Before and After: How We Renovate Our Cabins

When we take on a new property, it rarely looks like the finished product on day one. Most of the cabins in our Estes Park collection were dated motel-style units when we first got the keys. The kitchens were functional but tired. The bathrooms needed work. The furniture had seen better decades. Here's what the renovation process actually looks like, and what changes when we're done.

What we look at first

Before anything cosmetic happens, we go through the property top to bottom: plumbing, electrical, HVAC, hot tub systems, appliances. If something is going to fail on a guest, we'd rather find it during renovation than at 10pm on a Friday. Structural and mechanical work comes first, always.

Kitchens

The kitchen is where most of the visible transformation happens. We replace countertops, update cabinetry where needed, and make sure the appliances are modern and working properly. We also stock the kitchen with a full set of cookware, dishes, and utensils so guests can actually cook a meal, not just reheat something.

Bathrooms

New fixtures, updated tile, and proper ventilation. In the smaller cabins, the bathroom is a tight space, so the goal is to make it feel clean and functional rather than cramped. In the larger properties, we've added double vanities and walk-in showers where the layout allows.

Bedrooms and common areas

New beds, quality mattresses, and hotel-style linens. We replace furniture that's worn out and add pieces that make the space feel intentional rather than assembled from whatever was available. Lighting gets updated. Flooring gets refinished or replaced. The goal is a space that photographs well because it actually looks good, not because of camera angles.

The outdoor spaces

Hot tubs are installed or replaced, decks are refinished, and outdoor furniture is added where the space allows. In Colorado, the outdoor space is often the best part of the property. We try to make sure it's set up to be used.

Add your photos here

We're adding before and after photos from our renovation folders to this post. Check back soon to see the full transformations across the Estes Park cabin collection and our other Colorado properties.

If you've stayed in one of our properties and want to see what it looked like before we got to work, reach out. We're happy to share the story behind the space. In the meantime, you can see the finished results at the Estes Park Cabin 12, one of our most transformed properties, or the Arvada Sauna and Game Room home, which went from a standard suburban house to a fully kitted-out group retreat.