A living room situated in a chic cabin. A ladder takes you upstairs to the loft. A large games hutch has a vintage cribbage board, rummoli and backgammon boards in it. A pair of swivel chairs have plaid backs. Pine is throughout the cabin.

Nostalgic Cabin
Living Room Update

Blending the

Old With the New

Professional “After” Photos: Lisa Novak Photography, Kamloops, BC

Before/During Photos: Kelly Grimes

Living Room
Design Updates

The homeowners stayed true to their word and only opted for minor interior changes in the cabin’s original main living room and that was to remove and enclose one window, in order to change the seating area and offer more seating in the small space.

Removing a Window
for Living Room Improvements

The window, a side wall window, although it was large, was found to NEVER have the blinds up due to it’s proximity to the neighbor’s backyard & driveway.

There would be plenty of natural light streaming in from the lakeview windows and of course, since the addition was in progress and new lighting would be installed and some old lighting updated, the window was simply no longer needed.

With it being removed, it allowed the infamous cabin “games hutch” (although a new larger, wider, taller version of the previous one) could be moved over, closer to the front window, directly in alignment with the original wood stove. Having these two significant fixtures and furnishings across from one another, allowed the space plan to evolve into a more conducive seating arrangement—balancing swivel chairs on one side and a sofa chaise across for the perfect conversational setting.

An old brown sectional sits in front of a 48" window with white mini blinds that are closed. The window seems large and takes up a lot of wall space but is not looking functional because the blinds are down.

Window with mini blinds was always closed

A large 48" wide window has been removed and the frame is open to outside. In the background are trees and a car in a driveway. In the cabin in front of the window is a large brown sectional. A ladder takes you up to the loft. Faux wood 4x8' paneling

Deemed not functional, therefore not needed.
Window is removed and will be enclosed

A living room in a chic rustic cabin. There is a rainbow painting to the left of a large dark grey sideboard and hutch. In front of the hutch is a pine coffee table with poufs for extra seating. Two swivel chairs are in front of the rainbow picture.

Window and wall receives repurposed paneling from the closet removal.

Furnishings layout is improved as (new) large hutch has more wall space as it shifts left.

Fun fact: Even the “rainbow frame” shown here, received a recycled update, by repurposing the “Sit Long, Talk Much, Laugh Often” sign that would no longer have a spot in the cabin decor (with being a sign and the trend is no longer).

Narrow, High Bar Table
Allows for Additional Seating

A three shelf bookcase is used as the left leg of a tall, narrow console table. The table is a pine live edge. The right leg is made of black metal. Thar bar stools are solid black with black leather seats from CF Interiors North Vancouver.

Bar Stools, CF Interiors

The new living room seating arrangement made room for a narrow bar table at the back, complete with two stools and a view of the lake. Slightly elevated above the sofa in front of it, this perch feels like a natural extension of the living area. With the record collection close at hand, spinning vinyl has become a highlight—perfect for the retro charm of this 80s-style cabin.

Fun fact: The live-edge pine slab used for the table was found right on the property. Though a bit twisted, it was still salvageable and has been repurposed into a functional, character-filled piece.

A pile of wood of varying shapes and sizes are found under a cabin, kept dry from the elements. Raw live edge cuts are possible contenders to use as a table top. Species is fir and pine.
A wall with faux pine paneling juts out. Behind it is a closet space (can't see it) and an entry door. To the right of the wall is a doorway with a curtain door leading into a bedroom. A map and plaid coat hang on the wall. A green country bench sits

Sustainable Design—Repurposing Vintage Paneling

Knowing that the original entry closet would be removed—and that the adjacent bedroom would also be updated, this created an opportunity to thoughtfully salvage the 4’x8' faux-pine paneling sheets for the far-side living room wall. Re-cladding that wall with matching paneling not only refreshed it at no additional cost but also created a more unified look, helping the living room and nearby kitchen blend together and allowing the entire area to feel larger and more open.

In a small space, letting one dominant color carry through helps the eye move more easily, reducing visual breaks. That sense of calm continuity is what makes the space feel more relaxed—exactly the intention when you escape to a cabin.

A "before" photo of a closet wall that has an X on the photo, indicating this closet and wall is going to be removed in an upcoming renovation.
A tall man wearing work gloves is bending a faux wood 4x8 sheet of paneling. Removing it from a closet space. He is being careful to not damage the light above inside the closet and is using his foot to lean the bottom against, so it bends gently.

Before: Closet intruding

Closet studs are in view. Wall material has been removed in this cabin renovation, so the room beyond is visible. Overall it is a small closet with 9 2x4's standing up.

