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The French Cabin We Always Imagined
The French Cabin We Built Twice
The French Cabin was the first cabin we built.
Inspired by the French Colonial architecture of the historic Bulduc House in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, it was unlike anything else we had seen in Southern Illinois. Long before The Cove and The Hollow existed, the French Cabin was welcoming guests and creating memories.
It was beautiful, it was popular, and it stayed booked.
Even today, many people assume the French Cabin is much larger than our other cabins. In reality, it has roughly the same interior square footage as our other two cottages. The soaring ceilings, wraparound gallery porch, large deck, and private hot tub pavilion simply make it feel larger.
Still, every time we walked through it, we saw possibilities.
After building The Cove and The Hollow, we found ourselves looking at our first cabin with fresh eyes. We had learned a lot. More importantly, we had become more confident in our own instincts.
We knew the cabin could become something even better.
The Second Bedroom Had to Go
Originally, the French Cabin had two bedrooms.
At the time, it seemed like the logical thing to do. More sleeping space meant more flexibility. But over time we realized what we really loved creating were intimate retreats for couples.
The second bedroom never quite felt right.
So we removed it.
That decision changed everything.
The former bedroom became a French-inspired parlour. We exposed the beams in the soaring ceiling. We opened the space visually and physically. The second bathroom remained, which guests still appreciate today.
As the renovation evolved, so did our vision for the cabin.
The Fireplace Problem
The fireplace looked beautiful.
That was the problem.
Not long before the renovation, we had upgraded the cast iron gas stove with a stunning piece of schist fabricated by FWS Countertops. The dark stone shimmered with silver and gold flecks and became one of the defining materials in the renovation. Later, the kitchen stone selections would be chosen to complement it.
Getting that piece of schist into the cabin was an adventure in itself.
Our friend Jim Ewers from Blue Sky Vineyard came to help. So did John and a few others. The stone had been protected in the truck, but nobody thought about the July sun beating down on it all afternoon.
When everyone reached down to lift it, there was a sudden realization.
It was hot.
Really hot.
The solution was immediate.
"Everybody go get gloves."
Eventually we got it installed and stepped back to admire it.
The stone looked great.
The fireplace looked great.
But something still didn't feel right.
Ed and I would stand there looking at it. Then we'd walk into the newly opened space where the second bedroom had been. Then we'd walk back to the fireplace.
Over and over.
The old closet area kept drawing our attention.
What if the fireplace was over there?
What if that became a cozy alcove with dimmable lighting and a comfortable chair?
The more we talked about it, the more obvious it became.
Ed finally looked at me and said, "We're moving the fireplace, aren't we?"
Yep.
Which meant he was about to call Jim again.
The reality was that moving the fireplace involved much more than moving a stove. Wiring had to be rerouted. Walls had to be modified. New framing had to be built. Lighting plans changed. The alcove had to be created before the stove could ever be relocated.
It was a lot of work.
But once it was finished, the fireplace finally felt like it belonged exactly where it was.
Reimagining the Entire Cabin
Once the renovation began, everything became part of the conversation.
The kitchen was completely redesigned.
We added a large butcher-block peninsula that provided additional seating and created a more inviting gathering space.
Because we didn't want a full-size refrigerator dominating the main living area, we chose a different route. Two under-counter refrigerators were installed, while a compact freezer was built into the wall.
The kitchen counters were updated, and the stone selections throughout the renovation were chosen to complement the rich colors and shimmering details of the schist in the fireplace alcove.
The goal was never simply to update the cabin.
The goal was to create a space that felt intentional from every angle.
A Bottle of Wine and a Solution
For all our progress, one challenge remained.
Where do you put the television?
And where do you create an intimate dining space for two?
The easy solution would have been placing a television above the fireplace.
But we never liked that idea.
The fireplace deserved to be the fireplace.
Not a television stand.
After staring at plans, measurements, and walls for far too long, we finally called an architect.
One evening, the three of us sat down with a bottle of wine and started talking through possibilities.
Somewhere between the first glass and the final sketch, the perfect solution emerged.
The television would live on a freestanding divider structure.
The dining table would tuck into a cozy space between two openings, creating a sense of privacy without feeling closed off.
Above it, we installed a beautiful dimmable French-style wall sconce that made the space glow at night.
Sometimes the best design solutions arrive after you've stopped trying so hard.
Leaning Into French Gothic Style
As the renovation continued, we fully embraced the French Gothic and French Creole influences that had inspired the cabin from the beginning.
Decorative medieval-style polearms appeared on the walls and over the fireplace.
French-inspired artwork found new homes.
Carved corbels and classical sculptures added architectural character.
Lighting became softer and more atmospheric.
Each piece reinforced the feeling that this wasn't simply a cabin.
It was an experience.
A place where guests could disconnect from everyday life and step into a world that felt just a little enchanted.
The Cabin We Always Imagined
I remember evenings when I was simply exhausted and headed home while Ed stayed behind.
Sometimes until midnight.
Running wiring.
Adjusting lighting.
Working through one more detail.
Looking back, the cabin didn't need a renovation.
It was already loved.
It was already booked.
We weren't trying to fix a problem.
We simply couldn't stop imagining what it could become.
Every project has moments when you wonder whether all the extra effort is worth it.
The French Cabin had many of those moments.
But when we finally stepped back and looked around, we knew.
The fireplace alcove felt right.
The French parlour felt right.
The dining nook felt right.
The cabin finally felt like the place we had imagined from the beginning.
