LOG CABIN STYLED APARTMENT

The log cabin styled apartment started with a very big move. Rick, Jenna and I drove to rural central Michigan (7 hours away) to pack up and move my dad from his house on 60 acres of hunting property to an apartment in Louisville. He was living alone (far away from family) and finally agreed it was time to move closer into a retirement community 2 miles from our house. Between being far away from family, increasing medical concerns and rough Michigan winters now is the perfect time for dad’s transition. I promised if he agreed to the move that I would make it as easy on him as possible AND ensure his new space would feel “just like home” (getting the picture for how the log cabin styled apartment came to be)?! So last Friday we headed north and spent Saturday packing his house, garage, barns and “garage lodge” with everything he wanted for his new home in Kentucky. We filled a 26′ U Haul truck and drove it back to Louisville.

Back in Louisville the real work began! I had only two days to keep my promise and make his new city apartment into a space that would feel like his old country home. So, with dad’s outdoor décor and my styling ideas I created a log cabin styled apartment for him that any outdoorsman would feel right at home living in. He moved into his new apartment (see his reaction to the 1st time seeing it below) on April 1st and absolutely LOVES it! He is gushing about his “luxury apartment” and how he “feels like he’s in a log cabin”. I’m so happy the transition is going well and he is excited about this new chapter in his life. What a relief! It was a LONG week but totally worth it.

The move

60 acres to 600 sq feet

Dad is downsizing considerably from 60 acres of beautiful wooded hunting property to a 600 sq foot apartment in the city. My dad is an outdoorsman with a lifetime of hunting trophies and outdoor collectables. I knew downsizing his life’s hunting memories would be a challenge. Especially considering I only had 600 sq feet to work with. I did not say “no” to anything he wanted to bring and told him I would “do my best to fit it all in”. A few of the “must have” items he insisted on: four deer head trophy mounts, a chain saw carved tree trunk bear, a bear skin rug, a pheasant, several Charles H. Denault deer prints, three antique dressers, one antique desk, his mother’s rocking chair, a mechanical chair and sofa couch. OK. I can make that all fit…..I think?!

Temporary wallpaper

The first thing I did to style dad’s new “log cabin” themed apartment was to put up an accent wall that looked like, you guessed it, a log cabin wall! I found this temporary wallpaper by RoomMates called Brown Cabin Logs HERE . It took my mom and I around 2 hours to put up the peel and stick wallpaper and the end result is nothing short of amazing (and it is my dad’s favorite part of the entire apartment!) The temporary wallpaper MADE this entire space (it’s an easy 2 person DIY project). I’ve used temporary wallpaper for accent walls before and have written blogs about how and where I installed it in my home HERE and HERE.

Styling the apartment

Although the apartment is 600 sq feet the small space has big personality! Every design and style element in the room reflects my dad 100% and is totally purposeful for him now and as he continues to age. The apartment may be small but it has a functional kitchen, family room, office, dining room, bedroom and bathroom!

FAMILY ROOM

DINING ROOM

The dining room is highlighted by the buck my dad shot at Pony Creek Camp (our old hunting property). Deer is styled with wood/metal letters from Hobby Lobby (buy when they are 50% off). The drop leaf pedestal table is an Amazon find HERE (color is expresso). A perfect small space table and it comes in many colors. Rocking chair is the one my grandmother rocked my dad in when he was a baby and special to him. Works great as the 2nd dining room chair!

OFFICE

Desk and chair are antiques from dad’s MI house. I used the light hack (see blog HERE) for an added decorative element to the room and with a $10 attachment HERE was able to make it into a working light! Wire baskets on wall and wood bowl on ledge from Home Goods. All other decor from MI house.

HALLWAY

Bud is my dad’s service dog. They are inseparable. Bud is a sweetheart with a kind old soul. I’m as much worried about the dog’s transition with the changes as I am about my dad. I created this space by the door for Bud’s leash and dog waste bags for easy grab and go. Sign and hook both from Meijers.

A perfect place to park the buggy (walker). Easy access for when leaving the apartment. HOWEVER, dad wants me to bring the 5 foot tall bear tree trunk sculpture and put in this corner. IT'S HUGE and going to crowd the buggy. I don't think it will work but he insists we try. I don't want to tell him "no" to anything regarding this move so I'm willing to bring it in. Problem is it's 400 pounds! I have a feeling I'll be moving it in and in a week moving it out....All 400 pounds of it... UGH.

BEDROOM

Dad’s bear skin rug was a must bring. He shot this guy with a bow and arrow in the UP (Upper Peninsula, Michigan). Afghan blanket crocheted by his mother. Side table, lamp, skunk hat and decor from MI house. I found the buffalo check bear pillow HERE to tie the room together. Quilt and shams a GoodWill 2nd hand find.