LEGO Ideas 21338 A-Frame Cabin review

The devil is in the details in 21338 A-Frame Cabin, a LEGO Ideas set that brings nature to life through colourful non-biodegradable plastic. What’s the word we’re looking for here…

Irony, it’s irony, but let’s not dwell on that too long: the more pressing matter in 21338 A-Frame Cabin (as with almost any Ideas set) is how successfully the LEGO Group has translated the project for which 10,000 people voted into a practical, mass-produced set. What were the most pressing parts of the original design that had to be carried over into the finished model, and where were compromises and new solutions needed?

The answers to those questions surely guided the design of 21338 A-Frame Cabin, which comes from a concept pitched by Italian LEGO Ideas member Andrea Lattanzio. But is the final product one both Lattanzio and the LEGO community will be happy to bring home, or is it better left out in the woods?

— LEGO Ideas 21338 A-Frame Cabin set details —

Theme: LEGO Ideas Set name: 21338 A-Frame Cabin Release date: February 1, 2023

Price: £159.99 / $179.99 / €179.99 Pieces: 2,082 Minifigures: 4

LEGO: Available now

— Where to buy LEGO Ideas 21338 A-Frame Cabin —

Like all LEGO Ideas sets, 21338 A-Frame Cabin has started its production run exclusively through LEGO.com and LEGO Stores. Fingers crossed it shows up at a third-party retailer soon, so the discounts can start rolling in.

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— LEGO Ideas 21338 A-Frame Cabin build —

21338 A-Frame Cabin immediately sets the scene for its build through its elements alone, which is pretty fortunate given the stunted black packaging otherwise does nothing to help sell the cosy feel of this woodland retreat. The colours that pour out of the box, separated between a healthy assortment of numbered bags, evoke the earthly aura of mother nature long before you’ve attached the last leaf to a branch.

Things kick off with the foundations of the cabin itself, and you might be surprised when the groundwork is done: it’s a mite smaller than you’d think, which doesn’t exactly instil confidence in the value proposition of 21338 A-Frame Cabin. But don’t let it put you off – there’s plenty to come. And even here we start with details littered among the litany of plates and bricks that build out the base, like cardboard boxes tucked away under the floor (a staple of designer Justin Ramsden), and the Italian flag squirrelled among the floorboards.

The cabin quickly comes together in a way reminiscent of the Modular Buildings Collection, hopping back and forth between structural elements and intricate and interesting mini builds. It’s a keen combination that means things never get dry, but it’s not old hat for veterans of that LEGO Icons subtheme, either. The front and back walls are a careful mix of brackets and bricks with studs, together creating layers that exist in the space between plates, with tiles laid over the top taking careful advantage of the subsequent difference in depth.

It’s not the same texture and technique Lattanzio originally turned to for his project, which instead – as on the roof – relied on tiles not being pushed down all the way. But it’s a clever and more practical alternative that ensures every builder will get the same results, and nobody will come away from 21338 A-Frame Cabin feeling frustrated. And it also feels closer to what Lattanzio had in mind than, say, the LEGO Group’s solution for Clemens Fiedler’s roof in 21325 Medieval Blacksmith (to give one example).

The use of offset tiles retains crucial DNA from the original submission, but perhaps a better instance of that is in the many Mjolnirs (the grey hammer pieces originally created for Thor) that line the base of the building. These were an inspired detail in Lattanzio’s design, and they’re implemented just as successfully here – capturing a key element of the model we all voted for in the first place.

So far, so good – but the biggest difference is still to come, and it undoubtedly places the biggest distance between idea and reality. We’re talking specifically about the tall trees that frame the set, which designer Justin Ramsden says had to change because Lattanzio’s original trees were ‘unbuildable’.

Like the roof, the trees highlight the practical differences between custom builds and official LEGO sets: what works for one might not work so well for the other. And it’s not like the trees here are a considerable step down from the originals; they’re just different, but still good. (Props for the great colour choices, which really sell the entire ‘forest getaway’ aesthetic.) Plus, they’re already just laborious enough to put together that anything more than these would definitely have soured the set.

According to Ramsden, the alternative to these three trees (which also put us in mind of the foliage in 10316 The Lord of the Rings: Rivendell, a set that arrived on shelves only a month later) was ‘one sort-of-big tree’, which would have drastically reduced the visual impact and footprint of 21338 A-Frame Cabin. For our money, the design team has got this one just right.

