Here’s a story of a couple who bought a log cabin that came with a giant wine barrel, giving them a fantastic bedroom for their daughters.
Richard and Marianne Atkinson bought a 1250-square-foot log cabin in the Santa Cruz Redwoods, planning to stay there for only a short period with their three young daughters sleeping in a small loft.
However, the wine barrel gave them a good space for their daughters’ backyard bedroom, and they have been there for over a decade! The log cabin was made of whole redwood logs within the forested mountains above the San Francisco Bay Area.
It looked like a great deal when they first saw it, but they were concerned about space.
So, the couple immediately made an offer when the realtor told them that the wine barrel, which serves as an accessory dwelling unit, was not included in the package.
Meanwhile, the machinery used to build the log cabin is still at the property.
It is also amazing how the logs were linked; this allowed their house to withstand a strong earthquake without suffering any damage.
The former homeowner put a lot of thought and imagination into the home, as evidenced by all the little touches throughout. The log cabin’s aesthetic appeal stemmed from its rustic setting.
The Atkinsons did not change the house’s original style and kept its raw charm.
Details like the kitchen cabinet hardware and the living room chandelier attest to the home’s exceptional quality, which has been maintained since the 1940s.
Because of this, Richard and Marianne felt more comfortable bringing up their girls in that home.
Every inch of the log cabin was a testament to the original owner’s creativity and skills.
Marianne brought attention to many of them, but the fireplace is remarkable.
Ancient stones were used in the construction, and the strategic placement of ventilation openings added visual appeal to an otherwise practical design.
The restroom still has the original “his” and “her” cabinets that look very vintage.
It still has the original bathroom scale that the first owner used.
There is also a garden room in the log cabin where they can relax, enjoy the scenery, and occasionally see wild animals in their natural habitat.
The log cabin was intentionally constructed to create a luxurious vacation place.
They have everything they need within the house, but their daughters decide to move into the wine barrel.
The wine barrel was large enough to accommodate the girls who wished for freedom and privacy.
Originally imported from Italy in the 1960s, the barrel’s original purpose was to hold water, but its previous owners quickly saw its potential as a home.
Meanwhile, the new owners removed the flat lid, built an overhanging roof, and surrounded the structure with windows while retaining the original timber staves and metal hoops as the only structural support.
Most of their stuff came from surplus, said Marianne. Nevertheless, each piece fits nicely in place, Home Hacks noted.
The bottom floor of the wine barrel is filled with books.
It has two couches, a coffee table, and a little kitchen with appliances like a microwave oven.
The top floor has a bedroom that can be reached via a wooden spiral staircase.
The bedroom has a big bed and a 360-degree view of the majestic redwood forest.
After the 1906 earthquake and fire that devastated San Francisco, much of the Santa Cruz Mountains, including the region around the house, were clear-cut.
Due to the absence of old growth on the land, the previous owner constructed a sawmill in 1942 and used it to mill the smaller redwoods to construct a classic log cabin with Scandinavian-Saddle notching and black chinking.
He constructed a furnace to forge his own iron, and everything metallic in the house, including the lighting, fixtures, and door and cabinet pull, was crafted there.
Take a look inside the log cabin and two-story wine barrel by watching the video below: