After two years of working on the North House Lodge in Vermont, and sharing bits and pieces of what it looks like, I figure it’s high time I give you guys a real home tour! Truth be told, I wasn’t feeling it was really ready to share before. Even though I have lot’s more I’d like to do here, it’s done enough to share with you all today.
I travel between our home in Florida and the North House several times a year to work and do various blog projects, and see to a big list of other maintenance items. When we bought this place, it was in bad shape. Not structurally, but cosmetically. There were several shades of burgundy carpet installed, the walls hadn’t seen fresh paint in a long time, woodwork had been left primed and not painted. In short, it was a mess.
But, I knew it was the perfect mess for me the moment I saw it. We’ve also added a new Vermont rental, just down the street, The Mill Place is coming along beautifully.
What is the North House Lodge?
The North House Lodge is a my blogger DIY project house that we rent out. Yes, it’s a vacation rental place. It was built in 1835 as two shops and moved here in 1894. Each side is three stories with 3 bedrooms and two full baths. I think of it as a guest house because it’s so much more than just a vacation rental.
Our home is located in Ludlow, VT in the Village of Ludlow. Basically, that means we are a short pleasant walk to hip restaurants, fun shops and the local grocery. It’s a four season destination that offers downhill and cross county skiing about a mile away, breathtaking fall foliage, fabulous hiking and bicycling, golf and plenty of lakes for warm weather water sports. All within a few minutes of the house.
The best place to start with a tour is the living area. There are two doors for each home, a front and side door at the kitchen. Of course, everyone uses the kitchen entrance. You guys may recognize many of my blog project in these photos. I’ll list and link them under each photo!
DIY Industrial Style Media Stand ~ DIY Rustic Coffee Table ~ Birch Log Candle Holder
The front rooms were originally two rooms that were opened up later. That brings some layout challenges.
Vintage Blanket Ladder ~How to Remove Veneer from Wood mirror project ~ How to Recover Wood Chair Seats
The windows are wonderful and let lots of light in. The downstairs is open and airy, which I love.
The kitchen sits just off the living area. The big coat rack and bench are the perfect place to peel off layers and welcome guests. In the winter we keep two boot trays out to hold snow covered boots and wet mittens.
DIY Shiplap vs Planked Wood Walls
My Dad and I built that plank wall in the back. It was originally white, but when I added the backsplash, I needed something bold to balance the spaces. That gorgeous colonial blue did the trick. You can read more about it in my Accent Wall Tips to Fix Decorating Challenges post.
I gave this kitchen a complete face lift with new appliances, granite counters, painted kitchen cabinets and a few more projects that I haven’t even written about yet like that gorgeous Peel and Stick Tile Backsplash.
DIY Reclaimed Wood Kitchen Shelves
We had a family reunion here this summer. This was the perfect game table and comfortably holds about 10 people!
There’s a full bath just off the kitchen. I added the plank wall a few years ago. Next summer I’m hoping to do a few more projects in here like upcycling the bath cabinet and faux vanity top.
Com’on upstairs and check out the bedrooms!
You’ll pass the second bath in the hall just past the staircase.
I still love my double barn sliding doors plus they are a huge space saver for the small bath!
Tips for Hanging Thick Wood Shelves – Speed Painting the Fastest Easiest Way to Paint
We’re going to start on the third floor loft. This was originally the attic and converted to a room at some point. All of the wood floors in this part of the house are original and date back to 1835. So is the chimney.
This room is called Quad Peak after one of the ski runs on Okemo Mountain. It has four twin beds and is a huge room. All the beds in both of our guest houses are plush, with quality down bedding and super comfy pillows.
I’ve got big plans for this space. Hopefully it will be on the list for next summer. It has so much potential! It’s been a lot to get to with six bedrooms, two kitchens and four baths that all needed an overhaul. I’ve had to pick and choose the projects that needed to be done the most. While plain, this room wasn’t the worst by far.
In the meantime, I’m picking and choosing a few special pieces for the room, like this vintage chest that serves as a nightstand between two of the twin beds.
Let’s go down to the second floor and the other two bedrooms.
This is the Americana Room. I just finished this headboard and a host of other projects that haven’t been written about yet. Be sure to check out the Stained Top, Painted Bottom Dresser Makeover.
You can’t see the details of the window in this room. I LOVE the combination of the weathered wood on the oar and the clean white seersucker fabric of the curtains!
Vintage Oar Nautical Curtain Rod
I’ve tried to keep the original doors in the house where I could. This one opens to a generous closet.
We just renovated it and painted the original floors in my colonial red this summer. This closet was almost room size, and a total mess. We built a vertical shiplap wall, a gorgeous Z door and I now have another storage room.
