Before & After: A Dreary Woodland Cabin Gets a Sparkling Update for $20K

Nestled among towering fir trees and magnificent dogwoods in Cobb, California—just an hour north of Napa Valley—is the 700-square-foot cabin Hope Mendes recreated as an idyllic family escape. "We’ve always had a dream of owning and renovating a cabin in the woods," Hope says, "a place [where] we could take our kids when we need to get away from the hustle and bustle of our work lives."

Inspired by the locale, Hope calls her tiny getaway The Cobb Haus. "Cobb is a small, rural town," she says. "The neighborhood we’re in is made up of very narrow dirt roads and rustic cabins. Our house is situated on a mountainside beneath the road. You’ve to walk downstairs to get to it. Although there are neighbors, it’s secluded and private."

When Hope first discovered The Cobb Haus, she knew it was the home she’d been looking for. "We were in the market for something small and that needed mostly cosmetic work," she says. "We found this place and felt that it was the perfect fit for what we were looking for. It was small, affordable and still had lots of charm. We knew we could make it something special by adding our touches to it."

Before: Exterior

"We just gave [the siding] a good power-wash, which made all the difference," Hope says. "We decided not to paint because it blends in with the surroundings. We kept the outdoors in mind while choosing all of the decor inside. We wanted it to flow from the inside to the outdoors."

After: Exterior