Paneling Removal

Cabin renovation is underway and the space is starting to take shape with a closet removed and a new doorway installed. A beam above is half unfinished wood and the other half is painted brown, indicating where the closet was and where it stopped.

Down to the Studs

A wall that had a window on it has been filled in with insulation and plastic sheeting. Beside this a stack of about five tall 4x8' pine paneling sheets lean against the wall. They are ready to get installed on this wall as the wall has no material.

After: Closet is Gone

Salvaged Paneling

A cabin living room looks well appointed with new furniture and rustic pine accents. A wolf painting suits the room. An old tree acts as a post taking the load. The walls are angled pine tongue and groove and another wall has faux pine paneling 4x8'

After: The far wall (with The Wolf painting) is now a full wall of same faux-pine vintage paneling, blending seamlessly with the original kitchen on the opposite side of the room.

Sage green laminate countertop in a rustic cabin with pine cabinets and vintage brass handles for hardware. A knife block and toaster sit on the counter. A paper towel rack hangs from the upper cabinet.

Flooring Tile Design

Pattern, Perfectly

Proportioned

Rustic brown and grey brick porcelain tile sits on the ground in two different patterns. One is in the double herringbone pattern and the other is a traditional single herringbone pattern.

Pattern play with brick tile…

The rustic brick tile was used in both the living room and the entryway—two spaces vastly different in scale, with the living room being a large, open-concept and the entry a modest 5' x 7'.

The size of each room influenced the installation pattern, but so did the proportions of the elements interacting with the tile: the original, black, heavy wood stove in the living room, and the thin, narrow pine boards and slender bench seat in the entry.

An old black metal wood stove from the 1980s sits on top of a new hearth which is made of porcelain brick in a rustic grey and orange colors, layed in a double herringbone pattern to be larger to "hold" the wood stove.

Double Herringbone Tile Installation

An entry in a cabin showcases the tiled floor installation using porcelain rustic brick looking tile, installed in a traditional single herringbone pattern. Wood logs and an axe sit on it. A black framed bench with a seat cushion and pine slab below.

Traditional Herringbone Tile Installation

Choosing a tile pattern that could visually stand up to these surrounding elements created a sense of balance in each space.

Working with scale and proportion is just one design element important with creating a welcomed space.

When the materials feel balanced, the whole setting gains a quiet harmony—one that ultimately brings a calming presence to the cabin.

Lighting Design

Accent Lighting—

Dimmable for Ambience

The new back wall created an opportunity to introduce subtle black sconces that bring a surprisingly big impact to the cabin.

Installed as a trio, they guide the walkway from the living area to the entry and provide a softly lit path to the bathroom—a modern nod to the old illuminated route to the outhouse.

A hallway outside of two adjacent bedrooms has two black candle wall sconces on the wall, illuminating the walk to the room in the distance. It is a cabin setting with pine tongue and groove boards on the walls and the white-washed doors.
A single black candle wall sconce with only a light bulb at the top (no shade) illuminates the pine wall and vintage brass coat hooks. Two plaid jackets hang separately on the hooks. One is a vintage green plaid coat and the other is brown plaid coat

To keep controls simple, all three sconces operate from a single switch located in the main living room between the bedroom doors (shown in the image above).

This convenient placement makes nighttime trips effortless, with the dimmer offering just the right amount of light.

Three modern, black candle wall sconces are on one circuit lighting up the “path” from the main cabin living to the bathroom.

In the late afternoon as the sun sets, even a low glow from the sconces adds a warm, inviting ambience throughout the cabin.

A modern, single black candle wall sconce contrasts against the rustic naughty pine wall. The warm light of the bulb illuminates the space. To the left is a vase of dried flowers and to the right is a doorway with a barn door into a bedroom.

Planning the lighting early in the design process helps a small space feel larger and more intentional.

You don’t need extra square footage to enjoy your home—you just need a smart layout that helps every part of the space work harder for you.

Furnishings & Color Palette

Living Room FOCAL POINT— and guess what?

it’s Not The Fireplace

A dark grey sideboard and tall hutch is a focal point in a living room as it is host to all of the cabin's games. On top of it sits a collection of antiques and copper pots. Vintage backgammon boards sit on top of the wood top. Pine coffee table.

Below the coffee table sits two poufs for additional seating or using as a footrest for more comfort.

By day, the sweeping picture windows frame a breathtaking scene of the lake and the peaked mountain beyond—an effortless focal point for the room.

