Photos by LSPPHOTO
To some, the description for Jane Atherton’s Courtenay, British Columbia, rental cabin might sound more like the start of a storybook than an Airbnb listing. At the cedar cabin, christened “The Beach Chalet” and perched right on the eastern shore of Vancouver Island, eagles, humpback whales, horses, seals and sea lions are not uncommon sights. Deer and bunnies are responsible for the only “rush hour” you will experience there, and a private rocky beach provides a peek into colorful tidal pools.
It’s easy to see how Jane, a professional interior designer, was swayed by a friend to move there.
“One of my best friends moved to the area before me. She sent me real estate listings by email practically every day to entice me to move closer to her,” Jane recalls. “On a weekend visit with her, we walked by this place. I hadn’t been in the market for a log home, but the waterfront property, itself, was incredible. The home was extremely dark and hadn’t been updated since it was built in 1981, which I think deterred other buyers.”
But not Jane. With just the skill set to fix it up, she transformed it into a light, bright getaway for herself and others. At first, she simply envisioned sharing it with family: “A big factor that went into the decision to move is that my three sons were all adults, and the hope was that with a waterfront home, they would want to come and visit. And they do!” Jane explains. “One is actually having his wedding here on the beach.”
But, in time, she also opened it up to lucky travelers who may be on their way to nearby attractions like the destination town of Tofino or are simply looking for a remote retreat where they can reconnect to nature in all seasons. There’s hiking in the summer and skiing in the winter.
“It’s really interesting, because by renting my place out to people, I developed a newfound appreciation for what I have,” says Jane, “and the comments that people leave in their reviews are just so touching.”
Jane notes when she first saw her cabin, she felt it belonged on the top of a mountain — not along the shore.
“I’ve been really trying to change it into a beach chalet and to bring in some coastal touches by incorporating driftwood and shells, but not in an overt, overly nautical way. Creating the suggestion of ‘coastal’ is what I’ve been trying to accomplish through texture and color and that sort of thing,” she explains.
Inside the three-bedroom, two-bathroom cabin, white paneling and cabinets team up with massive windows to bounce light all around. An aqua backsplash in the kitchen hints at an oceanic spirit, and durable flooring in a gray-sand tone mimics the rocky shoreline just outside the window (and mitigates the effects of constant foot traffic in and out).
For Jane, it’s a case study in the unexpected flexibility of log cabins. “They can be light and bright … you don’t have to sacrifice those things to live in a log home,” she explains. “You can make it your own. You can make it your style. And that is what makes it just a wonderful environment to live in.” And for some lucky visitors, stay the weekend.
Plan Your Visit!
Book a spot at The Beach Chalet on Airbnb, or reach out to Jane via her website, cottage-fever.ca. Find more photos and reviews on Instagram at @thebeachchalet.
