It’s been a while since I’ve shown you our cabin in detail. About five years actually. I thought about it often, but never took the time to take the photos. Now that the cabin is for sale, this will surely be the last tour, and what better time since I can take advantage of the professional photos that were recently taken?
Let me share with you how we came to be owners of our cozy log cabin by the lake.
We were busy business owners for many years and found it difficult to get away for extended vacations. The next best thing was to find a place within a three hour drive of our then home in Westchester County, NY, so we looked at the Poconos, upstate NY and finally found our way to the Berkshire area. Our criteria was to be preferably on a lake, but if not, within walking distance.
We quickly found out lakefront was not within our budget, at least not in a community we wanted to be in. Then our realtor recommended the community we are in now. It’s a little out of the way, but still within driving distance to many of the activities the Berkshires has to offer. The lake is one of the few in the area that is pristine, and doesn’t allow motorized boating or jet skis, making it a relaxing, quiet place to be. While we are not lakefront, we are less than a two minute walk, which is the next best thing. There is also a clubhouse, tennis and pickleball courts, as well as hiking trails both within the community and nearby.
I’m going to take you step by step and try to give you the proper orientations along the way and talk about some of the many projects we’ve completed, so let’s begin with the front of the house.
You see the grey gravel at the left bottom corner? That’s part of a parking space where one of our cars is almost always parked. From there, you would descend the steps and either walk along the gravel path toward the covered porch on the left side or cross over to the driveway on the right and enter through the screen door to the enclosed porch.
This next photo was taken about two weeks after the first one. Notice the rhododendron on the left in full bloom, and how much more filled in everything is.
We don’t have a garage, so the gravel driveway is the other spot where we park and typically enter the home from. Remember the cement leaves from last year? And it’s difficult to see but I moved the fairy garden to a different location this year. It’s located in the rock garden on the far right which we completed last year.
The screened in porch is one of my favorite spots and where you’ll often find me with my morning cup of coffee listening to the early morning sounds of birds chirping, or reading a book as sunset approaches.
Since they are exposed to the elements, I made the curtains out of shower liners that I sewed some fabric to for needed length and color, and the trunk was picked up at Brimfield a few years ago, and is where I store gardening gloves and shoes, a few tools and fertilizer so I can grab n’ go.
I don’t have a recent or professional photo of our bistro table, but just about where the photographer was standing when she took the above photo, is this little table for two. It’s here you’ll find us eating dinner, protected from bugs on any night the weather permits.
Another spot I don’t have any professional pics of, but I grabbed this one that was taken a long time ago with a point and shoot. The seating on the right is now at home in our fire pit and this area just has two rockers now, making it a bit more open. We don’t use this porch much at all, so moving the log seating was a good thing.
Now let’s step inside. Entering the cabin from the screened porch, this is what you see. A small dining area to your immediate right, kitchen and hallway straight ahead, and small living room to your left, divided from the dining area by a staircase leading to the basement.
The long piece of art at the top of the photo is nothing more than an inexpensive print we adhered to foam board with spray adhesive.
The front and sides of the island used to be boring flat paneling, but we installed airstoneâ„¢ a few years ago and love how it came out. Super easy and pretty inexpensive to do. We had some leftover so I installed it at the end of the cabinets on the right also.
We also removed a few wood panels from the uppers and replaced them with glass. Another project that wasn’t that difficult but did a lot to break up the endless wood. You can see how we did it here.
You may remember when we painted the wood white not too long ago. Best thing we ever did, as everyone agrees it makes the cabin look bigger and brighter.
When we purchased the house, there was a cabinet where the plate rack is and it just felt weird. Like it was hanging in the middle of nowhere and looked out of place. I had this rack custom made by an Etsy dealer and I love it!
The photos on the shelf above the sliding doors were taken by me two years ago while in Vermont during the Fall. If you haven’t seen that post and you enjoy beautiful foliage, I recommend you take a peak.
