Clearlake Cottages: A Modern Lakeside Cabin Retreat in Wisconsin’s Northwoods

Nestled in Wisconsin's Northwoods, Clearlake Cottages is a modern family retreat built with DEN Outdoors cabin plans. Featuring a Modern Alpine Plus and two Outpost cabins, the project blends contemporary design with the natural beauty of a crystal-clear lakefront setting. For Tim and Sue Campbell, the vision was simple: create a modern cabin retreat where their family could gather year-round, while offering guests the kind of design-forward experience that has made lakeside cabins in Wisconsin increasingly popular.

Unlike traditional Northwoods builds — which often default to rustic log homes or simple square structures — Clearlake Cottages showcase modern cabin design details: from soaring window walls to Scandinavian-inspired interiors. By using DEN cabin plans, the Campbells were able to streamline the construction process, align easily with contractors, and bring architectural quality to a region where design-driven cabin plans in Wisconsin are rare. The result is a family compound that feels intimate, functional, and visually stunning.

Beyond serving as a family retreat, Clearlake Cottages is designed to meet the growing demand for short-term rentals in Wisconsin's Northwoods. With a combination of cozy Outpost cabins and the larger Alpine Plus, the property strikes a balance between privacy and togetherness — proving that luxury cabins don't need massive footprints to deliver unforgettable experiences.

View Clearlake Cottages on Instagram: @clearlakecottages.

Modern Cabin Plans in the Northwoods: The Team Behind Clearlake Cottages

Mike: For the folks listening in, please introduce yourself. Who are you, which DEN design did you build and where did you build it?

Tim: So it's Tim and Sue Campbell. We built the Modern Alpine Plus and we also built two Outposts as part of a family retreat. This is my wife, Sue. We've been married —

Sue: Hello! 34 years.

Tim: 34 years. Good run!

Mike: Amazing. Congratulations.

Sue: We're up in the Northwoods of Wisconsin.

Mike: Amazing. Do you guys have an Instagram account associated with your project?

Tim: We do. We have @clearlakecottages on Instagram. We've got a pretty nice little following already, just organically, which is pretty interesting to see.

Designing a Modern Cabin Retreat: Project Details & Custom Features at Clearlake Cottages

Mike: Amazing. Yeah, the DEN Outdoors account follows you guys, and I've seen photos of your project mid-process and nearing completion. Is that correct?

Tim: We're very close. We've just got a few finishing touches — some more add-ons, like an entry gate as you enter the property. And then since we don't have garages, we've fabricated some custom trash bins that will protect the trash from the bears and the deer. Our fabricator is awesome. He came up with a really neat design for us, which is funny to say — for a trash bin, it's actually gonna look good.

Mike: Yeah, that's awesome. Being fairly familiar with your project, I've gotta say the build out and the finish quality and the aesthetic quality looks phenomenal. It looks like our renders have leapt off the screen and are just in real life. You guys did a hell of a job.

Tim: Well, Sue gets a lot of credit for that. She's done a great job on the decorating aspect.

Mike: Amazing. I have to say thank you. I see you guys advocating for DEN on Reddit too, and that means the world to me and means the world to us. I feel like there are so many people who are curious about these projects and sometimes aren't aware of things like engineering or even what it means to collaborate with a general contractor. You succeeding in your project helps us tremendously because it just paves the way for other people to hopefully do the same.

Reddit Cabins & Beyond: Public Reaction to DEN's Modern Cabin Plans

Tim: Yeah. Mike, the designs really resonated. I posted the Outpost on Reddit — very little experience on Reddit — and I think as of right now, it's the second most liked post of all time on Reddit Cabins.

Mike: Amazing. Amazing.

Tim: Yeah. And yesterday I put the Alpine up, and in day two I think it's in the top 15 or 20. So both designs immediately within a few days are right up near all-time top, which just tells you how much the plans resonate with everyday people like my wife and I.

"Both designs immediately within a few days are right up near all-time top on Reddit Cabins — which just tells you how much the plans resonate with everyday people." — Tim Campbell

Mike: Awesome. And that's why we do this, right? We try to launch our designs out in the open and let people have a conversation around them and tell us whether or not they're even worth keeping in the catalog. So whether you're doing it as a weekend home or an investment property, you know this is a tried and true design.

So let me ask you — what inspired this project? What's the background?

