London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Mar 19, 2026

Inspired by the Blunk House, a Sculptor Transforms a Rustic California Cabin Into an Evolving Work of Art

Inspired by the Blunk House, a Sculptor Transforms a Rustic California Cabin Into an Evolving Work of Art

The handmade cabin owned by Ido Yoshimoto (J.B. Blunk's godson) is featured in the book 'How to Get Away,' alongside retreats that dot remote forests around the world.

If you’ve spent time in and around Inverness, a misty, rustic Marin County enclave most famous for its community of artists, proximity to the Point Reyes Light House, and abundance of oyster farms, you may have heard of J.B. Blunk. Blunk, a Kansas-born sculptor who escaped to the wilds of Northern California to live off the grid, created his famous, organic sculptures out of wood, clay, and stone. His massive sculpture and master work “The Planet” (1969) was carved from the stump of an ancient redwood and is a must-see at the Oakland Museum of Art. His house, known simply as the Blunk House, has been preserved as a museum.

And it’s become a kind of prototype, like George Nakashima’s house in Pennsylvania, or Georgia O’Keeffe’s house in New Mexico, for people who want to live simply and deliberately in nature, surrounded by handmade, carefully curated objects. Blunk’s godson, fellow sculptor Ido Yoshimoto, is one of them. In the book How to Get Away: Cabins, Cottages, Hideouts and the Design of the Retreat by Laura May Todd (Lannoo Publishers), Yoshimoto’s handmade cabin is featured alongside retreats that dot remote forests around the world, from Marrakech to the Stockholm archipelago.

One glance at Yoshimoto’s simple cabin, though, and it’s clear that this house could only exist in California.

Yoshimoto took over a simple cabin at the end of a dirt road and slowly transformed it into a handmade retreat.

Yoshimoto was raised nearby in Marin County and followed in the footsteps of Blunk and his own father, Rick Yoshimoto, a fellow sculptor. He poured his heart and soul into the woodland retreat at the end of a dirt road, about 2.5 hours north of San Francisco but worlds away.

Yoshimoto’s art collection, including ceramics made by his father, Rick, and godfather, J.B. Blunk, is on display throughout the tiny house.

“When I took over, the building was uninhabited for many years and the forest had encroached onto the property,” Yoshimoto says in the book about the existing structure, which was built in the 1980s. “There have been multiple residents and each has added on or modified the design.”

He added to the original structure, from shelves and lights to tables and stools throughout the humble cabin and workshop.

It doesn’t get more rustic than this tiny kitchen, which makes space for essentials in a small corner of the structure.


“My goal was to create something comfortable and liveable while applying my aesthetic and using the materials available, most of which were reused and reclaimed scraps from my art studio,” says Yoshimoto, whose artwork, which is carved from blocks of wood, has been shown in galleries around the world.


“Every plate, cup, and bowl has been made by an artist that I know or collected from travels,” he says. That includes ceramic pieces made by his father and Blunk, and paintings by friend Jessica Niello and Californian artist Raymond Yelland. “I really enjoy having a personal collection. To let things curate themselves by way of connection.”

The sleeping area is separated from the main living space by a curtain.