I made the drapes a few years ago and sewed the chair cushions recently with the same fabric, and purchased the rug online. Together, they gave this area some much needed brightening up. I had considered painting the table a creamy white for a long time, but opted to just refinish it instead and rely on fabric to perk things up.
Standing behind the island below, you get a view of the living room as well as the door (the green one) that leads to the open porch. To the left of that door is the only bath that existed when we bought the house. It never ceases to amaze me that four people lived here and would have to walk through public places after taking a shower to get to their bedroom.
The piano bar was a ‘make lemonade out of lemons’ scenario. The previous owners were supposed to remove it but never did, and we couldn’t find anyone willing to take it, even as a donation. Turned out to be a blessing because it’s a pretty cool piece. You can see the transformation here.
The large leaf print above the fireplace is pretty much the exact same installation as the other one. An advantage of this diy, aside from it being inexpensive, is the end result is super light and easy to install.
The coffee table started out as a slab of wood I picked up for $5 at a tag sale. We added aluminum piping for legs and called it a day.
Not surprisingly, these recliners are our favorite spots for watching tv, and is where you can find us most nights. Our current obsessions are The Americans, Bloodline, and of course, House of Cards, although the later is not quite as good as it used to be. Do you agree?
The paintings on the right were done by me as a practical measure (there are three but one is not shown). Originally the house ended there and that was a window, but the previous owners added on however they didn’t close it up. Consequently, the window looks into the master bath. Kinda weird, huh?
After we painted the kitchen wall in white, we decided to take it another step further and do the hallway. The door on the left leads to our bedroom and the one on the right is where the boys sleep when they’re here.
The master bedroom isn’t large, but it’s cozy and meets our needs. There’s room enough for a king bed, two roomy nightstands and a rocking chair in the corner on the right. There’s a walk in closet large enough for me, and Fisherman uses the closet in the boys’ room across the hall. When we were here part time, we shared the walk in, but when I needed to bring all my clothes here it was far more practical to have separate closets.
The ‘tree’ was the first project I shared on my blog but I lost all the photos through a mishap so I deleted it completely. It was fun to do and fairly simple, using just twig wreaths, wire and copper foil.
This master bathroom was nothing more than an empty space with exposed studs. We added the cork flooring and knotty pine tongue and groove wood planks ourselves, and splurged on a custom vanity as well as the tub. The turquoise cabinet was another project I completed using milk paint, and stores a surprising amount of toiletries. Along with the trunk on the porch, I picked the cabinet up at Brimfield (if you’re ever in the area, you MUST go) and gave it a nice makeover which you can see here. I like this cabinet so much it will be one of the very few pieces to make the trip to NC with us.
We added the tongue and groove paneling to the walls and ceiling, and I sewed the stagecoach valances. Fisherman made the shelving which houses, among other things, a few gingerbread houses protected by plexiglass Mikey and I made when he was in his single digits. These houses are about 10 years old now and still intact, thanks to the wonders of hot glue :).
This plaid dresser was one of those ‘not so easy but worth it’ projects. The method I used can be adapted for almost any flat surface including walls and if you’re a plaid lover like me, give it a try on something small to get your feet wet.
Notice the loft? Naturally, it’s Mikey and Maddox’s favorite spot in the house!
Just one more room to show you on the first level and that’s the aforementioned bathroom. The ’tiles’ are stick ons I got from Etsy and while I’m not fond of the pattern, they added much needed color to the space.
Let’s head downstairs now. This spot is where Fisherman typically watches sports, and in the back is my craft/sewing space. To the left is another bedroom which houses my computer and is where I am right now typing this. The two stained glass panels on the right were made by me many years ago in our former house in NY and for quite some time they were stored in the attic. Since we decorated this space in a western theme we felt this would be the perfect space for them. They won’t make the move with us and that makes me a little sad because they were a TON of work, but no more western decor in my future, and that’s fine with me.
The dry bar area under the stairs was installed by us. We bought the cheapest cabinets we could find, painted them and added some cool cowboy hat pulls.
