By Emma Stanton, Staff Writer
Ascutney Lofts — a collection of five tiny houses off Route 44 in West Windsor — are officially complete, with rental bookings to be available in October. The West Windsor residents, who built the tiny houses, Mark Morse and Yulia Moskvina, sat down with the Standard recently to discuss the project.
“The construction was very inspired by European models of small living,” Morse began, as the couple spoke about their time traveling across the continent, even staying in a tiny home in Iceland before embarking on their own construction journey. “There is just something about European design,” Moskvina added. “Their homes always feel spacious, open, environmentally conscious. Europeans seem to have perfected the minimalist style of comfortably existing in a small space. We wanted to echo that here in our Ascutney Lofts.”
The Ascutney Lofts cabins are on the edge of Brownsville at the base of Mt. Ascutney. Each home is complete with heated floors, a living room and kitchen, a bathroom, a master bedroom, and an upstairs loft. “The floors are heated,” Morse told the Standard. “The kitchen is in a modern, European aesthetic, fully equipped for both functionality and style. We installed modern appliances, quality cookware with all the essentials — refrigerator, dishwasher, convection oven — even sharp knives and wine glasses.” The first floor continues into the master bedroom and a small, yet spacious bathroom. “Since the space is so small, we wanted to make sure every single piece was intentionally crafted and allowed for our guests to experience a quiet, simple form of luxury,” Morse continued. “From a heated towel rack in the bathroom to the farm-raised European beechwood that lines the staircase, every component works to create a holistic experience.”
Morse and Moskvina used Shou Sugi Ban cedar for the exterior construction. This type of wood is often found in traditional Japanese homes and is known for its durability and weather resistance, due to the technique of charring the cedar and then sealing the wood with oil to protect against moisture, fire, and insects. “Homes built with this wood in Japan have stood strong for thousands of years,” Moskvina added. “We decided early on that if we were going to build these tiny homes, we wanted them built right.”
Each home also comes with a small back patio complete with a pair of outdoor chairs, a smokeless fire pit, and a grill. “Soon a little path will be built on the land leading to a natural watering hole,” Morse said.
Ascutney Lofts also offers the convenience of on-site EV charging, making it easy for guests with electric vehicles to power up during their stay and demonstrating another way Moskvina and Morse have combined modern amenities with thoughtful, eco-conscious design.
Moskvina, a nurse at a local hospital, and Morse, a building contractor, have dedicated a lot of time and resources to these small lofts. “It has been a long time coming,” Moskvina said. “We are just so grateful that each delay and setback we encountered was able to be overcome, and that we are able to provide medium-term rentals to people, allowing them to experience a piece of this land we call home.”
Morse and Moskvina were awaiting their final round of permits, as Ascutney Lofts seeks to become a lodging establishment — offering travelers an opportunity to stay up to three months. Each tiny home sleeps a maximum of four people. Booking, once available, can be completed through ascutneylofts.com.
