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Published: March 31st 2018
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My husband’s family owns a darling little cabin in the woods near Lake Junaluska, NC. It’s one of those places that you wouldn’t even really know exists unless someone you know has been there before. Tucked away about 45 minutes from bustling and artsy Asheville, NC, Lake Junaluska is a quiet hum of a community. It’s where the United Methodist Church has its Western Conference every year and is a sort of sacred meeting ground for Methodists ministers and their families. As my father-in-law is a minister in Mocksville, NC, he has been coming up to the Lake almost his entire adult life for conferences, so back in the late 1980s he and his wife Susan decided to buy a little cottage to cut down on all the hotel stays they were accruing.
Since then, the cottage has remained basically the exact same as it was when they first purchased it. Sure, they’ve brought in a few couches from their other home to spruce up the look and change around the aesthetic a little, but the original floral wallpaper, wood paneling and linoleum flooring all still remain. As we’re only up there a few times a year, it has never
really been an issue. We love the cottage because it’s rustic and definitely no-frills. It’s rented out throughout the year to people who just want to come up and visit the lake and take in the beautiful grounds. They aren’t expecting a modern, chic residence and part of its charm is its quirky, laid-back vibe.
Still, it came time this year that my in-laws decided the cabin needed a little facelift. If it were up to my husband and I, we’d knock a few walls down and add an extension and second bathroom out the back to make the space a little roomier. Yet, they weren’t quite ready to undergo quite that massive of a remodel, so we all went up together as a big extended family to help them decide what changes should stay and which should be slated for a later date
We arrived late Thursday evening just as the sun was setting over the lake. We met at the cross and took in the gorgeous view. Then, we all settled in for the night and decided to leave the decision-making until the next morning. Our kids were getting tired and everyone had traveled quite a long way. The next morning, we all headed to the nearby hardware store together. We decided that instead of messing with wallpaper removal, we’d just install shiplap on top of it. The traditional, thin wooden paneling has seen a resurgence in popularity thanks to home design reality shows, and while that gives it a trendy edge, it’s still very much appropriate for the era that the cottage defines. Though there were plenty of choices to choose from, we ended up settling on a solid white finish that I think will look incredibly clean and open the rooms up a little. We measured and made plans to install the paneling in the back two bedrooms and living room.
We also found the perfect white sink with a built-in beadboard cabinet to put in the bathroom. The cottage only has one bathroom and while it’s sufficient, it could use a little updating. This will offer the perfect “farmhouse chic” touch while also not breaking the bank like a total bathroom overhaul would do. We all pitched in and helped pay for and bring home the materials. We all share the space, anyway, so that just made sense. Plus, the materials we selected ended up being much more inexpensive than some other finishes we could have chosen. We spent the next day relaxing and catching up with family. With all of us scattered across the state, it’s rare that we all get together under the same roof, much less with all of our children in tow. Between both brothers, there are six grandchildren in all, so to say it was a full house would be an understatement. Yet, I’ve found that sometimes the closest living quarters are the coziest and most conducive to fun. I guess the old saying is true: Love really does grow best in little houses.
We hope to all get back up there in a month or so and leave the kids with my parents that time around. This next trip won’t be quite so leisurely (we had time to catch a movie, eat at a few local restaurants and even head into Asheville for some evening shopping this time around). Instead, we’ll be focused on work, as we intend to install everything ourselves. Thankfully, my husband is a plumber and my brother-in-law is a contractor, so between the two of them, we should be able to tackle a majority of the updates.
With so many fresh, crisp and white touches we’re going to add, our hope is to channel a gorgeous, charming and welcoming home place, much like the incredible
Lake District cottages my husband and I had a chance to visit during our stay in UK’s Lakeland Village last autumn. With the right special touches, you don’t have to spend a fortune or take up a ton of time to make a pretty impressive transformation. Of course, doing it all with family just makes it that much sweeter.
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