Now don’t freak out. That’s not a real deer! His name is Buck, and he sings different western songs and tells corny jokes all while moving his neck and head. Creepy? Yes. Funny? Depends on your sense of humor, but we think so 😉
The leather chair on the right is where I blog. This is a nice size room and where most people stay (besides the boys) when they visit. It’s private and has its own little bath with an itsy bitsy shower big enough for a pygmy, but it’s good enough.
We added faux suede to the soffits and cove moulding, and I gave the walls a denim finish using Ralph Lauren paint. The window treatments are simply ‘vintage look’ napkins that I sewed together which are hung on a tension rod.
My desk is made out of two hollow core doors glued together and placed on top of three cabinets from IKEA. The chairs were an unbelievable bargain from Brad’s Deals…both for $70 including shipping!
The downstairs bath was another completely gutted space and was absolutely the most challenging space to complete. Low ceilings and ductwork made things super difficult to work with, but we did the best we could and while it’s not perfect, it has served its purpose.
See? I told you the shower was small!
I’ve been spending more time in front of my sewing machine than the computer lately, making lots of boxed pouches and cosmetic bags. You see the cabinets? You can tell they’re super cheap, just plywood actually. They’re the exact same cabinets used for the dry bar. See what paint can do?
Remember when the blog was called ‘Househoneys’?
Let’s go back outside now. Here’s a view of the fire pit from the second level deck out back.
And here’s a view of the back of the house from the fire pit. You will notice the back is vinyl sided, but don’t blame us! The previous owners did that when they added on.
Since we don’t have a garage, we desperately needed some storage when we moved here full time so we added some space under the deck and it’s come in super handy!
We had the deck built four years ago and chose Trex. Believe it or not when we first viewed the house there was nothing outside the second story door. Not exactly to code :/.
That just about wraps things up my friends. Thanks for sticking with me, and if you have a few more minutes, you may want to see some of the ‘before’s’.
If you’d like to see what the craft room looked like, go here.
If you’d like to see what our living room looked like when I was in full blown ‘rustic’ mode, go here.
If you’d like to see some before/afters, mostly of the basement, go here.
The photos are small and poor quality for the most part, but I still can’t believe we did all that!
In other news…
Putting this post together really made me take stock of how much we have accomplished. When we first saw the cabin, there were exposed ceilings in the basement, uneven cement flooring, horrible paint colors in the bedrooms, a big piece of countertop missing in the kitchen, and no deck or even a landing of any kind out the back door (8′ off the ground). But that didn’t deter us. Nowadays, buyers are turned off by something as minor as a dripping faucet. Why is it that so many people not only can’t see potential, but have no desire to do ANY work on ANYTHING!? Drives me bonkers. Oh, and I forgot to mention we had to replace the roof almost immediately, we painted the outside logs and porches, landscaped and fixed some electrical issues. I’m tired just thinking about it all.
Time for a nap…
Except where indicated, all photos courtesy of Andrea York Photography
If you or anyone you know is interested in our cabin, contact our agent, Diane Massey. She lives in our community too so knows the area well and has tons of experience and can answer any questions you may have.
Marilyn @ Pink Paper Cottage says
Wow Doreen! Thanks for the look-back over the last 5 years! You have done SO SO MUCH WORK… how hard it will be to leave it. It reminds me alot of my sister and her husband’s “cabin” in La Pine, Oregon, but it’s not as big. It truly IS a cabin but lots of rough wood and bark left inside and all logs. You have done wonderful things to it and I would think anyone who is looking for a cabin in the woods would fall in love immediately with yours! That basement area is awesome.. and the upstairs so open and wonderful and I remember many of the things you did when you were House Honeys. What will you rename your blog when you move??? (hee hee….. what is the road name there?????). Your yard looks absolutely gorgeous. Are the first photos current ones taken by the professional photographer? I love your living room and the master bedroom. They are so inviting and cozy. Love it all really! I would hate to leave that area, but I think your new home and area is very comparable in many ways. I never had seem many parts of your home so really enjoyed all the work you put into this post! xoxoxo Marilyn
Pinky says
OMGoodness, I love your “cabin”. It is just beautiful and you have done so much to make it that way. Thanks for this wrap up!
