The Brighter Green Story

Brighter Green started with a two car garage 35 years ago.  My parents bought a old panabode garage from somebody who was going to develop their property.   With my grandfather´s help, they took it apart, numbered the logs and moved it to a two acre piece of property on a lake.  The garage was originally built in 1954.  It served its owners well for 26 years, then was renewed and for over 25 years it was our family cabin.  When the cabin was finally replaced with a new timberframe home on the property, I inherited the old panabode and once again it was taken apart and moved.  Only this time, it had to be floated to an island before re-assembly.

In 2003, we numbered the old logs, piled them on our dock and towed it out to the island where it was to become the second generation family cabin.

We needed to clear a small space and build a new roof.  We were careful to only cut down the trees where the building would actually sit.  We then hand peeled each log, and they were all used in the construction of the new roof.

The reassembly had us scratching our heads a little, as the numbering system was more complicated than we had planned.  I remembered this from the first time we moved the building.

The new front door is a beautiful old vg fir door purchased for $5.00 at a garage sale.  We replaced the orange glass, took an inch off the bottom, and she fit perfectly.  The benches were made from an oak pallet, and the outdoor furniture from cypress pickle vats.  The propane stove is the original one from 35 years ago and works perfectly.  The propane fridge was purchased used, and the counter tops previously lived in a Chinese food restaurant.  The windows are the original garage windows, plus a few we had made for the front.

When we were shopping for a boat we knew we needed something sturdy since it would be used for all the construction as well as the family ferry.  It was ugly, but perfect.  We painted it and replaced the wood, making a removable seat so we could haul lumber, or kids.

Being off the grid, we use propane for cooking, and have some solar lanterns which stay out all day and come in at night.  We even have solar headlamps for reading at night.

Dallas Jasper is the Owner of Brighter Green and sits on the Board of NaSBAP.  She can be reached at Dallas@Brighter-Green.com