Index Cabins

BUILDER / DESIGNER: Nick Pietsch, Index Cabins

PHOTOGRAPHY: Garret Ryan Hanson and Kelsey Bum

Sustaining style on the banks of the Skyomish River.
A masterclass in build-design and sustainability with Index Cabins and Chown Hardware. 

Index Cabins is a masterpiece of architectural design and sustainability in the western foothills of the Cascade Mountains on the banks of Skyomish River. The “Pietsch Pit,” as the property is known, sits on four and a half acres of land full of red cedars, doug fir, and alder trees rising out of the granite.  

The most recent and ambitious of Nick’s design-builds are the Tree House, the only A Frame in the world suspended from the ground by four old-growth evergreen trees, and next to this build the Sea Containers which is an upcycling of used shipping containers with basalt and lava rock.   

 “Induction cooktops. Cork flooring. Paperstone countertops made from recycled plastics. Trex decking. Everything we use,” says Nick, “is sourced to achieve the highest intersection of aesthetic quality and environmental sustainability.” 

And that’s where Chown Hardware comes in.  

The Sea Containers—built with exclusive hardware, plumbing, and showpieces from Chown—feature a kitchen with basalt backsplash and strips of lava rock. “Basalt is an amazing element,” says Nick. “Its olivine content gives off a translucent, green hue that pairs with the lower accents of the kitchen wall.”  

To complement the richness of the kitchen design, Chown specified and supplied a 30-inch single basin Franke Farmhouse sink paired with a California Faucet satin brass pulldown and custom Chown Hardware cabinet pulls. Wanting to provide a true spa bath experience for guests to enjoy after a day on the mountain, Chown supplied Electric LED lighted mirrors, Crosswater London brushed brass faucets, Ressa Spa toilets, as well as an advanced Mr. Steam and Crosswater London shower system.  

The artistry is in the details and it’s the combination of design, quality, luxury, and durability that drew Nick to Chown Hardware in the first place. “Chown has an incredible range of timeless style, with a unique Pacific Northwest aesthetic that only a company of its stature can possess,” says Nick. “The hardware inside Index Cabins is a perfect demonstration of Chown’s ability to show up in multimillion-dollar luxury builds as well as unique, outdoor-centric environments like ours.”