A Carpenter’s $1M Secret

workshop to wonderland

Chris Broomfield is a humble man.

When I first met him at a conference back in August, I assumed he was “just another” nice guy in the STR space. I was wrong.

An hour into our conversation, I had a profound respect (which has only since grown) for this man and his journey.

His story in a nutshell:

In 2016, Chris was working as a trim carpenter, living paycheck to paycheck. He was building other people’s dreams but had nothing for his own family.

Then, a devastating blow hit. His wife, pregnant with their first son Ethan, was rear-ended at a stoplight by a drunk driver going over 50 mph.

Miraculously, she and their baby survived. The settlement was just enough to buy 5 acres of overgrown land in upstate New York for $28,000—four hours north of the city, near the tiny town of Remsen.

Chris saw an opportunity: the perfect spot to build a unique stay that could earn income while he slept (literally).

navigating rural permitting

Unlike the bureaucratic nightmare in many urban areas, permitting in rural New York was refreshingly straightforward. A couple trips to the local township, some conversations with the inspector, and he had a clear path forward.

This has changed somewhat, but it’s still more who-you-know than you might think. A willingness to show up in person and build relationships with local officials went a long way in getting things done.

the $800 invention that changed everything

Every weekend for three years, Chris drove up from Connecticut to build a dream for his family. He designed and built a stunning A-frame cabin, doing everything himself to keep costs low.

He drilled a 120-ft well for $4,800, ran power from the road, and installed traditional drain field septics for each cabin ($1,800 each). Total cost: $85,000.

But it was this one truly epic DIY feature which only cost $800 in parts that changed everything.

Using a garage door motor, rubber gaskets, and some metal track from the local hardware store, Chris engineered a bed that slides out under the stars. It works in every season (though you probably wouldn’t want it open for long in the winter 😉).

Here’s the rough sketch how the mechanism works:

He listed the cabin on Airbnb, and the internet exploded.

Millions of views, major media features, and $1M+ in bookings since opening. More than 1,000 international guests have travelled from around the world to stay here.

But Chris wasn’t done...

a whole village of iconic stays

A year later, in just 14 weeks start to finish, he built a treehouse with a suspension bridge entrance.

When a territorial buck kept ramming its antlers into the cabin’s large windows, he built a miniature pond with a 40-ft waterfall against the glass, complete with a tiny dock.

A poetic solution—and a textbook definition of “instagramable.”

Then came the third cabin, featuring a 16-ft indoor waterfall.

Now he’s building a mirror cabin and a wellness hut, opening in just a few months. This is yet another great example of a host designing a bespoke unit and then selling the plans, or in this case, a ready-built prefab, allowing others to bring his vision to their own land. (If you’re interested, you can fill out this ​form​).

By the way, mirrors in nature aren’t as dangerous for birds as you might think. They have special UV coatings with bird-shaped patterns that humans can’t see. Since birds see ultraviolet light, these coatings help prevent collisions.

The utilities plan

5 acres transformed into a whole village of iconic stays. Each cabin goes viral for different reasons, making his property a powerhouse.

the numbers speak for themselves

• $550+ nightly rates per cabin

• 90–95% year-round occupancy (in a seasonal market)

• 60% direct bookings

• Hundreds of thousands of followers

• 300+ million social media views

Now you know why Chris is such a star in my book.

But at the end of the day, he was just a guy with a dream and the determination to build a better future for his family. Through design, craft, and a heart to serve, he transformed an overlooked piece of land into a legendary family asset.

I hope this inspires you—because with vision and effort, I believe we can all create something just as meaningful.

You can check out Chris’ website and book a stay ​here​.