Budget Breakdown: They Gave a Bland ’70s Cabin a Psychedelic Glow-Up for $120K

For their first DIY renovation, Whimsy Soul cofounders Kara Harms and Robin Berenson infuse a woodsy getaway with vintage vibes, big color, wallpaper galore...and an ABBA bathroom.

When Kara Harms first saw this 1979 home in Arnold, California, it wasn’t so much love at first sight, as a maybe. "I had my heart set on an A-frame," she says. "I feel like all the girlies love an A-frame, and I was really looking." In fact, Kara toured one soon after seeing this cabin, but she was dismayed to find that it didn’t feel right in person. "The light was just not there," she explains. "I walked in and it was dark and cold."

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Melissa Dalton
Dwell Contributor
Melissa Dalton is a freelance writer in Portland, Oregon, who has been writing for Dwell since 2017. Read more of her work about design and architecture at melissadalton.net.