Tuesday, October 21

Would YOU come for a visit?

Warning! This post is a NOVEL, I have added lots of pictures to ease your pain as you trudge through this, its the least I could do for ya!

This is our carriage house. It was designed by Lavor Haynie from a picture of a European barn that I ripped out of a magazine, amazing! I love the roofline! But that is not what I want to 'pick your brains' about today.
The lower level is a 3+ car garage. It is used for woodworking items and storage for now. The upstairs is unfinished, but OH do I have dreams for it. The 2 initial thoughts for eventually finishing the upstairs is for a guest loft for when the Utah Callahans come a visitin', and to have a 'retreat' for me to escape to, to paint, stitch, etc.
I still need this space for those 2 reasons, but overall, I fear the space will mostly be VACANT. So here are some thoughts that have been occupying me for the past year now.
I would love to open a Bed & Breakfast.
Nothing full-time, even just 1 boarder a month would delight me. I love to hostess. Not looking for a new career, just something to keep me creative.
So my thoughts so far:
The upstairs is already plumbed for a full bath (although dinky, or should I say cozy).
I would have probably 2 queen beds, a seating area with a large coffee table that would double as a place to eat. A huge antique armoir that would have a TV, mini fridge, and microwave. And there will also be a desk area.
We were already planning for satellite TV, internet access, and phone... BUT boarders could choose to use any or NONE of those items.
Shawn and I are B&B addicts. We prefer them to Hotels, and interestingly enough, B&B's usually offer fewer amenities but the simplicity they offer is so relaxing.
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Future amenities we could offer:
Peace and Quiet (except for the occasional rooster crow and EEEEEAAAAAWWWW)
Free roaming of our property, which will eventually include; pond (with fishing and little paddle boat), animals, plenty of sitting areas, firering for sitting around a crackling fire, animals to pet and enjoy, swimming pool, strolls to the river bank, and eventually horse rides too. Anyone wanting to milk a cow or goat is welcome, snort, or even gathering eggs is adventurous!
For breakfast I would deliver to the loft landing a tray full of pastries, fruits, juices/milk, granolas, brie and crackers, etc.
Finally, but very important...a list of MUST EAT AT local dives, er, um, I mean diners... you know they always have the most incredible, dangerous, forbidden food!
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I see family and friends and simple word of mouth patrons, simple, low-key.
Thoughts?
Do you think you would come? Steal your husbands away for the weekend and only have to drive to S.Hville to 'escape'.
Here are the BEFOREs of the project, notice we have lots of work to do to the guest loft and the property surrounding it.
We plan to have it complete and open by Fall 2009!
I plan for cool shutters and HUGE window box here. Over the 3 garage doors I want a trellis with cottage roses growing over them.
I just love cupolos and lightning rods, don't you?!

This would be the entrance to the B&B. The dutch door would be decked out in all the fabulous hardware, gorgeous! Inside the garage would be a private entrance to the guest loft, guests would not be able to see the actual contents/junk of the lower area.

OK, this is just as you enter the loft from the stairs. This window faces our backyard, which will be incredible, or so it is in my mind's eye.

This is the bathroom. It will have a corner shower (I wanted a clawfoot but codes are TOUGH for those and made it impossible), a pedestal sink, toilet, little sitting area. It will be done in creams and whites, travertine, simple.

Hard to make this out, but there is a closet for hanging clothes. Also the inset for the giant antique armoire (which I will need 100 friends to help me hoist through the french doors, any volunteers?), and a nook for a 'kitchen' cabinet for little necessities. The sitting room will be in this area too, in front of the armoire.

This is the view to the other end of the loft. The beds would be against the right wall (I am standing in the future seating area taking this picture). The desk area (my retreat space) will be to either side of the french doors. The view out these french doors is out to our dry river bed and woods. There will be a faux iron balcony, the doors open to the inside and can be left wide open for breezes. All the beams you see will be left open, just painted. There will be ceiling fans, and dropped pendant lighting.

The ceiling pitch is 20+ feet high and follows the exact curves of the roofline, breathtaking! Beadboard will cover insulation on the celings, wood planking on the vertical walls, and wood plank floors.
Colors will be whites, creams, espresso, and coastal blues.
I have a slight (completely misleading) addiction to antique linens. I have collected for years and have boxes of this stuff, the beds will be dripping with yummy, antique linens in creams and whites. I also bought an antique (aka, old as dirt) bedframe several years ago in Destin that I hope to use the headboard and footboard for the beds, needs some rigging though.
The whole loft will be quite minimalist, but YUMMY... I like to call it Modern Cottage.
This is the current view from the carriage house front door. Future plans for the pond, fencing, horse barn, livestock barn, etc.

And cutey patootey animals just around each corner!

I have several names for the B&B swimming around in my head. We still need to come up with a name for our property too, several of our neighbors have cute farm names for their land and horseboarding businesses, etc. I want the B&B to have it's own distinctive name, I think, but I will keep you updated when I finally narrow down my many thoughts... I know you will be waiting in the wings just anxious for the announcement, laughter!! Thank you for your patience! Lots of thought and work, and definitely future work, has and will go into this project. Fun!!

6 comments:

kmmclain said...

I am jealous! You have such a beautiful piece of land to work with. I would definitely come! Who doesn't love the peace and quiet of everything you described? If I was writing a novel, I would definitely be there. I'm sure you would have no problem finding borders. A little piece of heaven on earth.

danakat said...

It's phenomenal!
I would come...we love B&Bs!
Your color scheme is right up my alley. I don't know if Modern Cottage is a real phrase or not, but when we started building our house, that is exactly what I said I wanted it to be some day. I am still waiting on that day...but we are getting closer. One project at a time. But yeah...Modern Cottage...ahhhh. Now I just need a bigger budget. ugh.

Can't wait to see pictures of all the improvements as they come.

Anonymous said...

Looks great and sounds like awesome plans! Can't wait to see what it all looks like in the end!

I think you are in a great area and have a good piece of land for a B&B! I love going somewhere where you are away from it all and can regroup, think and see beauty! :)

Sarah Mayfield said...

I think that is an incredible idea!!! I can always us a place close to home for a weekend get away for James and me or hey even just me.-Grin

Beth said...

I would definitely come!!! I love it! It would be great because I worry too much to leave town with Addie still in HSV, so it would be a get away but close enough that we could go get her if major meltdowns occured! Book me for next november 19! :)

Lisha said...

What a FUN idea! We'll be patrons!