Property Watch: This 1976 Cabin Is a Total Time Capsule
Image: Courtesy Lee Puente
There has been a lot of discourse about the Airbnb “aesthetic” as it applies to home design. Think: White painted wood. Subway tile. Edison bulbs. Old hardback books as decor, maybe even turned backward on the shelves. In 2016, a writer for the Verge coined the so-called neutral and Instagrammable look AirSpace.
Perhaps that's why, more than ever, we want to appreciate time capsules just like this one: a 1976 fishing cabin in Tillamook, complete with tongue-and-groove knotty fir, a vintage orange enamel freestanding fireplace, and a sleeping loft tucked under the vaulted ceiling.
Image: Courtesy Lee Puente
The main entry is just below a metal-roofed portico, at a blue-painted door that opens directly into the kitchen and eating area. There, find a nice-sized U-shape layout with wood cabinets, plenty of prep space, and full-size appliances, as well as enough room for a sizable dining table by the big window overlooking the river.
Image: Courtesy Lee Puente
A wooden staircase divides the plan, landing at a second glass door to the rear deck, with the living room on the other side. It has the vintage fireplace, another big window, and a continuation of the wood paneling along the rear wall and up the vaulted ceiling.
Image: Courtesy Lee Puente
Upstairs, there's a generous loft, and even laundry, in the (nonconforming) 232 square feet, while the downstairs has two cozy bedrooms and a full bathroom, the latter with a touch of yellow laminate on the vanity.
But it's not just about the throwback vibes. Located in the Narrows, a private gated community in Tillamook State Forest just 55 miles from Portland, and perched above the Wilson River, this is a prime spot for fishing steelhead, salmon, and cutthroat trout (we're told). There's also a wraparound deck for sitting out and listening to the river below, or eating meals at the picnic table, or reading a book in an Adirondack chair. This might be the perfect cabin experience for the next buyer—made even better, in our humble opinion, if they can keep that vintage charm intact.
Image: Courtesy Lee Puente
Listing Fast Facts
- Address: 25380 Wilson River Hwy, Tillamook, OR 97141
- Size: 1,000 square feet/2 bedroom/1 bath
- List Date: 10/24/2024
- List Price: $418,000 (dropped from $525,000)
- Listing Agent: Jeff Weithman, Real Estate Through Design
Melissa Dalton is a freelance writer who has focused on Pacific Northwest design and lifestyle since 2008. Contact Dalton here.
Editor’s Note: Portland Monthly’s “Property Watch” column takes a weekly look at an interesting home in Portland’s real estate market (with periodic ventures to the burbs and points beyond, for good measure). Got a home you think would work for this column? Get in touch at [email protected].
