Early look: Minnesota’s first ‘mirror cabin’ debuts this fall

From a short distance, the new cabin is hard to spot. Set on 5.3 acres of rugged, wooded land just outside Crosby, Minn., it sits above a clear, quiet mine-pit lake. Its exterior walls are made of floor-to-ceiling, one-way mirrored glass that reflects the forest and sky.

From the inside, though, the view is panoramic, allowing future guests to feel fully immersed in nature while still enjoying the comforts of a queen bed, kitchenette and private bathroom.

“We wanted to plop this mirror cabin right in the middle of a totally natural landscape, so that it feels like the cabin almost disappears,” said co-owner and co-creator Meghan Zoesch. “It’s the focal point, but it also feels like it very much belongs.”

In 2022, Meghan and husband Jake Zoesch set out to accomplish their dream of fixing up old cabins and transforming them into rental properties. Now the couple behind the Cuyuna Cabin Collection — a group of stylish short-term rentals in central Minnesota — are now adding their fifth and most unique property: Minnesota’s first ÖÖD House, a sleek “mirror cabin” designed to vanish into the woods.

The ÖÖD House brand was developed in Estonia and has become popular across Europe and parts of the U.S. for its minimal footprint and striking aesthetic. The Zoesches encountered their first ÖÖD House on a trip to Tennessee two years ago and fell in love with the design and how it reflects the beauty of nature.

They were so committed to the idea that they purchased a pre-assembled unit before they even had land to put it on. Jake — who handles much of the construction, landscaping and logistics himself — then pulled together an Excel spreadsheet of local landowners and began cold-calling in the Cuyuna area, hoping to find someone who would sell a piece of undeveloped land. Luckily, they found someone with the perfect piece of lakeside property, only 2 miles from the mountain-biking haven of Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area.

The property, which backs up to the Portage Lake State Trail, includes a private beach and peaceful lake access. Guests can fish for crappies and northerns, paddle in a see-through kayak, or relax on the water’s edge. Jake is building a firepit area and a lakeside lounge with Adirondack chairs and a hammock, plus installing a hot tub and a custom sauna from Superior Saunas that includes a classic bucket dump. A mural by Minnesota artist Dani Liana, featuring the phrase “Love You to the Lake and Back,” is positioned as a photo backdrop for guests. On rainy days, visitors can browse the property’s Little Free Library or settle in for a movie on the indoor projector.

The mirror cabin is a departure from the rest of the Cuyuna Cabin Collection, which includes cozy, modern A-frames and Scandinavian-inspired stays closer to town. While those rentals are designed to be homey and social, the ÖÖD House is meant to feel more like an escape into the woods.

“We don’t want to just be lodging or a hotel. We want to be a full experience for people so that when they come to our properties they can get out and explore Crosby and Cuyuna, but also they can just stay in and have a good experience,” says Meghan.

Before developing the cabins, Meghan was a broadcast news reporter, and Jake was working at his family’s auto body shop in Milwaukee. The couple credit Jake’s parents with modeling how to treat customers with care. Unlike many rental properties that are not locally owned, the Zoesches live in the area and are ready to attend to guests’ needs, whether that’s purchasing a new grill, installing a reading lamp or fixing a scuff on the floor. Each cabin also has high-speed Internet, a coffee maker and fully stocked bathrooms.

Crosby, a former mining town at the heart of the Cuyuna Range, has emerged as one of the state’s most exciting outdoor adventure hubs. The area’s claim to fame is the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area, home to 70-plus miles of world-class mountain biking trails that wind past mine lakes, through pine forests and up scenic ridgelines. Paddleboarding, kayaking and fishing are popular on nearby lakes and there are miles of hiking trails.

Meghan and Jake are transplants to the Crosby area who fell in love with the community just as much as the outdoor recreation. “Everybody wants to be here,” says Jake. “Everybody here really likes the access to nature — to the outdoor sports and lakes.”