Inspiration for Clearlake Cottages: Creating a Family Retreat in Wisconsin's Northwoods

Tim: You want to handle that one?

Sue: It was COVID. We were like everyone else looking for some place to go.

Tim: That's true. And then also our family — for years we've been going to Montana. My dad had a place out there, a log home on the lake, and it was really the only place our family wanted to go on vacation. We could go to Disneyland — it was always the outdoors, it was always Montana. Our kids are now grown and so getting to Montana every year is difficult.

The idea was to create a getaway that's closer to home that our family can use. And rather than building one big house — that wasn't the vision. We wanted very intimate, cozy spaces where we can all be together, hang out during the day, enjoy each other's company, go fishing, go snowmobiling. At the end of the day, everybody can kind of escape to their own little retreat. Privacy.

Tim: We've got 300 feet of frontage — hundred-foot lots — on an ultra-pure, crystal-clear lake, heavily wooded and with unbelievably incredible fishing. The realtor told us the fishing was good out there and we're like, 'yeah, okay, we'll see.' Oh my gosh. We caught — was it 50 or 60 bass one morning?

Mike: Oh wow. In one morning?

Tim: Yeah. Tons of panfish and crappie too. We landed on this incredible spot. It's a lake that's highly undeveloped — there's not that many homes on it — which makes it unique from that point of view as well.

From Family Compound to Luxury Short-Term Rental: The Clearlake Cottages Model

Mike: Nice. So it's fair to say it was inspired as like a family compound. Do you guys rent it when the family's not using it?

Tim: Yes. So the idea is that we will rent it to offset some of the costs — three tax bills, maintenance on three, snowplowing on three. And then as we've started to get some momentum with our social media following, it's clear there's a demand. We may be working with a company called Wander, which focuses on the top 1% of all short-term rentals in the United States. What's unique about ours is that a lot of people want more of a luxury experience, but it doesn't have to be a big house. Our places are very small with unique features — very cost effective to build, but they give you a high-end, luxurious feel without five bedrooms and three baths. So that's the uniqueness of it from our standpoint.

The Outpost vs. Alpine: Comparing DEN's Modern Cabin Plans

Mike: That's really cool. It's a small world because one of our investors is also an investor in Wander. I'm pretty familiar with that platform.

Tim: Yeah. So you know how special the homes are that are on that program. And to be considered for that speaks to what you have built as a company.

I had a background as an entrepreneur and publisher — at one point I was a publisher of an architectural magazine — and I clearly understand that there was a time when everybody was building these big McMansions and they can be cold, very uninspiring. What DEN brings to the table is something completely unique and different. When you pull up to our property, people have this 'wow' effect. And when you're in it, you're enjoying the space more than you would in something much larger.

What's interesting is the Outposts are for our kids — but my wife and I didn't wanna leave.

Sue: So cozy.

Tim: So cozy. We found a company called Spaze that makes furniture for small spaces. We've got pull-outs, a custom loft ladder that goes up stairs to a very comfortable bed, swivel chairs, custom tables made for the kitchenette. It feels incredibly warm, incredibly homey. Just a place that you wanna spend time.

Mike: That's really cool. I'll give you a little backstory around the Outpost design. The genesis of that design was DEN being invited to do a design competition for Rivian. The original Outpost design was our submission to that competition. We were shortlisted to potentially develop hundreds of those buildings nationwide. Rivian stock went to the toilet, and that project never materialized — but we were able to launch this incredible design that has captivated so many people.

Between the DEN designs that you've built, is it fair to say that the Outpost is your favorite?

Tim: I personally have an affinity for the Outpost. I think you like the Alpine just because it's got some more creature comforts — it's a little larger.

Sue: I'm older. I don't really wanna climb a ladder.

Mike: Right right.

Tim: It's like sunrise and sunset. It's hard to choose. They're both great.

Favorite Design Details: Scandinavian Cabin Style, Lake Views & Cozy Fireplaces

Mike: Right, right. The Modern Alpine 2025 that we just launched was a reaction to exactly that piece of feedback. People were like, 'I love this design, but I want stairs.' And hospitality developers were like, we want stairs because it's less of a liability, it's more accessible. So we delivered on that.

Between the designs you built — where's your most favorite space in the home?

Tim: We just completed in the wintertime, but while these were being constructed, we always found ourselves out the back, looking out at the view and the lake.

