Budget Breakdown: One of the Oldest A-Frames In Arrowbear Lake, CA, Gets A Moody Makeover for $177K
"Think old Hollywood speakeasy rather than your grandfather’s cabin," says designer and owner Jacqueline Blum.
"Think old Hollywood speakeasy rather than your grandfather’s cabin," says designer and owner Jacqueline Blum.
Designer Jacqueline Blum and her husband Brent have worked on a slew of remodels on all types of houses over the past decade—everything from Victorians, to Spanish-style, to quintessential beach bungalows. "Renovating and designing is our strange love language," jokes the designer, who handles the design-side of their projects while he manages the business. (On their first date in 2013, he mentioned having a new home in San Francisco, and she asked to see the floorplan.)
That decade of experience led Blum to launch her own firm, Jacqueline Blum Design in 2022, working for clients, and more recently, for the couple to add a classic A-frame to their list. "The form itself we found fascinating, as well as the design and renovation challenges that come with that," says Blum. "The only way to approach an A-frame is with a beginner’s mind."
Designer Jacqueline Blum and husband Brent bought this petite A-frame in Arrowbear Lake, California for $395,000, with the intent to remodel it into a unique travel experience and vacation cabin.
Madeline Harper
The couple are now based in San Diego, and had been looking for a cabin in the San Bernardino Mountains for a while, when they saw this listing pop up on their way to a family vacation in Joshua Tree. They promptly turned around to see it in person. "When we were in San Francisco, we'd go to Tahoe, but here, we drive to Big Bear or Lake Arrowhead," says Blum. "We had never heard of Arrowbear."
| $395,000 Land | $1,505 Insulation | $1,687.34 Wall finishes |
| $4,326.64 Tile | $1,200 Flooring | $1,500 Roofing |
| $2,788 Hardware | $11,000 Electrical | $4,918 Plumbing |
| $4,645 HVAC | $730 Custom woodwork | $1,000 Landscaping |
| $4,070 Glass railing | $1,469 Kitchen/Bath fixtures | $4,449.80 Lighting |
| $18,040 Cabinetry/Countertops | $4,100 Appliances | $7,063 Windows/Glazing |
| $1,920 Doors | $35,525.12 Furnishings/Decor | $7,339 Hot tub/Spa |
| $1,460 Permitting | $42,411 General Contractor/Labor | $900 Drafter |
| $1,500 Demolition | $750 Waste/Debris removal | $1,650 Surveyor |
| $8,995 Other | ||
| Grand Total: $571,941.90 | ||
So-named for being halfway between Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead, Arrowbear Lake is off the beaten path, with a population of about 700 people, National Forest and lake access, and this 620-square-foot cabin, which the couple bought for $395,000. Shortly thereafter, they learned the home’s unique history when the previous owner sent them a letter. The 1955 home had been hand built by a high school woodworking teacher and his friends and family, and is purportedly the oldest A-frame in the area.
The previous owners sent the Blums photos showing the A-frame being built in 1955.
Courtesy of Jacqueline Blum Design
Friends and family of a high school woodworking teacher helped with the construction. The Blums bought the home in 2023. "So much care was given to it," says Blum. "You feel like you really have to do justice by renovating it.
Courtesy of Jacqueline Blum Design
See the full story on Dwell.com: Budget Breakdown: One of the Oldest A-Frames In Arrowbear Lake, CA, Gets A Moody Makeover for $177K
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