7 Unbelievable Rustic Cabin Makeovers
Often tucked away in a peaceful pocket of nature, far from crowds and chaos, tiny cabins boast huge potential for renovation. Here are seven exceptional rustic cabin makeovers that caught our eye.
Grandpa’s Utah A-Frame Gets Tastefully Updated
Built over 30 years ago by owner and designer Kara Van Dyke's grandfather, this log cabin on a private 20-acre mountain estate near Utah's Uinta National Forest has been revamped into a warm and welcoming holiday rental named A-Frame Haus.
Monochromatic Lake Tahoe A-Frame
Working together with MSM Construction, Diana Vincent of High Camp Home has redesigned this 2,700-square-foot cabin in Lake Tahoe, California, with a monochromatic palette.
A Snug Catskill Vacation Rental
A DIY renovation by New York City–based couple Danielle and Ely Franko transformed this 1971 Catskills cabin into a cozy holiday rental, now known as The Hunter Greenhouse.
1970s A-Frame in Big Bear, California
Courtney Poulos, owner of L.A. real estate agency ACME Real Estate, bought and refreshed this 1973 A-frame cabin on a shaded cul-de-sac in Big Bear, California, turning it into a modern home that still retains its rustic, midcentury spirit.
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A Rescued Joshua Tree Desert Oasis
After purchasing a 1957 abandoned cabin in Joshua Tree, California, for just $7,000, Kathrin and Brian Smirke conducted an extensive DIY remodel, and turned the decaying structure into an airy, 480-square-foot desert retreat.
A Quebec Cabin With an Upward Extension
This rundown cabin in Quebec was lovingly restored and extended by YH2 Architecture, and is now a 1,300-square-foot modern home.
From Ranch House to Weekend Cabin
This low-key 1970s ranch house in Harbert, Michigan, has been thoughtfully restored by architect Greg Howe of Searl Lamaster Howe. Thanks to the strategic redesign, the home is now a spacious weekend cabin with plenty of character.
After: "When you’re doing a second home, a lot of the character of the design is defined by what it isn’t," Howe adds, as a way of explaining the minimalistic approach that was taken on this Michigan weekend home. "If you think of it as cold, you have to remember that the setting and access to nature is the point."
After: Completed in 2013, the roughly 1,500-square-foot cabin provides an open living area, now framed by white trusses and concrete floors. The dining table was acquired by the owner from a local inn, and is surrounded by the Eames molded plastic Eiffel side chairs from Design Within Reach. The kitchen features a Grohe faucet, a wood bowl from a shop in Harbert, and an IKEA vase.
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