Catching Cabin Fever

AUTHENTICITY WAS THE PRIORITY WHEN RENOVATING AND RESTORING A CHARACTERISTIC LOG CABIN IN BETHANY BEACH

Aburly taxidermy bear named Ted greets friends and family at the Graybeal log cabin in Bethany Beach, where a couple transformed the interior of a 1963 kit-build while retaining the authenticity of a characteristic spot on a wooded, wide lot where the Graybeals eventually plan to live full-time.

They happened upon the place by accident. “This wasn’t on our radar at all,” said Laura Graybeal, sharing how she and her husband, Frank, had been looking at condos on the bay. “We drove by this place, and it was super cool, right on the canal, and it sits on two lots, so there was plenty of yard.”

The Graybeals were immediately hooked, purchasing it in 2017 from an owner who had lived there since 1973. He had made a few improvements, like an outdoor shower and a side porch with an enclosed bathroom — ideal for coming in from the beach.