Who: Christopher and Anna Pearson
Where: Idyllwild, California
Style: A-frame minimalism
In the blaze of summer, you'll find that it's a lot cooler if you travel a mile high into the San Jacinto Mountains. That's why the Cahuilla Indians summered there long ago, and why these days, snowbirds from the surrounding desert communities are drawn to mountain towns like Idyllwild — the kind of magical little locale where the official mayor is a golden retriever named Max. (He was just re-elected for the fifth time.)
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Christopher and Anna Pearson, of Los Angeles, discovered a bit of that magic on July Fourth, four years ago. "If you visit on the Fourth of July you'll probably get hooked, like we did," says Anna, who works in the music business. "The town parade is so cute and a real All-American experience."
In the ensuing months, the Pearsons searched the area for the perfect A-frame. "My grandfather built one in the '60s and I have many memories of going there as a child," says Chris, who owns the interior design and staging company, Echo Ranch. "It has been burned into my mind as the perfect mountain structure."
In March of 2018, they found something that, with a lot of love and energy, could work. "I didn't really want to take on such a huge project at the time, but one thing lead to another and we just decided to jump in and see what we could do," says Chris.
The transformation from "total basket case" to what Chris calls "Mountain Modern" took about six months. (The A-frame Airbnb pairs nicely their other Airbnb, which they call Mojave Modern). The aesthetic is fairly minimal, modern but with bohemian touches — and lots of pine. The pulled out carpet, took out bulky kitchen cabinets, renovated the bathrooms, and painted the exterior a bold black. Now, it cuts a striking image in the woods.
Currently, work and career keep the Pearsons rooted in L.A., but the A-frame in Idyllwild offers a vision of what could be, in the not so distant future.
"Cabins are an escape from modern life," says Chris. "Away from the pollution and din of the city. Away from your everyday duties. A place to be in the trees, breathe the fresh air, and get connected to Mother Earth."
