Every fall after we wave goodbye to our summer guests, when the island quiets down, and we have a minute to breathe, we start envisioning all the projects we want to polish off before the next season rolls around.
This year’s To-Do list project has been on our minds for a few years. Our lodge rooms, while romantic and cozy with gas fireplaces, jetted tubs, and idyllic views of the lake, needed some TLC. The rooms had either queen or full-size beds, mattresses that the Princess (she of Pea fame) might complain about, and TV’s that were a smidge too small for today’s widescreen action films.
Starting last fall, we began designing a fresh, Northwest-modern version of our lodge rooms that would reward our guests with all the creature comforts of home (and more), plus still have the romantic, peaceful experience they’ve come to love in the Lodge.
Believe it or not, the lodge has seven different room configurations, which makes it a little challenging to order furniture and have it all fit. We opted to go with custom-made slatted headboards with cantilevered end tables made from cherry wood, that mimic the logs in our stunning log Lodge and log cabins. And fortunately for us, we have a fantastic woodworker who worked with us on the yurts a few years ago and was willing to lend his skill to make the headboards happen. Gary worked nonstop for months to fabricate the slats and plinth bases for the new king and queen size beds. The cherry end tables, and their wrought-iron supports, were built in Sisters, Oregon.
Knowing November and early December are slower times for the Lodge, we opted to close the Lodge for three weeks and bring in the entire team for a full onslaught to transform the rooms. We painted all the rooms, bathrooms, and hallways. New carpet was installed last year, and we added fresh linens, plush comfy mattresses, new lighting, modern writing tables with chairs, AND huge new flat screen TV’s mounted about the fireplaces. Hanging over the beds are custom prints of birds sighted at Lakedale, painted by a noted watercolor artist and commissioned by us. It was fast and furious, but we’re thrilled with our rooms’ bright, new Northwest vibe.
Our top-notch crew couldn’t stop themselves after the completion of the Lodge project. They added new grass outside the lodge decks and willow trees adjacent to the Canvas Cottages to create additional privacy for our glamping units. The Yurts also got some love with trees and plantings to return the Village area to its natural environment. We hope you visit us soon to see first-hand the results of this year’s To-Do List!
