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Lake Arrowhead Cabin Build Journey

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Lake Arrowhead Cabin Build Journey

Building an energy efficient, pet & family friendly vacation home at Lake Arrowhead CA.

08/10/2026

It seems like there really is no perfect flooring choice.

Laminate was actually my first choice, but David wasn’t a fan of installing a floating floor, so that option eventually went out the window.

One thing we learned is that the success of a floating floor depends heavily on the subfloor preparation. The floor needs to be very flat, or you can end up with movement, squeaking, or even joints coming apart over time.

In our case, we have a wood subfloor, and we discovered a few areas where the joists underneath had bowed, creating high spots. We spent a LOT of time planing the subfloor, checking it with a long level, then checking it again…and still wondering if we had missed a spot somewhere. 😅

In the end, we decided to go with engineered hardwood in both the bedrooms and the great room. The floors look beautiful, and they feel incredibly solid and quiet underfoot.

So now the search begins for a few more beautiful, washable, spill-resistant rugs to help protect it!

Like I said…there really is no perfect flooring. You just have to choose which compromises you’re willing to live with.

08/03/2026

Between installing the flooring and painting all the doors and casings, we somehow managed to squeeze in one more fun project. 😄

We turned the leftover engineered oak flooring from the stair landing into these planter boxes!

08/02/2026

One of my favorite features of this kitchen is the two pantries.

We designed them this way so that if we ever decide to turn the cabin into a vacation rental, one pantry can serve as an owner’s pantry.

We also added a small opening on the side of the pantry so our robot vacuum can tuck itself away when it’s not in use.

To keep the walkway clear, we chose bi-fold doors instead of traditional swing doors. They take up much less space when opened.

Finally, we tucked the pantries, oven, and refrigerator underneath the balcony. Not only does it create a clean, built-in look, but it also helps keep them out of the dust that naturally collects in a room with such high vaulted ceilings.

David did a really good job installing all the appliances. We cooked our first breakfast here, ran the dishwasher and garbage disposal. Everything is working like a charm. 😆

07/17/2026

The countertops are finally in!

We ordered this black leathered granite from Lowe’s during their 40% off sale back in May, and it was definitely worth the wait. We love the leathered finish—it does a great job hiding fingerprints and dust while adding warmth and a touch of rustic charm to the kitchen.

It’s not very common to pair black countertops with dark cabinets, but because our great room has soaring ceilings and so much natural light, we felt comfortable taking the risk. In the end, I think it turned out even better than we imagined.

We also mixed black and brass hardware throughout the kitchen. The black hardware quietly blends into the Iron Ore cabinets, allowing the brass accents to become the focal point without overwhelming the space.

One of my favorite details has to be the bear and fox k***s from Etsy. They add a little personality to the kitchen, and shopping for them was honestly one of the most fun parts of the entire project. There are so many adorable designs to choose from!

What do you think of the black-on-black combination? Would you have gone for it?😁

07/08/2026

Cozy, rustic, modern.

06/21/2026

The flooring is finally going in!

One of the biggest challenges with this project was the transition.

The stair treads started as unfinished oak, while the flooring came prefinished in a completely different color. We brought a flooring sample to Sherwin-Williams and had them create a custom stain match for the stair treads. The result exceeded our expectations. It’s not an exact match, but it’s close enough that most people would never guess the stair treads and flooring started out looking completely different.
Another challenge was the transition at the top landing. The engineered hardwood sat slightly lower than the oak stair tread, which would have left an awkward lip ( last picture ). To solve the problem, we built up the first few rows with layers of felt and rosin paper, gradually feathering them out until the flooring and stair tread met flush. It took some trial and error, but the final result feels smooth underfoot and looks seamless.
It’s funny how the details that nobody notices are often the ones that take the most time to figure out. But those little details are what make a project feel finished.

05/16/2026

Painting kitchen cabinets was not for the faint of heart. Achieving a smooth, mirror-like finish with just a brush and roller was not easy, but I think we pulled it off pretty well. 🤩

We also built a custom walnut bookshelf and filled the knots with black resin before finishing it with Rubio Monocoat Pure. The walnut added so much warmth, richness, and character to the kitchen, and it’s quickly becoming one of our favorite details.

Now we’re just waiting on the countertops, which should be ready in about three weeks.

Slowly but surely, our kitchen is finally coming together. ✨

05/14/2026

We watched so many YouTube videos to learn how to make faux beams out of foam, but couldn’t find any that had the finished look we were going for. We wanted something that looked realistic and matched the walnut tones of our fireplace. In the end, we decided to follow a method from ChatGPT—even though we still had to figure out a lot of the details ourselves. 😅

The process itself actually isn’t that difficult. The most important part is choosing the right base coat color. I even brought a piece of walnut to Sherwin-Williams so i could find a right paint to match it. The key is the undertone.

If you’re trying to create faux beams that look like white oak, you’ll want to start with a much lighter base coat—something like tan or beige.

I didn’t show the installation process because we have fire sprinklers right next to the beams. Normally, faux beams are secured from the sides, but in our case we had to fasten them from the bottom instead.

Our ceiling design is unusual, so regular faux beams wouldn’t work for this space. Realistically, beams this size would have cost us over $6–7K, so I’m really happy with how these turned out.

I hope this video helps! Feel free to ask if you have any questions 😊

05/11/2026

The faux beams are finally done.

Next up: the kitchen.

While David is building the kitchen island and handling all the plumbing and electrical, I’ve been busy painting the rest of the cabinets. The countertop company is coming next week to take measurements, and things are finally starting to come together.

Last year, I went on a Lake Arrowhead home tour and saw some absolutely stunning properties. One of them had a black leathered countertop, and it was the first time I had ever seen that finish in person. Ever since then, it’s been on my wish list.

Luckily, Lowe’s recently had it on sale for 40% off for a limited time, and somehow I managed to catch the deal at the perfect moment.

05/05/2026

Small wow factor on a small budget

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