This Lakeside Cabin Is a Great Escape

When Ben and Abby Leber first laid eyes on this lakeside cabin in Buffalo, Minnesota, they weren’t sold. “It was dark and creepy, and when we went inside, it smelled terrible,” says Abby. But neither of them could stop thinking about the possibilities. A week later, they made an offer. “I think most buyers walked in and walked right out, but we fell in love with what we knew it could be.”

The 1,450-square-foot home, built in 1960, sits on a wooded acre on Maple Lake, about an hour from the family’s primary residence in Edina, Minnesota. “It’s the perfect getaway for our hectic schedules,” she says. (Ben is a former NFL player who now does radio and TV, and Abby is a stay-at-home mom to their three kids.) The couple tapped local designer Carrie Ellington to help them transform the cabin while preserving some of its kitschy charm. “We call it The Lucky Little Cabin because we feel like we brought it back to life,” she says. “And we feel so lucky we took the chance on it!”