Amy says
My oh, my, Doreen, your talent knows no bounds! Your home is a gem, and whoever buys it will be very lucky, indeed, to reap the fruits of all your hard labor. I think I’d live on your screened in porch…it’s perfect!
handmade by amalia says
That knock on the door is the people from Country Living coming for a photo shoot.
Amalia
xo
Poppy says
You know what? YOU should go knocking on Country Living’s door and don’t leave until they open it and offer you a cover page and feature story AND a spot in their real estate section, no charge!! I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: your DIY transformations are proof that good ol’ elbow grease makes things sparkle, again!
Best of luck with the sale, my friend! Whoever is smart enough will snap up this Berkshires beauty before it’s too late!
Happy weekend,
xxx
Poppy
Mary says
Doreen as I’m writing this I am scrolling up and down to make sure that I comment on everything. Your piano bar is so cool! Talk about great opportunities! And theliving area is pretty and very cozy. Ha. You always have to wonder what people are thinking by adding windows into the bathroom. Your bed is gorgeous and full of so much character. The whole house has been decorated to reflect your location and to play off of all that beautiful wood. The kid’s room is one that any youngster would love to have. Ahh that plaid dresser!!!
And did I say the upstairs had character? Whoa the downstairs has so much more. Lots and lots of fun western details. It’s a shame you cannot take the windows with you but I guess you have another vision for the new house. And your househoney craft room is so much fun. Love the denim blue color on the walls. And all those pops of color.
You have really done an incredible job with this house, you put your heart and soul into it. Good luck with the sale and I will definitely be looking forward to seeing how you decorate the new house.
Doreen says
Your cozy abode is just that plus a subtle elegance that blends the rustic with a touch of “loft” living feel. The landscaping really appealed to me. I’m such a non-gardener but can appreciate such “green space” for the dedication it takes to keep it pristeen. Your luv of plaid was/is the perfect addition to brighten the woodsy structure. No doubt….your creativity has taken a mere log “cabin” to a dreamy cottage that is so inviting…..and you will do wonderful things with your next location, I’m sure!!
Penny at Enjoying The Simple Things says
Loved the tour. Your home is so cozy and charming I hope it will sell fast for you.
Marybeth says
Thanks for the great tour your house and the commentary on what you have done thru the years! It is amazing that the changes were done by “happy-hands-at-home” and now you can take much pride in how it looks. Question: does the blog name change when the cabin sells and the move takes place:) ?
tammy j says
wow.
these pictures are wonderful!
words fail me.
but wanna bet I make another overly-long comment?
first… I agree with every single comment made before me!
what took me so long is the fact that I followed every link! and of course there were links in all those posts too!
it was amazing to see the work you’ve put into everything. your imagination and projects are amazing.
what you have is a beautiful elegance that is the best combination of all… rustic elegance!
the white and the colors you’ve chosen! it’s all so beautiful.
it’s move-in ready.
are you REALLY sure you want to leave? LOLOL!
the link to when you bought BAM. oh my gosh. I COULD SEE MYSELF LIVING IN BAM!!!
ok. I see I’m writing the great American novel here. once again.
this cabin is a testament to living well. to enjoying life to the fullest. and to loving life itself.
it will sell! and let your new adventure begin!!!
love darling bean. XOXO♥
SharonFromMichigan says
It must be hard to leave a house that you put so much blood, sweat & tears into! But I understand why you want to move to NC. Isn’t that so true that people all want “turn key” houses nowadays? But that’s okay, just ask “turn key” prices! LOL Can’t wait to hear about your next chapter in life when you get to NC!
