Room & Board provided Krissie Mason with modern cabin furniture in exchange for promotion. We partner with people who are already fans of our brand for the most meaningful connections. All opinions expressed are their own.  

When Krissie Mason first set eyes on her property 40 miles south of the Minnesota/Canada border, it struck a very particular chord in her. “It was so raw and enduring, I knew I would be honored to be its caretaker for the next however long,” she recalled. The wild, wide-open land reminded her of Alaska as well as the outdoor spaces where she roamed as a farm kid, as a college student working at Glacier National Park and throughout her life’s adventures.

Determined to build a cabin that reflected her intent and values, Krissie called the office of architect Tom Kundig of Olson Kundig and by luck, caught him in person. “It was during Covid, and nobody else was in the office,” she explains. Asked how she convinced one of American Institute of Architects’ most lauded members to design her home, Krissie says, “Tom’s a climber and an outdoorsman. And so he understands rugged and raw and exposed and vulnerable and big, wide-open spaces. For him to say yes to my project, to a place that’s so rooted in intention and not scale—that meant the world to me.” 

The result is Burnt Rock: a dramatically designed home named for the land it sits on, scorched decades ago by logging slash fires. The stunning structure cantilevers over bedrock and meadowland, and not only takes full advantage of its dramatic landscape and spectacular view of Lake Superior, but also is a physical representation of Krissie’s history and her hopes for the future. “Burnt Rock isn’t about reinvention. It’s about clarity in creating a place that feels aligned with who I am, where I come from and who I’m becoming.” 

Choosing Modern Cabin Furniture 

Recalling the process of designing Burnt Rock, Krissie notes, “I made a commitment to quality over quantity, with utility in spaces that are built small, but lived in fully.” This commitment extended to Krissie’s choices for modern cabin furniture and decor. “I wanted things that were local, and looked for Minnesota-based companies that made pieces that were timeless and tactile, natural and elemental. Of course I thought of Room & Board.” 

Working with a Design Associate, Krissie was able to fine-tune color themes, be inspired by a mood board and find the mix of aesthetic elements that fit the compact space. From a high-function entry to the cozy bedroom and airy main living area, Krissie selected pieces that minimized size and maximized function to stay true to her vision of living lightly: for instance, a velvet-upholstered headboard also offers comfortable support to work in bed, and a granite-and-graphite dining table doubles as a sculptural component in the layout. “Burnt Rock is only 678 square feet, so every piece has to have a purpose. The challenge was to make a small space feel spacious and elegant and pulled together—but with a few Room & Board pieces, perfectly placed, it all works.” 

Making Every Inch, and Every Moment, Matter

Two particular selections have proven to be serendipitously essential to Burnt Rock’s feel. “The wall-mounted Hover cabinet was originally chosen to maximize floor space—but it’s also sturdy enough to hold so many pieces meaningful to me. A traditional Scandinavian runner my mother made sits on top of it, along with an agate for my father, and pottery my daughter made. In the drawers, I have my drone camera, games and heavy dishware. It holds and embraces all these things, and represents bodies that can’t be here.”

Another source of multifunctional delight: Krissie’s swiveling Ford barrel chairs. “You can sit there and pivot to look at the Sawtooth mountains and the Lake Superior horizon through the wall of glass, opening it wide open to feel the breeze—or you can turn around, put your feet on the couch and talk to someone making coffee. We call them the thrones, because when guests come in, everybody loves to sit in a throne.” 

From the natural steel legs on her Ravella Bench to the camel-hued leather Holmes loveseat to plush sheepskin throws, each tone and texture was chosen to harmonize with raw, rugged surroundings that surround the living space — and to provide comfort at the end of a day spent in those rough elements. “Now, I can spend a winter day cross-country skiing or snowshoeing, 12 hours or more in the Boundary Waters—but then I get to come home to this,” says Krissie. “Every time I leave, I just can’t wait to get back up here. It’s not a second home. It’s the first place that’s ever fully felt like mine.” 

See more of Burnt Rock on Krissie’s website and Instagram, as well as a case study on the Olson Kundig website. And if you’re pulling together an ultra-personalized space of your own or looking for modern cabin furniture, get help from a from a Design Associate virtually, by phone or in person at our stores.

Photography by Andrea Rugg Photography