The other bedroom on the second floor is called the Lodge room.
It’s rustic, kind of manly and I love the feel of it.
Yes, I added the shiplap plank wall and I used the rough side out so it’s wonderfully textured and lodgy. I kept the wood natural. It will age over time. Have I mentioned how much I love the feel of this room? 🙂
Even though I’ve worked hard to create a welcoming place to call home for guests while they’re here, people don’t travel to Ludlow to stay indoors.
There’s a captivatingly beautiful world outdoors, year round.
Our fall foliage is breathtaking. Every single road is lined with the most striking shades of golds and reds I have ever seen.
Our view of Okemo Mountain ski runs from the kitchen window is a huge motivator in winter to get up and out early!
I could go on and on with gorgeous photos I’ve taken in my two years of working in this town. I’ll save some for the tour of the other side of our guest house. Click over to see the home tour for #54 Pleasant Street.
As I mentioned earlier, you can stay at the North House Lodge, this is a link to #52 and we list it with VRBO year round.
So….friends, what do you think? leave me a note in the comment section below, you know how much I LOVE hearing from you guys!
Cristina says
Wow! You sure have kept yourself busy, Wendi! Oh, I loved taking the tour or this beautiful home. You’ve done such a wonderful job, every project is so well thought and the design choices are perfect! I love the lodge room and the Americana too. It’s all beautiful! Well done!
Wendi says
Hi Cristina! Thank you so much!! It’s been a labor of love over the last 2 years of working on this place. Did you see the other side, the #54 side also? I like that each side has it’s own personality and decor styles that evolved on their own as the upgrades happened. I’m not done with either side yet, but what DIY’er ever admits to being done? Thanks so much for your visit and sweet comment!
Mary says
I think the lodge bedroom has to be my favorite. There is nothing like wood to warm up a room!
Wendi says
Hi Mary! I would have guessed that you’d like that one since you’re a northern gal! I love this room too, it’s the one I stay in when I’m up there. That wood wall was one of my first projects in the house! Thanks so much for your sweet note and visit! So glad you like my place!!
Michelle Leslie says
It’s beautiful Weni, love all the light filled rooms. We too have a holiday home that we rent out, no where near as big as yours is, and it’s not easy at all trying to decorate when you know that people will only be there for a little while and might not respect your space as much as what you do. You did an amazing job
Wendi says
Hi Michele and thank you! It’s a lot of fun and work too, in renovating and keeping it up as you know. We haven’t had too much of an issue with damage although I wish people were better at not burning my pots and pans so much! LOL oh well, that’s what goes with the territory I suppose. So glad you liked my place and all the work I did and thanks so much for your sweet note and visit!
Ellie says
It’s gorgeous, simple, functional and very homey looking!
Wendi says
Hi Ellie and thank you! I’ve had the best time working on these two places over the past few years. I’m not done, of course but am done enough to be able to look at these pictures and smile! Thanks so much for your sweet note and visiting my home tour!
MaryJean says
I love your guest house! It looks so warm and cozy. Maybe some day I will be able to vacation there!
Wendi says
Hi Mary Jean and thank you so much! It’s been a labor of love over the past two years and I still have so much left to do…but that makes good material for the blog too! I hope you get to vacation there too, you’d love the mountains and quaint little New England towns. Thanks so much for your sweet note and visit!
Penelope says
Hi Wendi, I would like to sing praises to your amazing style and great taste in home decor and home projects! Visiting North House Lodge is like coming home, it makes everything feel really, really good. Creating a vacation home, that feels like home, especially while travelling is the highest achievement in designing a perfect vacation property that you want to return to time and time again. Its relaxing, restful and restoring. When I walk through the door, every room is like a “Pinterest” home filled with love and beauty. You’ve created an escape for travelers in a fabulous location. Ludlow is an undiscovered summer/winter paradise that is soon to be on the map of great places to vacation. Kudos to you! North House Lodge is incredible.
Wendi says
Hi and Wow, Penelope! What a beautiful note and thank you for such a beautiful compliment. The journey has been a joy and I love that you were here from the beginning. You know how much work has gone into this place! Thanks for being such a good friend and thanks for your lovely note!
Lorraine Bedard says
Wow, Wendi….absolutely breathtaking, so very inviting. You indeed are very talented.
Wendi says
Hi Lorraine and thank you so much! Wait until you see the other side later this week! I’m very proud of the work I’ve accomplished here over the past two years. It’s been fun working in both Fl and VT, especially because I get to share such a wide variety of styles of DIY projects. Again, thanks so much for your sweet note! I hope we get to see you out here soon!