As children, we strive to give back to our parents in the many ways that they have given to us. As parents, we simply hope our children don’t grow up and forget about us.
Though the future is unknown, one thing is for sure, the bond between parent and child is strong. Whether the relationship is perfect or not, there’s no doubt that it is the strongest one that many of us will ever have.
Sometimes, parents get lucky and get a son like Josh Wynne.
Josh Wynne is not only a carpenter but a true craftsman. Hailing from Sarasota, Florida, he grew up around houses with character, like his cracker-style beach bungalow. Though Wynne spent much time fishing and exploring, his passion was building structures.
In fact, his friends called him “MacGyver” from the television show. You know, the guy who could fix anything with a stick of gum and piece of string. Fortunately, his love for craftsmanship grew and he was able to start his own construction company called, Josh Wynne Construction in 1998.
Making a difference
However, as he worked on homes, he noticed the shift in the types of homes that he started to see in his beloved hometown. The cracker-style homes that he grew up in were no longer. Instead, they were replaced with “McMansions.”
In addition to the old-style homes being torn down, there was a drastic increase in the environmental encroachment of swamps and land.
Wynne decided that he wanted to make a difference. In order to do so, he left the carpentry business and built Florida’s first LEED Platinum v.1 certified home. He also had the highest scoring LEED Platinum home in the world.
LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Its scoring system is based on how well the building (residential or commercial) meets “green” standards. Primarily, the building should aim to improve performance in, “energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.”
Giving back
Though Wynne is an accomplished craftsman, he wanted to utilize his skillset to give back to someone very special to him — his father.
To do so, Wynne built his dad, Mike, a gorgeous handicap accessible home right on his property. The cabin is 604 square feet and comes very close to exactly what his father wanted when he retired.
“His dream has always been to try [to] retire to a cabin in the woods. This is what he got,” Wynne shared with Dwell.
Wynne only used one tree to build the cabin and planted three more in its place. Also, he used recycled materials like a salvaged yellow pine from a nearby construction site. Because it’s eco-friendly, it’s also cost-efficient. The cabin includes central heating and air that only costs about $25 every month.
Not only is it green but it looks incredible. It isn’t necessarily a “tiny” house especially since the open concept really does make it look bigger than it actually is. The windows stretch from the floor to the ceiling which only creates a more spacious feel.
It doesn’t hurt that the rear of the cabin, which is also where the bedroom is located, is visible to a wetland where the sun sets every evening.
In addition, pendant, access, and recessed lighting outfit the entirety of the cabin, giving it a more modern feel.
This cabin has it all! What an extraordinary gift from a son to his father. To see these photos in motion, watch the video below!
What have you gifted your parents recently?
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