Sue: In front of the fire!

Tim: Yeah. Also the fire. We've got some really nice Scandinavian-inspired Jøtul stoves. What's interesting is we basically looked at your inspiration images — that's one thing you do that's unique to me, you can really visualize what the space is gonna look like. So as much as I like to think I have a good eye, it's easier just to look at what you've already created and say, 'I want that.' And that's pretty much what we did. If you look at our Outpost design on Instagram at @clearlakecottages, you can see it's all Pines siding just like your inspiration image. The stove with the single stack going up, lined up with the window mullions exactly as you've got it.

Construction Process & Contractor Relationships: Building Modern Cabins from DEN's Plans in Wisconsin

Mike: Oh, I love that you love that detail.

Tim: Yeah. In fact, the discussions I had with my contractor — saying, 'okay, this can't be off four inches or even two inches, it has to be exact because that's all part of the feng shui or whatever you want to call it.'

Also like the curbless showers — up in the Northwoods we found some really skilled tradesmen that liked getting into it. It's a very luxurious feeling that we use.

Sue: Everyone loves the bathrooms.

Tim: Yeah, the showers are nicer than our own showers at our house. My college roommate went up there and was like, 'wow, this feels special.' With the glass partitions, hooks instead of towel rings, pocket doors to save space. We did have to frost one of the windows — it's right at your crotch area.

Mike: Oh, sure. Yeah. That's great.

Tim: But Marvin, it turns out, has a product just for that. So it came from the factory — you still let in the light, but you can't see the junk.

Sue: Nobody sees your junk. Yes.

Mike: Amazing. Tell us how the plans helped align to the right general contractor, or set the stage for a good relationship with the firm you used to construct these buildings.

Tim: I would say in the Northwoods most of what you see — this is coming from our contractor — is square boxes with roofs on them. You don't see the DEN plans: big window walls, unique architectural features, extremely high-pitched roofs or unique angular designs. That's what captivated his interest initially — it wasn't just another four walls with a standard gable roof and no real architectural appeal.

Mike: Definitely! We've heard this like time and time again. Builders who have built the standard gabled roof box are genuinely excited to pursue constructing DEN designs. They're both easy to construct, but innovative in ways that matter.

Tim: Yeah. The Alpine Plus does not have eaves, so there was a lot of concern, like 'can you do that in the Northwoods?' 'Cause everything has eaves. And I'm like, 'well, they've been building these in style in Scandinavia, which is pretty cold and snowy, for a long time. I think we'll be okay.' But we researched it, we did spray foam insulated walls and ceilings. It's a very harsh environment up there. So we used maintenance-free decking and siding that looks very realistic — which is really important to me. I didn't want the project to look fake.

Mike: Yeah. On that note, like, what decking and cladding product company did you use?

Tim: We used a company called Millboard — siding and decking — they're from the UK and they came to the US. We were looking at Shou Sugi Ban and were very excited about that. But they sent me their sample of their version of it, and I was somewhat blown away. Then they sent their decking material and it also looked great. Especially for the decks — if you look at the short-term rental listings up there, they all look crappy after just a few years. So we spent a little more on Millboard siding and decking.

We did some other unique features — a custom fabricator created custom railings. We did higher-end Marvin Elevate windows, particularly in the Outpost. Those are just beautiful windows. And the Jøtul stoves and Bosch appliances. It really does have a unique, high-end look. But honestly, for what we got from a true value point of view, I feel like we got our money back in spades because the end product just looks so amazing.

Tim: Also, one of the benefits of doing the project all at once: we put together a wish list of things, so we were able to like stub in gas — all our gas grills are stubbed and ready to go. We did in-floor electric heating, which my wife in particular loves. It wasn't that crazy expensive to do the whole cabin. They're 900 and 325 square feet. 10 below zero and you're up in the cabins with in-floor heat — that's just such a luxurious feature. Again, going back to this idea of a very small, intimate space with creature comforts that you might not normally see in spaces like that.

Mike: Right, right. You clearly have a lot of familiarity within the architectural industry. Had you built anything from the ground up before this project?

Tim: My wife and I have built multiple homes over the years. We've worked with architects, we've worked with semi-custom builders. And we selected DEN for this project. There were just so many companies out there, and I kept going back to DEN, DEN, DEN. Actually, we went up on a Facebook ad to look at one piece of property and ended up buying three.

