In 2017, Jenny McClary and Allie Leepson, a couple based in New York City, bought a small cabin in Vermont on a whim. They had been looking for property in Joshua Tree, but after being outbid several times, a short trip to Wardsboro in the southern part of the state led them to this 1982 gem.

$2,100 Fireplace	$3,250 Carpeting	$3,350 Engineered Hardwood
$1,800 Washer & Dryer	$600 Plumbing	$1,700 Electrical Work
$150 Hardware	$1,450 Interior Lighting	$300 Exterior Lighting
$590 Tech
Grand Total: $18,290

Although the home had been sitting on the market for a year, the couple recognized good bones when they saw them. The interiors just needed a few small tweaks to give it a more modern look. “Our goal was to turn this traditional Vermont ski cabin into a well-designed space that’s more than just a place to take your snow boots off in,” the couple say.

After purchase, the couple spent 4.5 months replacing flooring, swapping out hardware, painting, and wiring new lights in order to achieve a more streamlined style that's still cozy. Most importantly, they left the predominant knotty pine paneling in place, and not just because it was in good condition.

“It gives the home that rustic, Vermont charm,” say the couple, who run a creative studio called The 1909. “We love the way it picks up light in the late afternoon. We also think it makes our cabin smell amazing.”

The couple also installed a smart ductless heater and AC system through a promotion at their power company, Green Mountain Power. “It took our electric bills down from $700 to $100 a month, and now we can control everything through our phones,” they say. “This was at absolutely no cost to us.”

The three-bed, two-bath Modern Vermont Cabin is available to rent on Airbnb and is on Instagram as @vermontcabin.

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Budget Breakdown: A Creative Couple Rehab a Vermont Cabin for $18K