Hugs, Sharon
Pat M. says
Can’t wait to see what you do with your new home in NC. You said “no western decor in your future” and I can imagine that it will fun and thrilling to go a different direction with your decor. I don’t blame you for not wanting to take the cabin look with you – you’re starting a new phase of your life and your surroundings should reflect that. Hope the sale goes quickly and you’re able to move on in a calm and fruitful manner. If nothing else, your weather should be a lot easier to deal with. Good luck to you.
Kim says
Absolutely beautiful, Doreen, you have done a wonderful job with your home. I am sure that looking back, your move must be bittersweet. The cabin is just so lovely, I can imagine it will be hard to leave it and all of your transformations behind. It will sell very quickly, I have no doubt. 🙂
Julie says
Hi Doreen, thanks for the tour of your lovely cabin. You did so much work with it. I do hope it will sell fast for you. Then you can move on to the next chapter of your life.
Take care and enjoy the weekend and week.
Julie
Kris says
Oh my gosh Doreen your cabin is right out of a magazine. It will sell quickly for sure. Just beautiful and charming. Now with selling and buying two houses in the past year I know what you mean about today’s buyers. They want move in ready no work and no personality added iof their own. Made me crazy too. Our house we just bought needs work and our personality so we are excited to add our touches. Have a great weekend.
Hugs
Kris
Melanie says
I enjoyed seeing your entire cabin since I’m rather new to your blog. It’s so pretty and cozy and you have done so much work both inside and out. I can’t imagine leaving after all that work! I’m sure your move will be bittersweet.
AnnMarie says
What a great tour! It is so huge inside! I think your lovely home will sell quickly…..
Rita C at Panoply says
Wow, Doreen! I had no idea how spacious this cabin abode was/is! You have done so much work on this, and it looks fantastic. I hope you have a quick sell. It seems like it would go quickly, but I don’t know your region so aI can’t speak with any authority. Your comment regarding why don’t buyers want to do any work? People like my husband and I are NOT DIYers, and after living through our most recent renovations, I certainly would prefer move-in ready (which yours is). But having said that, I can see potential and wouldn’t be against buying a place that needed things done. I’d just want to have them completed before I moved in. 🙂 Best of luck, and be sure to keep us posted.
Deb @ Frugal Little Bungalow says
What is funny is that I’ve read your blog for quite awhile, recall most of this work and projects, etc but never realized that you were part of some organized ‘community” ! 🙂
I hope that this sells quickly for you who wouldn’t want it! 🙂
Cyn says
Love, love, love it and always have! I wish you the best of luck with the sale and move!
Carla TePaske says
If I lived over that way ….. 🙂 your home is lovely. I love each of your bathrooms. Fun ideas.
The yard, gardens and setting are lovely. I think it will sell quickly and like I said, if I lived over that way, I would be checking it out.
Keep us posted.
Carla
Cecilia says
That was fun Doreen! I always love touring other people’s homes. Hoping you sell it quickly! It’s come a long way!
Jane says
Thanks so much for the tour, Doreen…I don’t know if I’ve ever seen half of this. The front view of the home is gorgeous–someone knows their gardening…very neat and pretty against the gorgeous backdrop of the trees. Love the screen in porch. I’ve always wanted one.
I know it’s been a labor of love inside and I think I, and anyone, would feel very cozy and happy with these walls. I know what you mean about people who freak over the littlest drawback. And then there are those who think it’s an opportunity to put their own stamp on the home. Sometimes it’s just instant gratification. Both of our homes were big fixer uppers. And my hubby is not handy (gulp) so it took a lot of time to get by with a lot of ugliness and really huge problems. That’s life.
I think it’s going to sell, Doreen…your home has so much to offer. I’d get huge lump in my throat at the thought of leaving!
Jane x
Carrie@northwoods scrapbook says
I just love your place so much Doreen! It is so amazing all that you’ve accomplished while you’ve lived there! Even after following your blog for quite a while now – to see the projects all in one post like this…well I’d say I’d need a nap too! 😛 I’m just so impressed!! I bet it’ll be bittersweet to leave a place you’ve loved and built up for so long. But then of course there’s the fun on dreaming on the new adventures ahead!