But once darkness settles and the view outside disappears into the night, a new contender quietly takes centre stage: the beloved Games Hutch.

Cabins hold a special kind of emotion. They’re places where stories are shared, laughter carries late into the night, and family bonds grow stronger. And nothing captures that spirit here more than the lively rounds of Rummoli or Skip-Bo that have long been a tradition in this space.

The Games Hutch isn’t just a piece of furniture—it’s the heartbeat of the cabin, a focal point that will continue to bring generations together.

A very cool handcrafted crib board. It is made using walnut wood and skateboard bits that make it colorful on top, with an angled chevron design. Silver and gold pegs are in the holes. A vintage green smoked glass chips and dip bowls are shown.

A new cribbage board made from walnut and recycled skateboards. Handcrafted by Josh Epp, Abbotsford, BC

Old IKEA vintage pine hutch and word art sign (that gets repurposed!)

An old IKEA pine wood sideboard and hutch in a cabin setting. A hand made wall art sign sits atop and it reads "Sit Long - Talk Much - Laugh Often"

Before the renovation, a modest little games hutch sat in its place, fitting the limitations of the old layout. But once the space opened up, so did the opportunity to let this piece grow into something more substantial.

The new games hutch, a Facebook Marketplace find, was the perfect fit at 81.5” tall, 58” wide, and 20” deep.

Its traditional profile and three window-paned doors made it ideal for housing and showcasing the cabin’s collection of vintage and new games alike, while also serving as the perfect stage for a collection of neutral-colored relics from the cabin’s history.

Grey sideboard and hutch is painted in Sherwin Williams Black Fox SW 7020 and the back bead board wall slats are painted in Sherwin Williams Natural Linen SW 9109. Rummoli, Vintage Cribbage Board 29 and Monopoly and Scrabble are in view, Skip Bo too
A dated black buffet and sideboard and hutch are very large and from the early 2000s. The wood top is medium brown. The bead board on the back is in medium brown stain.

The color, however, a heavy black paint with dark stained wood from the early 2000s—it was dated and contrasting too much with the warm interior.

It needed a much lighter mood while still offering enough depth to stand out against the newly updated faux-pine paneled wall.

Drawing inspiration from the nearby swivel chairs in soft grey-brown tones, Kelly selected a deep greige from Sherwin-William’s paint collection.

Two vintage backgammon boards, a dark brown small backgammon case sits on top of a large camel colored backgammon case ready for a tournament.

Fittingly named Black Fox, the color offered a modern neutral and was perfectly suited to its new environment.

Two swivel chairs sit in front of a large window in a rustic cabin with a view to a lake outside. Pine tongue and groove angled feature wall and antiques sit on the wall. A wood stove is in the room but is not lit.

Custom, Made-to-Order
MCM Swivel Chairs

Shown here, a pair of swivel chairs from Van Gogh Designs, in a mid century modern style, buttoned back and customized with plaid fabric from Kravet.

Inspired by the classic recliners of the ’70s, Kelly set out to create a modernized version that captured their nostalgic charm without the oversized, bulky feel. She wanted something that brought a playful retro vibe to the space—familiar, inviting, and stylishly updated for today.

A touch of plaid felt essential, and when she discovered this madras check from Kravet, she knew it was the perfect fit. Its retro palette—turquoise, burnt orange, weathered red, and grounded with modern browns and greys—offered just the right amount of softly faded color.

Paired with a soft greige (color) chenille (fabric), the low-profile, mid-century–inspired, made-to-order swivel chairs from local manufacturer Van Gogh Designs became a standout custom creation.

Between the two chairs sits an authentic 1970s side table, refreshed with leftover red paint—a cabin accent color used years ago that now threads subtly through each room, adding continuity and charm.

View from the loft in the cabin down onto the living room space. The wood stove pipe goes all the way up. A long pine header board runs across the length of the loft. The living room has a neutral color scheme of greys, browns and natural wood.

The blend of warm greys and honey-pine tones, found both inside and out, gives the space a calm and grounded feeling.

A pair of swivel chairs are mostly in a soft grey-beige color but the inside backs are upholstered in a separate vibrant plaid fabric with colors of red, burnt orange, golden yellow, turquoise, white, grey, brown.

Its neutral foundation is elevated by a subtle retro palette of softly faded reds, oranges, yellows, and turquoise and vintage green.

A cabin living room with pine wall and pine coffee table are surrounded with a tall grey hutch, a white sofa, black wood stove and a vibrant vintage green wood box. A pair of rolling poufs sit under the table and can be used as extra seating.
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