The home, like Blunk’s, is an ever-changing art exhibit that will continue to evolve and age with Yoshimoto. And it embodies that rustic, time-worn, beautifully weathered aesthetic that Inverness is famous for.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK and Nigeria Reach Agreement to Accelerate Return of Irregular Migrants
UK Sets New Aid Priorities Following Significant Budget Reductions
Cyprus President Urges Open Dialogue Over Future of British Sovereign Base Areas
Cyprus President Urges Open Dialogue Over Future of British Sovereign Base Areas
UK Plans 50% Steel Tariffs in Bold Move to Protect Domestic Industry
Iran Conflict Sends Shockwaves Through UK Economy as Energy Costs and Trade Risks Surge
UK Health Officials Warn Kent Meningitis Outbreak Still Active as Cases Continue to Rise
UK Climate Progress Faces Scrutiny Over Reliance on Carbon Accounting Methods
UK Deploys Advisers to United States to Shape Plan for Reopening Strait of Hormuz
Amazon Bets on AI-Driven Alexa Upgrade to Revive UK Smart Speaker Market
UK Abortion Law Changes Spark Strong Response from Church Leaders and Pro-Life Advocates
UK Abortion Law Changes Spark Strong Response from Church Leaders and Pro-Life Advocates
GB News Faces Regulatory Complaints Over On-Air Remarks on ‘Genocide’ Claims
UK Signals Expanded Support for Gulf Allies as Iranian Attacks Intensify Regional Threats
UK VAT Decision Opens Path for Potential Refunds to U.S. Biopharma Firms
UK and Canada Advance ‘Middle Power’ Strategy to Shape Global Influence Beyond Superpowers
Google Explores AI Opt-Out Features in Search to Address UK Regulatory Concerns
Google Explores AI Opt-Out Features in Search to Address UK Regulatory Concerns
UK Fuel Prices Poised to Surge as Global Tensions Drive Oil Market Volatility
UK Fuel Prices Poised to Surge as Global Tensions Drive Oil Market Volatility
UK Holds Back on Hormuz Escort Mission While Continuing Talks with Allies
TrumpRx Pricing Platform Faces Scrutiny as Some Medicines Remain Costlier Than in the UK
UK, Netherlands and Finland Explore Joint Defence Investment Bank to Boost Military Capability
Deadly Meningitis Outbreak in Kent Raises Alarm as Cases Surge and Emergency Response Expands
UK Security Adviser Viewed US-Iran Nuclear Deal as Within Reach Before Sudden Escalation
UK Prime Minister Urges Continued Focus on Ukraine Amid Escalating Iran Conflict
UK Introduces New Safeguards to Shield Lenders from Bank Run Risks
UK Promotional Products Market Surpasses £1.3 Billion as Demand Strengthens in 2025
Reeves Pushes for Deeper UK-EU Economic Ties to Revive Growth
UK Security Adviser Saw No Imminent Iranian Nuclear Threat Days Before War Erupted
France Signals Warm Welcome for UK Return to EU Single Market Amid Renewed Cooperation Talks
UK Defence Official Criticises Boeing Over Delays to E-7 Wedgetail Programme
UK Urged to Secure Quantum Talent as Minister Warns Against Repeating AI Setbacks
UK Mayors Set to Gain New Spending Powers Under Reeves’ Fiscal Devolution Plan
Western Allies Urge Restraint as Israel Weighs Expanded Ground Operation in Lebanon
Trump Warns NATO Faces ‘Very Bad’ Future Without Stronger Allied Support in Iran Conflict
UK Minister Says Britain Not Bound to Support Every Demand From U.S. President
Starmer Tells Trump Britain Will Not Be Drawn Into Wider Iran War
Starmer Tells Trump Britain Will Not Be Drawn Into Wider Iran War
UK Set to Introduce Steel Tariffs of Up to 50 Percent in New Industrial Strategy
European Governments Decline Trump’s Call to Send Warships to Reopen Strait of Hormuz
Fears Over Iran Conflict Weigh on UK Consumer Confidence
Starmer Says UK Working With Allies on Hormuz Shipping Plan After Trump Raises Pressure
Iran War and Energy Shock Shake Britain’s Economy and Political Debate
Deadly Meningitis Outbreak at UK University Leaves Two Dead and Several Seriously Ill
Deadly Meningitis Outbreak at UK University Leaves Two Dead and Several Seriously Ill
King Charles and Queen Camilla Share Personal Tributes to Their Mothers on UK Mother’s Day
Prince William Honors Princess Diana with Mother’s Day Tribute
UK Economy Stalls in January as Households Cut Back on Eating Out
AI-Generated Singer Becomes Viral Voice for Iranians With New Anthem
×