Original subtitles

[music playing]

JENNIFER BUNKLEY: As a new York City child,

there was no exposure to the woods,

and having a connection with the woods was very minimal.

And there was almost a fear.

One of the most important reasons why we really wanted

a cabin was we wanted our children to understand nature

is healing in so many ways.

KENARD BUNKLEY: I think for us, it started to heal.

Like, it started to help us heal in ways,

and I think that's enough right now, just the start of it.

Now, hopefully we can expose others to this space,

and it can start something within them.

[music playing]

We currently live in Queens, New York.

We have three children.

Makai is 11 years old.

He goes by Kai.

We have Lola, who is seven years old,

and we have Negasi, who just turned five.

[music playing]

KENARD BUNKLEY: Life in New York is full of ups and downs.

We have moments of chaos with the kids,

and then we have some moments of peace.

But not enough peace, I'll say.

So that's why, to me, it's like a wave.

JENNIFER BUNKLEY: We were very familiar with the Catskills.

We've been coming up here for many years,

camping in the local campsites, and

so we realized that we really wanted

something more permanent.

Initially, what made us fall in love

with the cabin was the A-frame.

It sort of resembles a tent.

And we spent so much time up here camping,

and so the A-frame is almost a representation

of our Catskills experience.

It's just a permanent tent.

KENARD BUNKLEY: Now this is ours,

so it's like we have our own little campground,

you know, so to speak.

JENNIFER BUNKLEY: But when the kids first saw the cabin,

they weren't too sure.

They were overwhelmed by sort of what this process

was going to entail.

As renovations took on and things started to change,

they started to see the vision.

They started to get involved in the vision.

KENARD BUNKLEY: I'll say that the kids stepping up ownership

of the design process.

JENNIFER BUNKLEY: Our daughter, Lola,

was inspired by the construction and the renovation of the cabin

and has expressed a desire to become an architect.

And the more she saw that things were possible,

the more she saw that with creativity and with dedication,

you're able to sort of complete a end product.

[music playing]

The cabin design was definitely inspired by the idea

that this was sort of representation of a tree.

And so the outside, we chose to paint it sort of a pine,

hunter green and-- to represent a tree,

and we were very intentional in what would-- we

chose for the interior and it being a representation of what

you find inside of a tree.

Keeping a minimal design was very important,

considering that back home, daily hectic life kind of

forces us to sometime consume.

KENARD BUNKLEY: I mean, that's kind of the approach we've had,

even in furniture selection and just

what does live within a space.

We didn't want to be imposing.

We wanted to just come in and just kind

of feel a sense of calmness as you enter this space.

JENNIFER BUNKLEY: And as you walk through the front door,

there is a shared living room-dining room area.

It's also shared by the kitchen.

My favorite space is probably the living room.

The skylight definitely just allows that peacefulness

and just gives me time to forest-bathe

and just enjoy the outdoors from within.

KENARD BUNKLEY: Our focus was to make

the skylights the focal point of the rooms that they exist in.

JENNIFER BUNKLEY: Typically, you put a TV

in front of your couch, and for us, we said,

well, the TV is your window.

We wanted our children to sort of sit back and just

be able to observe the outdoor.

We, too, have a television in the cabin,

but we hid it in the nook.

KENARD BUNKLEY: You have to discover the TV first.

If you don't really peek inside of the nook,

you can't see that that exists.

JENNIFER BUNKLEY: You then walk down the hallway,

and you will find the guest bedroom.

You find the bathroom to the right.

That is all tiled with the terrazzo-patterned tiles

that the children picked out.

My most favorite, favorite spot

is the bathtub and just having the time to soak and just--

all the energy from the day just go away.

So that's-- that's my favorite spot.

[music playing]

JENNIFER BUNKLEY: As you walk up the spiral stairs,

you'll see the half-bathroom.

And to the left, you'll see our bedroom,

where the A-frame shape is very visible.

To the right, you will find the kids' bedroom.

KENARD BUNKLEY: And then from there, you

have the outside deck, where we usually

do a lot of stargazing, mornings with tea,

and you have binoculars for birding.

JENNIFER BUNKLEY: We try to enjoy the cabin

at least twice a month.

Definitely being here, we get to just

sit back and just do nothing, and that-- that's important.

There's an art in just being able to do nothing.

To do nothing.

The art of doing nothing, it's we'll wait.

It's the art of non-action.

[music playing]

JENNIFER BUNKLEY: The morning time,

it's our time to reconnect.

While the children are sleeping in,

we enjoy a cup of tea on the couch and look out the window.

When the kids wake up, we make a point to sit together

as a family and break bread.

[music playing]

The kids enjoy stepping outside and having the freedom of just

being able to just walk out and having so much

open space to roam and explore.

Kai enjoys chopping wood or just walking the land on his own.

He's definitely in his tween stage,

and so having a space to himself, he loves and enjoys.

KENARD BUNKLEY: Lola and Negasi are usually

attempting to build a fort or--

JENNIFER BUNKLEY: Find worms.

Find worms, pick up worms.

Or caterpillars.

KENARD BUNKLEY: Yeah, caterpillars.

Climb a tree.

JENNIFER BUNKLEY: We have a rail trail

that's adjacent to the property, and it's

frequently used by hikers.

And so we love taking morning walks there

and evening walks after meals.

Shinrin-yoku is a practice of forest-bathing,

which we kind of already do in just being here.

But I try and take time during the day, away from everyone,

just to spend time amongst the trees

and just accept whatever it brings, the sounds, the energy.

JENNIFER BUNKLEY: And after dinner, we

loved going down to the fire pit and building a fire

with the children and roast marshmallows

and make s'mores and just talk about our day,

share memories and tell jokes.

And it's a good time to come together.

- Right there? - Right here.

See? And turn it.

You gotta move it.

We definitely believe the outdoors has the power to heal.

JENNIFER BUNKLEY: It just makes you dive deeper.

It sparks conversation, sparks engagement.

KENARD BUNKLEY: Curiosity.

JENNIFER BUNKLEY: And curiosity and just makes you sort of

give your brain the space and your mind to just roam,

to just explore.

The cabin is definitely a place that we want to make sure

that our kids continue the legacy of building memories

and the legacy of exploring.

NEGASI: That's so gorgeous.

[negasi laughs]