Mike: Nice.

Tim: And then the idea kind of born itself. All of a sudden it's like, 'okay, let's build three little cabins.' Our kids had some input on what design. What you've essentially got is Mama and Papa Bear in the middle and then the two Baby Bears on the side.

Mike: That makes a ton of sense. You guys are winning parents of the year award for getting these cabins done for the family. That's so cool.

With that — what was your favorite part of this project, and then what was your most stressful part?

Tim: My favorite part was when — building a house can be stressful — so when the whole thing was complete and we bought all the furnishings and it all came together and it just exceeded all our expectations. 'Wow.' Seeing the final product. Without going into too much detail, we did have an issue with our first general contractor. We worked that out and found some really good quality people to help get us to the finish line. But I won't talk about that.

Mike: Sure, sure. But somewhat par for the course in your experience, and even if it got a little hairy, you got it figured out.

Tim: I mean, the interesting thing is the schedule for the windows is there. You've basically got everything you need on the plans to subcontract out whatever you need to. And we've built enough homes that I actually enjoyed that process because I kind of knew who I was hiring and you just get a sense from talking to people.

"There's something about when a contractor comes out and you can feel their excitement. That's someone I want working on my house. It's not just another job." — Tim Campbell

Tim: Another thing that's really interesting: we hired an incredible landscaper — Mark Stroede from Outdoor Rooms. We put in bluestone gravel, so when you pull up, you can hear your tires on the gravel driveway.

Tim: He put in fire pits, lots of big stones and outcropping. We have a hot tub up there. This guy — I would send him inspiration images and he would take those images and without a plan, his guys would be out there from morning to night. He's doing more work for me next year. We're gonna put in a horseshoe pit and do some other neat things. My one contractor joked with me, he's like, 'we're in the Northwoods with a million trees and you're the only customer I've ever seen plant more trees.'

Mike: That's awesome.

Tim: But we put in some more pine trees for privacy.

Mike: Yeah. No, I think that's cool. In the early days of DEN I wrote this 80-page manifesto that advocated for keeping the land as untouched and undeveloped as possible. Why have a rolling lawn when you can just do a very lightweight cut-in that enables the structure to live in the space without cutting down acres of trees? I certainly appreciate it.

Tim: An example would be: we wanted to open up our views to the lake, but I was very careful to tell our tree guy, 'let's just take out just enough, but let's not just clear cut it.' We were very selective in terms of what trees we kept and which ones we took out.

Choosing Materials & Finishes: Lessons from Building with DEN's Cabin Plans

Mike: Oh, that's awesome. If you had a friend or colleague who's endeavoring to do a similar project and use a set of DEN plans to get it done, what type of advice would you give them?

Tim: Boy, that's a really great question. I would say, 'don't overthink it and just do it.'

Mike: Nice.

Tim: I owned a business for many years — like you, an entrepreneur. What I've always taught my kids is: just do it. You know? Talk is one thing. Dreaming is one thing. But sometimes you just... DEN makes it pretty much possible for anybody to do it. You've got anything from very small plans — and I think you're getting some larger plans now — but I feel like it's attainable for a lot of people. In our case we added lots of luxurious features. I met another guy on Instagram that built an Outpost with a lot less budget and he was still able to do a lot with a lot less. It still has its own unique charm.

To answer your question: my biggest advice is just do it and don't overthink it.

Mike: Tim, it was great to hang with you. On behalf of the whole DEN team, allow me to say thanks for spending some time with me today. The project looks incredible. You know, if there's some time this summer, I would love to come up there and visit you guys and take some onsite videography and maybe sit around a fire and talk about how it's going. And just once again — thanks for advocating for DEN online. I see you in the trenches with these folks and I really appreciate that. Well done on the project.

Tim: Ah, we appreciate you. Thanks for bringing something unique and special to the market.

Tim: The number of people who've asked about DEN and just been so impressed by the design and the consideration of every piece of this place has been pretty impressive. So great job. We would 100% do it all the same way again. We would do another one — this piece of land is zoned for two dwellings and we're already talking about how do we get the next one on the lot.

Sue: The goal is that we're Clearlake Cottages, so we just need a little bit more access to capital so we can build South Clearlake, East Clearlake, Southwest Clearlake. We can take DEN global.