air hockey, foosball, a digital game table, cornhole and shuffleboard for teens and adults. We plan to have outdoor activities for the kids with treasure hunts and geocaching up on the hillside trails. Adventure kits are in the works that guests can add on, so kids can explore the outdoors with binoculars and other fun gadgets. We want this cabin and the experience of staying here to be exciting and magical every time,” he says.
“We want our guests to truly feel like it’s their home away from home. One of our priorities was comfort … We hope our cabin is a place for people to feel relaxed, refreshed and inspired.”
For more information on Lodger that Life, visit LodgerThanLife.com and follow @LodgerThanLifeOK on Instagram and Facebook.com/LodgerThanLifeOK. To book your vacation at the cabin, visit Airbnb.com/rooms/755346642114724329.