The achievement that is the external design of 21338 A-Frame Cabin is matched by the interior, too: head inside the house (lift off those sloped roofs, which are built identically – more on that in a sec) and you’ll find a space jam-packed with details. From the record player, umbrella and typewriter to the bookshelf, painting and tiny model of 21318 Tree House, not a single stud of space is wasted inside the cabin. The details even extend into the great outdoors, where printed butterflies, birds and even an otter can be found bouncing around this idyllic slice of nature, finished off with mushrooms, frogs, leaves and logs.

So, those sloped roofs. The way they simply rest in place is testament to the strength of this design, but the fact that they’re simply doubled up in the instructions feels like the LEGO Group doesn’t have complete faith in its audience. The organic impression of planks strapped together with no particular rhythm is lost when studs appear symmetrically across the otherwise tiled surface, in a way that’s reminiscent of 75810 The Upside Down’s identical trees, and it’s a shame the designers didn’t feel like they could put more trust in us to follow and persevere with two slightly different builds.

Fortunately, the general composition of 21338 A-Frame Cabin doesn’t really suffer for that fact (and it’s LEGO – mix it up on your own if you want, we guess). The trees still frame everything perfectly, the colours are a delight, and the entire scene genuinely feels lived in – not least through all the tiny details poured into every inch of the model. And all of that adds up to a build we’d happily holiday in.

— LEGO Ideas 21338 A-Frame Cabin characters —

21338 A-Frame Cabin includes four minifigures, and they’re a mix-n’-match assortment of appropriately outdoorsy pieces. The dual-moulded legs for two of the characters are appreciated, while the moustachioed Ron Swanson lookalike can’t be a coincidence. (Parks and Rec LEGO when?)

The minifigures are never really a focus in a set like this – they’re effectively window dressing to bring the scene to life – but it still feels like the LEGO Ideas team has gone that extra mile with the selection here.

— LEGO Ideas 21338 A-Frame Cabin price —

21338 A-Frame Cabin would once have been a top-end LEGO set, but in 2023 is positively mid-range for the Ideas theme at £159.99 / $179.99 / €179.99. What you’re getting for that money (relative to other Ideas sets, other LEGO sets and in isolation) feels just about fair, though the cabin itself isn’t what you’d call massive – so you’re relying on the trees to give it a sense of scale.

If you can find it on sale eventually, it’s definitely worth picking up discounted. But if 21338 A-Frame Cabin has caught your eye regardless (and it’s nothing if not eye-catching), you won’t feel too hard done by buying at RRP.

— LEGO Ideas 21338 A-Frame Cabin pictures —

— LEGO Ideas 21338 A-Frame Cabin pros and cons —

21338 A-Frame Cabin is the story of a successful transition from LEGO Ideas project to LEGO Ideas set, taking the core DNA of a custom build and transforming it into something that works for a wider audience. Essential details are retained – those hammers – while other approaches are swapped out for something that still speaks to Andrea Lattanzio’s original submission, but are more enjoyable and practical to put together.

Throw in all manner of details and a carefully-assembled aesthetic that makes this cabin feel truly lived in, and you’re on to a winner. It’s not perfect – we’ll stop lamenting those roofs eventually, and the trees aren’t super-fun to build – but there’s really not much to grumble about here. We’re sure Lattanzio would agree.

21338 A-Frame Cabin pros	21338 A-Frame Cabin cons
Jammed with so many details	Price is alright, but not a bargain
A bold, unique yet cosy aesthetic: it looks great	Putting together the trees gets tiresome
An evocative finished product that feels lived in	Identical roofs feels a bit too rigid

This set was provided for review by the LEGO Group.

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— Alternatives to LEGO Ideas 21338 A-Frame Cabin —

Finding direct alternatives to 21338 A-Frame Cabin isn’t easy, because it’s such a unique set within the product portfolio. Which is sort of LEGO Ideas’ thing, so, you know. Makes sense. For something a bit cheaper but still with the same vibes, there’s 31139 Cosy House. You can get something just as unique with 21335 Motorised Lighthouse. Or there’s even (curveball) 10317 Land Rover Classic Defender 90. Because… outdoors?

— LEGO Ideas 21338 A-Frame Cabin FAQs —