This Small, Renovated 1959 California A-Frame Cabin Is One of the Cutest We’ve Ever Seen
Name: Jo Ann Thrailkill, boyfriend, Sam, and son, Harvey
Location: San Bernardino Mountains — Running Springs, California
Type of home: A-Frame Cabin/Chalet
Size: 830 square feet
Years lived in: A little over a year, owned
Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: My sweet little A-frame was built in 1959 and dubbed “The Star on the Rim” by the original owner, the maître d’ at The Brown Derby in Hollywood. He sold the cabin 20 years later to a family who kept it for the next 40 years. I am the proud third owner of this little slice of the San Bernardino Mountains.
On my first visit to this cabin, I noticed several small apple trees loaded with fruit surrounding the property. Once she was mine, I began calling her “Little Apple A-Frame.” Little Apple is a quintessential mountain A-frame sitting on nearly a half-acre in Running Springs, California. My boyfriend and I lovingly and painstakingly renovated the cabin with our own personal tastes and whimsies… making it our dream getaway while thinking about our future guests’ experiences. I am a former music video executive producer, and nonprofit founder/CEO. My boyfriend, Sam Music, is a composer and sound designer for film and TV. Our sweet boy, Harvey, is a vibrant seven-year-old who has developed a passion for snowboarding since we got the cabin!
What is your favorite room and why? This is tough. I’ll have to say the kitchen. It’s the one place that I spent the most time, energy, and money. My family cooks — and we knew that we wanted a fully appointed and beautiful place to create our family meals. We built our IKEA Semihandmade cabinets ourselves and chose small-format European appliances to support the small space without sacrificing quality. We put together our dream kitchen. And… it has proven to be successful!
Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: A Vintage Modern California A-Frame
What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? The rugs and our bedroom book nook pendant.
- Living room rug — deMaroc Home
- Kitchen rug — Anthropologie
- Book nook rug — Soukie Modern
- Book nook pendant — Heather Levine Ceramics
Any advice for creating a home you love? If you can afford it… take your time. I collected things for my dream cabin for a couple of years before starting to look at properties. And have FUN… it truly reveals itself in the finished space.
This submission’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
Share Your Style: House Tour & House Call Submission Form