In the summer, the mountain peaks of Colorado flare pink as the sun sets. This breathtaking phenomenon, called alpenglow, is also the namesake of a 1,226-square-foot cabin in Twin Lakes that sits at the base of Independence Pass, nestled against a national forest. Overhauled by two brothers, Daniel and Jon-Marc Kortsch, and their spouses, Christine Bayles Kortsch and Laura Engelman, Alpenglow Cabin offers spectacular views of La Plata Peak and Mt. Elbert—as well as the rosy light it’s named after.

$100 Demolition (Dump Fees)	$10,718 Hardwood Floors	$4,445 Wood Stove & Chimney
$140 Hearth Pad	$1,000 Painting	$324 Vent Hood
$4,431 Windows	$410 Powder Room Wallpaper & Wainscoting	$5,600 Furniture
$4,883 Countertops	$6,076 Bathrooms	$648 Dishwasher
Grand Total: $38,775

The family had been searching for a cabin in the mountains for years when, in 2019, they came across this run-down property that had been built in 2001. “The interior was dated and dreary, but the bones were good, the structure was sound, and the location couldn't be topped,” says Christine.

The two couples, along with Christine and Daniel’s two sons, renovated the entire cabin on their own, saving thousands in labor costs. Every weekend for four months, they drove from Denver to the cabin to work from sunup to sundown, welcoming their first Airbnb guests in fall 2019.

“We are not afraid of hard, physical labor,” says Christine, “and we feel a sense of pride in connecting to our family roots and working with our hands.”

Though the view and location may have been perfect, almost everything in the cabin needed a makeover. “Universal pine paneling, an awkward kitchen layout, dated bathrooms with clunky Home Depot pine vanities and sad claustrophobic shower stalls, maroon cork floors and dated carpet, a hot tub dominating a bright red deck with green trim: It was time for a change,” explains Christine.

Within 24 hours of closing on the house, the couples started to paint the interior pine paneling China White, leaving the window trim and ceiling unfinished to achieve a rustic vibe.

In the remodel, the couples salvaged what they could, though that only included the kitchen cabinets, island, stove and refrigerator. They ripped out the offending flooring and demo’ed a flagstone hearth pad—“a brutal job,” notes Christine—painted both decks, and removed a chain-link fence in the backyard. They also braved tall ladders to paint the exterior trim and renovated the kitchen and all three bathrooms.

Though the family had previous renovation experience—they’d worked on a Denver bungalow and an 18th-century Pennsylvania farmhouse—they faced a new challenge in the cabin’s remote location at 10,000 feet in the Colorado mountains.

“Even the most minor hiccup or forgotten tool required a 30-minute drive to the nearest hardware store,” says Christine, “[which would] sometimes [be] randomly closed—welcome to Small Mountain Town, USA.”

Working with a tight budget, the family had to make tough decisions on where to spend and save. The hardwood floors and HearthStone catalytic wood stove were costliest at $10,718 and $4,445, respectively. “We felt they were essential to achieve a classic cabin aesthetic that would stand the test of time,” says Christine. “This meant we didn’t have as much of a budget for high-end lighting, tile, or finishings.”

The families made up for the trade-off in creative ways. They salvaged the cabinets and flipped the kitchen layout for a better flow, adding copper hardware to match an antique copper collection that was a gift from Laura’s grandmother. Daniel, who does woodwork on the side, fashioned open shelving for the kitchen out of live-edge black walnut from Leadville, as well as a dining table out of white oak and metal table legs from Etsy. With the extra wood, he made two end tables for the primary bedroom.

Photo courtesy of Daniel Kortsch and Christine Bayles Kortsch
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From sourcing second-hand items like a vintage farmhouse sink and an antique Danish credenza, to making their own pillows and a closet clothes pole from an aspen branch found outside, the couples saved tremendously with their DIY spirit.

As for other decor elements, Christine says the family aimed for simplicity: “We’ve intentionally kept the decor and wall hangings simple to allow the beauty of the mountains, river, and forest to shine. Nothing can compete with the towering view of La Plata Peak, so why even try?”

Photo courtesy of Daniel Kortsch and Christine Bayles Kortsch
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Outside, they coated the decking, trim, and hot tub with Black Panther black paint. “We couldn’t move the hot tub, but painting everything black created a more cohesive look, and makes the hot tub look a bit more integrated into the deck,” says Christine. “Now your eyes just skate past the deck to focus where they should—on the mountains.”

Inside, they hung landscape photographs of Colorado destinations within an hour’s drive, all shot by Daniel and Christine. Most importantly, they redid the windows to provide an unparalleled view of La Plata peak.

“The seals on the two upper cathedral windows were cracked, which led to perpetually fogged windows,” notes Christine. “Once we started renting the cabin on Airbnb, we were able to bring in enough income to have the windows replaced by Architectural Glass in Salida.”

The renovation was such a big project that the couples created an LLC to keep boundaries clear and to maintain their close relationship well after the renovation was completed.

“Even though we were already close, working together on such a demanding project required clear communication, some hard talks, a few tears, loud music, and tons of laughter,” says Christine.

The couples have given new life to a dreary cabin, turning it into a light and airy space with nature-inspired touches at the astonishing cost of $39,000—which goes to show that you don’t have to spend a lot to build something great.

“There is something freeing about stripping down the unnecessary clutter so you can focus on what matters most, and try to live in harmony with the woods and the wild creatures and the mountains,” says Christine.

Alpenglow Cabin is available on to rent on Airbnb.

More Budget Breakdown:

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Project Credits:

Interior Design: Daniel Kortsch, Christine Bayles Kortsch, Jon-Marc Kortsch, Laura Engelman

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Budget Breakdown: Two Couples Turn a Dated Cabin Into a Dreamy Mountain Retreat for $39K