I know the last few weeks have been short on projects and sometimes short on posts here on the blog. There’s a good reason for it and I promise I haven’t been sitting on my duff. I’m excited to finally be able to share it with you! Do you guys remember a few weeks ago when I first traveled home, I shared a post about experiencing fall again that I had a big announcement to share with you?
It’s time to share!
As much as I love the beach, the North has a piece of my heart. It’s where I grew up and it will always be a special place. I’ve always wanted to have a connection back home and near my family. Well, DH and I came across an opportunity to pick up a vacation rental property in Vermont and we decided to go for it. We’ve also added another DIY rental project, The Mill Place, and it’s coming along beautifully.
This will give me lots of new material to share with you guys now and in the future along with the projects I have left to finish in the project house in FL. I’ll work on both throughout the year which gives me a fabulous opportunity to share completely different home improvement and home decor styles! You’ll still get plenty of coastal and beach and now I’ll add farmhouse and New England to the mix. Our new place is a duplex in the charming town of Ludlow Vermont, a small town at the base of a ski mountain with year round family activities.
It’s an old post and beam house with loads of character that was built somewhere between 1850 and 1900.
I’ll have two more kitchens to work on. You can see my renovated kitchen in Florida here.
Four more baths to get creative and transform. I finished our three in Florida, my coastal half bath which is in my studio, a family bath renovation and of course my favorite of all, our natural and modern master bath renovation.
…six bedrooms, two living rooms and a lovely yard to roll up my sleeves and tackle. Whew! It’s going to be work and it’s going to be fun!
This place has great bones and a sound structure.
Yes, it needs some work. Do you spot the three colors of carpet in this picture?
It just needs some creative TLC which is what I usually look for in a home anyway. There’s lot’s of hidden charm just waiting to be brought out.
I’m going to get busy real soon doing just that.
Over the next 6 weeks or so I’m doing a whirlwind makeover on whatever I can fit in that will make a big impact as well as a huge amount of decorating and staging to make it not just competitive but stand out as a wow in the local vacation rental market.
We’re calling this place the North House Lodge, I think it’s a fitting name to go along with H2OBungalow, don’t you agree?
You guys will now get the best of both worlds as I share my DIY projects in home décor and home improvement on the North House and in Fl at H2OBungalow!
I hope you’re ready to have some fun because I sure am!
Amy nargiso says
It wasn’t my taste either. It came with those carpets but rest assured our money went into getting a dryer out of the 1st floor bathroom, adding a shower, 2 dishwashers, new fridge on 54, a lifetime metal roof and footings and posts in basement since others cut through beams without adding support. I’m so happy someone is now taking things to a new level. The purple valance with the maroon carpet?…. ornery sense of humor. Hey those carpets were like iron though. Good luck and enjoy don’t knock the former ownerowners.
Wendi says
Hi Amy! So nice to get your note and hear more of the history of the place. We love the house. I understand how you feel, and have been through many old building renovations where all the $$ that gets poured in doesn’t improve the looks just the structure. I completely appreciate that you guys took care of a lot of that so all I have to do is some cosmetic work. Hope you enjoy seeing the changes and progress we make over time. Thanks so much for your good wishes and Happy New Year!
Christy@ Confessions of a Serial Do-it-Yourselfer says
How exciting!! So do you plan to rent out both sides or will you keep one side for yourself and one to rent? Can’t wait to see what you do! 🙂
Wendi says
Hi Christy! Both units will be vacation rentals and we’ll use them when they aren’t rented in the summer and sometimes in the winter months. I’m excited to have so many new potential projects to create and share! Plus it’s a whole new stye from the beach look. Thanks so much for your super sweet comment!
Mary-the boondocks blog says
Wendi congratulations on your new rental home! It looks really great and like you said with good bones. I will be looking forward to seeing all the changes you make. This is really exciting and such a big change from the beach house.
Wendi says
Hi Mary… I KNOW you understand the draw to the Northeast since you are a transplant as well. I feel fortunate to have access to the best of both worlds and thrilled for more DIY opportunities too! Thanks so much for our visit!
Jeanie says
I can’t wait to watch you update these spaces. The view of the mountains is spectacular!