Fingers crossed for a perfect buyer soon! Blessings Hon. xoxo
Dewena says
It’s a little piece of heaven, Doreen! I can see why it wasn’t an easy decision to leave. Whoever the future owners are, they are going to appreciate all you’ve done over time because it looks like they can just walk in, unpack and enjoy the good life.
I wish I could stroll around that yard!
Dewena
Karen@Beatrice Euphemie says
Oh, Doreen, what a charming cottage and you have done so much to make it home, sweet, home! It’s surprisingly large, too, something I couldn’t tell from the front! Everything is so nice, including the beautiful landscaping and grounds. Someone is going to absolutely treasure this home and I hope it sells quickly for you. I know it must be bittersweet to think of leaving it, but new memories will be made in your beautiful new home. xo Karen
Emily says
Oh my goodness Doreen, Seeing all you’ve accomplished in one post really blows me away. Y’all have done an exceptional and amazing transformation on your cabin. If I was anywhere near I would have to seriously think about a second home. I love your little cabin in the wood and just I’m thinking about how quite and peaceful it must be there. I remember the cement leaves and love them in the bed, i love how the paint brightened up and changed the interior, kitchen and hallway, amazing. I know you will miss this but I also know how you enjoy a chanllenge so I know you are looking forward to your new adventure. Now, I’m going back to take another look at all you’ve accomplished. Seems just as we get our homes just the way we want them the “for sale” sign goes up! Hugs………
Amy says
I’m featuring your gorgeous cabin at Best of the Weekend tomorrow night, Doreen!
Red Rose Alley says
Doreen, your house is simply wonderful. There are so many features that I liked. I know what you mean about buyers being turned off by the slightest thing. You have really used your imagination along with hard work and determination to make this house what it is today. What really caught my eye is your cozy room with the fireplace. It’s so welcoming. And I love your spacious kitchen.
You’re right, you have accomplished a great deal in this house, and you should be happy about that. Thanks for giving us a peek into your wonderful home.
~Sheri
Cheryl@TFD says
Your home is absolutely gorgeous! I’ve told my hubby that I just saw his dream home. 🙂 Thanks for your visit to my blog and leaving a comment. Have a nice weekend!
Nancy says
Your log cabin is beautiful, Doreen. I love the setting; so lush and green. I imagine you get quite a few birds and butterflies visiting your lovely place. You and your husband certainly have a talent for renovation, lots of good ideas here. Your description of the talking deer head made me laugh. . .reminds me of something one would see at Disneyland. LOL Good luck with the sale of your home. I hope it sells fast. xo
Amy | Stow and Tell U says
Wow Doreen, this tour really shows off how spacious your cabin is. Now I can really see the open floor plan layout, yet it still has that cozy feel. You two have made some great choices with your upgrades. I think the white washed walls really brighten things up, but all in all, it’s just a gorgeous structure through and through. Thank you for sharing in detail. I really enjoyed the tour!!
Dayle says
I enjoyed the tour. What a great place.
Jemma says
Doreen,
I had no idea the depth of your projects and the results are beyond beautiful!
Your creative genius is amazing and I loved this tour.
I just know that your tranquil, well appointed home will sell so quickly and you will be living the life in North Carolina!
XOXO
Jemma
Pamela says
My cousin has lived in Wilmington NC for many years. And now they have moved to Venice Florida. Unique how things work out. It really is a small world.
Debbie - MountainMama says
Wow, Doreen, you’re really doing it!! I must have missed the post where you decided where you are going – where are you off to? Sorry, I’ve been swamped and way behind on catching up with my blog friends!
Magali@TheLittleWhiteHouse says
I thoroughly enjoyed that tour. The cabin is really nice and you’ve done a lot to make it look so great!
Linda says
I love every single room in your log home. It is decorated so nicely with perfect touches everywhere! I am impressed!!! Love your craft room too! 😉