An ultra-cozy DIY cabin is as much a choice dwelling in the summer as in the winter. So making a cool cabin usable year-round is a must, whether it’s nestled within the forest of New York’s Catskills or in a former gold rush town at the base of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, if renting out the property is your goal. And being able to perform everything from large-scale renovations to easy little updates yourself requires certain skills worth learning.
Here, we chat with six homeowners with stylish outposts scattered throughout the country to get their essential tips for fixing up a warm and inviting cabin—no matter where it is.
Incorporate your personal style
Danielle and Ely Franko, the married couple whose passion for all things cabins is unparalleled, have a lot to say when it comes to creating the ultimate cozy space. The pair purchased the first DIY cabin, which they call The Greenhouse, back in 2016 “on a whim,” Danielle says. Though she and her partner were living and working in New York City, like most New Yorkers, they had a soft spot for the Catskills. She explains, “We had been seeing really beautiful rental homes popping up in the area and thought we might have something of value to contribute. The problem was we had very limited knowledge on how to do any of the renovations and an even more limited budget. So, we did the only thing we could and taught ourselves everything.”
And to say the students have become the masters is somewhat of an understatement. Just five years after buying and renovating their first cabin, the duo has purchased and fixed up two more in their collection called The Hunter Houses. Their primary tip? Decorate the cabin with a collection of things you love—whether or not they match perfectly. Stop into thrift stores, small boutiques, and local shops to find pieces that speak to you and emphasize the charming elements of your house. For the Frankos, their mission was to highlight the historical details of their cabins. The Barnhouse, for instance, was built in 1845. “We’re nothing if not romantics for a good bit of history in our homes,” Danielle says with a laugh.