Wendi says
Hi Jeanie, I have my work cut out for me that is for sure! This will be a long term work in progress and a labor of love as well. I have some super projects on the list:)
Marie from The Interior Frugalista says
Congratulations!!! How exciting to live part-time in a ski resort town, especially in scenic Vermont. Looking forward to following your adventures in project house #2. You Go Girl!! xo
Wendi says
Hi Marie and thank you! I’m excited and I admit a bit overwhelmed at the moment. There is so much to do and so little time to do it in! I’m pretty excited to be here in the snow though. I loved your Facebook picture of the snow! Thanks so much for your note friend, t means a lot:)
Paula says
I am so happy for you and can’t wait to see what you do with North House Lodge. We loved visiting Ludlow when we took ski trips to Okemo. I am thrilled for you to get to live part-time in beautiful Vermont!
Wendi says
Hi Paula & thank you! I’m excited beyond words to have a part time place up here and even more so that I have a huge amount of new opportunity for DIY projects. There’s a ton of work to be done here s between FL and VT I’ll have no shortage of post material:) Thanks so much & if you happen to be up in this area, let me know!
Lynda Sneed says
Congratulations!!!
What a great time to have been in Vermont!!!_
There’s something said about ” going home ),& I’m very happy for u.
One of my favorite posts of yours was the sailing trip you took with your dad. I know it had to have been very precious & memorable. Also, hard to leave your dad!! Now you will be there lots of times to share & create more memories.
You are such a hard worker, I cant wait to follow along as you make over North House Lodge, as you have H2OBungalow!!
So very happy for you & D H!!
Wendi says
Hi Lynda! Thank you for such a sweet note. Yes, time at home has been special and having a connection that’s closer to my Dad & family makes our new adventure even more special…and convenient! I just brought a full carload of flea market shopping for him to bring up since my own car is packed to the roof with stuff to bring up, LOL. I can’t wait to share some of the projects I’ve thought up already. Being free to work with more than one decor style, beach and farmhouse has me over the moon excited. Thank you again for the very nice note. It really makes my day to get a note like yours.
gail says
Ohhh how fun to see pictures of the new place up North Wendi! 🙂
You have lots to work with (and work on) We should have a girls’ (work) weekend!
gail
Wendi says
Hi Gail & thank you! I’m silly excited to start working on it! I’d love a girls work weekend, come on up my friend! You are welcome anytime, I can always use your awesome power tool skills!
Morgan says
I’m so excited!! Can’t wait to see your touch on this place And can’t wait to see it in person! Awesome find Mom❤️
Wendi says
Hi Honey:) Thanks so much for stopping by and taking a peek at our new adventure. I can’t wait for you guys to come up too, you’ll love it and so will my sweet grandson! I’m looking forward to creating special family memories with you all up here. XO
Patty says
Wendi, this is going to be great, I would love to see a picture of the whole outside.
You can tell from the pictures that it has so much potential and I think you will make it fabulous’
What are you planning to start on first?
Wendi says
Hi Patty 🙂 That’s a good idea and I will share more photos. It really does have a ton of potential. Aside from simple staging and changing out some home decor stuff I will probably start in the kitchen and downstairs baths. I only have about 6 weeks to get things done on this first pass. Well see how much I can fit in! LOL Thank you for your vote of confidence!
Debby says
North House Lodge, great name. Looks like you will have some fun fixing and redoing things.
Wendi says
Hi Debby & thank you! The name kind of made itself. We were wracking our brains trying to come up with a good name, and my sister said something to me about a project…I replied which house, the north house? And that was it. I definitely do have my work cut out for me and am looking forward to the challenge! Thanks so much for your note!
Pamela Groppe says
This looks like it is going to be fun. I can’t wait to see what you do to it. It does seem to have great bones and will have all the charm folks look for when renting a cottage for a vacation.
Wendi says
Hi Pamela & thank you. This place has charm just waiting to come out. Of course, right now it’s hiding under 3 colors of carpeting and some pretty bad paint! It will be a fun project and I love the idea of decorating with another favorite decor style in a new place. It’s like the best of both worlds, the beach & New England. Thank you for your visit & note!
Jody says
So happy for you and now I will have Northern ideas where Beachy ones just don’t work. My mom’s house was built in 1829 and my hunk of burning love is 1910. I adore it. Have a good time and from what you showed it is great.
Wendi says
Hi Jody and thank you very much! Like you, I love old houses. How amazing yours and your Mom’s houses must be! I’ve wanted to take on a project like this for years. I love my beach house but this gives me an outlet to fill my northern vintage decorating itch and I can’t wait to get started! I think you will love some of the projects I have planned. Thanks you o much for your sweet note, I love hearing from my friends who follow along with my projects!