Have you ever dreamed of owning a little home from home? Somewhere you can escape to at the weekends and completely switch off. Often the cost and effort involved in acquiring and renovating a second home is enough to put most people off. But actually, a fixer upper doesn't need to cost the earth - there's a lot you can do with a small, remote place on a tight budget. Tom and Hope had always dreamed of owning and renovating cabin in the woods. The answer came in the form of The Cobb Haus, a wooden cabin at the end of a track in the quiet rural neighbourhood of Whispering Pines, Cobb, California. The pair closed in February and set about transforming it into a peaceful retreat, a world away from the hustle and bustle of city life. I caught up with the pair to find out more about their wonderful hideaway in the woods - which is also available to rent!
EXTERIOR BEFORE
How long did it take you to transform your cabin into the lovely hideaway it is today?
We completed in February and had it finished (I say that loosely as it is a continuous work in progress!) in June.EXTERIOR AFTER
Wow, that was quick! What type of work did you carry out in that time?
Most of the work we did was purely cosmetic aside from the bathroom which was a complete remodel.
KITCHEN BEFORE
What was your decorating goal?
We really wanted to keep the original 40s / 50s charm while adding some modern touches. It's a small space so keeping the decor minimal and well thought out was key.
KITCHEN AFTER
The upper cabinets were replaced with relaxed open shelving and the lower cabinets were painted in Woodland Lichen by Sherwin Williams. The green was a perfect choice as it draws the surrounding nature indoors.
BEFORE - WOOD BURNING STOVE / SITTING ROOM
"There is no central heating but there is a wood burning stove and two small space heaters you can move around as needed."
WOOD BURNING STOVE / SITTING ROOM AFTER
The pair painted the wood burning stove with special paint and replaced existing the hearth with tiles from Home Depot.
The cosy sitting room has been kitted out with poufs and a side cabinet from IKEA and an Article sofa. There green curtains from Target were picked out to match the kitchen cabinets for a cohesive look.
What inspired the interior style?
It's hard for me to pinpoint one style as inspiration, but I love to pull from Scandinavian, mid-century and a little boho, while keeping a minimalistic feel.
DINING AREA BEFORE
DINING ROOM AFTER
I see (with glee!) that you rent out your cabin through Airbnb - did you have this in mind during the renovation?
Ultimately, we wanted it to feel like home for whoever walks in. We wanted it to feel cosy and inviting with a focus on the beautiful views of the surrounding forest.
BEDROOM BEFORE
BEDROOM AFTER
A lick of white paint on the floors, walls and ceiling have completely transformed the bedroom into a light and airy room. A glimpse of the forest through the window makes a great focal point (almost like art!).
The side table is from HomeGoods, however, you'd be forgiven for thinking it has been fashioned out of a tree trunk from outside the door. A perfect nod to the surroundings!
Truly inspiring, don't you think?
In case it's rekindled your dream of going for that fixer upper you've always dreamed of, here are some budget friendly lessons to learn from this renovation:
6 ways Tom and Hope saved money
- Carrying out a lot of the renovation themselves
- Painting existing kitchen cabinets rather than replacing them
- Working with the existing structure
- White washing the interior for a fresh feel
- Furnishing with items from IKEA, Target etc
- Renting out the cabin via Airbnb to cover running costs
Not quite ready to purchase your own rural hide-away?! The Cobb Haus is available to rent through Airbnb. And word on the street is that you can also order healthy, homemade meals directly to the door! It sounds like a trip to Whispering Pines (beautiful name!) might be in order, don't you think?
Other incredible rural retreats to dream about this Monday:
Wishing you all a truly inspiring start to the week! Here's to new future projects, big and small!
Niki
Photography courtesy of The Cobb Haus, with kind permission
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