Marianne and Richard Atkinson wanted to move to the Santa Cruz Redwoods but had a family of 5 that they needed space for.
They were moving from 3,000 square feet, and although they were downsizing, they did not expect to downsize to 1,250 square feet.
That is how big their new log cabin is, and they didn’t think they would initially be able to move in.
Luckily, a two-story wine barrel was sitting in the backyard!
Their creative minds immediately started imagining how they could utilize that wine barrel to their benefit, and they now had an extra 400 square feet to work with!
That bit of extra space was what their family needed to be comfortable and call this new place “home.”
History of the cabin and the wine barrel.
The 1,250-square-foot log cabin was originally built in 1942 from the redwood logs that were gathered from the forest around them.
On the property, the original sawmill was still used to mill the logs.
The original owner had the mill put on-site and a furnace to do the iron work needed for hardware on the homes, he built two homes on the property.
Not only did he build the hardware, but he created the copper light fixtures that are throughout the cabin.
The wine barrel was shipped to the United States from Italy in 1962 to store water since the homes were on wells.
But, the property owners decided they could get more use out of the barrel if it were turned into a living space, so they stripped it down, leaving the structural support, and built a second floor to create a bedroom. It is unknown if the wine barrel was ever used to store wine, but Marianne suspects it was used at one point for that purpose as there is a plug in the barrel.
The Atkinsons’ updates to the barrel.
When Marianne and Richard purchased the property, they added a kitchenette, living, and a two-story bookshelf to transform the wine barrel into a space their daughters could live in and enjoy.
They only used salvaged and second-hand material for these upgrades, as they were only planning to stay in this home for a few years and wanted the project to be very cost-effective!
But they love the home so much they have now been there for 12 years.
Growing up in the log cabin and wine barrel.
The Atkinson girls got to grow up in these beautiful spaces.
Originally, everyone was squeezed into the cabin while the girls were young.
They had two beds in the loft for the girls since there was technically only one bedroom in the cabin.
Once the girls became older and sought independence, they could move into the barrel!
They have a living space, sitting area, and kitchenette on the main floor with a large bookshelf, and then upstairs is a bedroom with 360 windows to feel surrounded by the forest!
The windows are great for bringing in the wind since there is no insulation as it is a wine barrel.
Small cabin details that make it feel special.
Details are so important to creating an experience!
And this cabin has quite a few that make it stand out.
When the heat turns on, a little sign above a door lights up red.
In the bathroom are two cabinets, one labeled His and the other Hers.
There is also a hidden drawer in the bathroom where you can pull out a scale!
The largemouth fireplace in the living also has a cauldron, previously used to cook dinners in the fire.
There is so much more to this property!
This home is filled with history and amazing details.
Click the video below for a full tour of this unique home!
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