Looking for the ideal cozy fishing cabin or home in Laramie County, one overlooking clear Rocky Mountain waters?  A rugged old archetypal cabin in the woods tucked somewhere within Laramie County real estate.  Wyoming lands offer second-home owners refreshing mountain air and clear water fishing holes right out the back door.

Think about whether you’d like to remake an old rundown cabin, or maybe you’d like to use reclaimed wood and materials to mimic an old trapper’s perch.  Do you want a cabin-type home in Cheyenne or further from the city?

Cozy idea #1

Find an old cabin on the river’s edge, a bargain property located not too far from amenities of the City of Cheyenne real estate.  Keep the original small blueprint (under 1,000 square feet).  Now imagine large surrounding decks, a functional kitchen, a loft, and perhaps an enclosed outdoor shower or hot tub.  Burst through the ceiling, yet retain the original personality, thus creating space.

Add a centerpiece—a stove with a slate surround on the back wall and floor.  Or maybe add a floor-to-ceiling rock fireplace.  Match the new space with fabulous windows, the envy of outdoorsmen a century ago.  

Strip out the kitchen and push the blueprint out over the deck, finding the best views of the water.  Expand until the vacation kitchen offers enough light and counter space to accommodate gatherings of family and friends.  

Create sleeping areas.  Put the main bedroom upstairs, possibly as a loft.  Smaller vacation getaways will amazingly expand in minutes with the use of rollaway beds, Murphy beds with bookshelves, foldout chairs and sleeper sofas, even airbeds, hammocks, and extra tent space.

Insulate and add paneling, wood floors, cabinets, and other clean new features while adhering to the rustic motif.

Cozy idea #2

Start with an empty parcel on the waterfront.  Then, camp out on the property to find a favorite vantage, the best vegetation, water sounds, tree cover, and fishing access.  Collect reclaimed materials such as old barn wood, beetle kill pine, used doors, antique fixtures, rocks, and other items that were available to trappers over a hundred years ago.

Work with a designer to create the ambience of a small historic cabin but build with modern smarts.  Keep a small blueprint and use natural lighting and passive energy.  Add a dining porch overlooking the water.  Let the exterior appear rustic.  Create a few interior surprises with the most comfortable sofa on earth, fishing memorabilia, and ingenious use of space.  Create a children’s nook or sleeping area under the stairway to the main sleeping area upstairs.

For information about real estate, ranches, and land in Laramie County, call The Property Exchange at (307) 632-6481.