A Contemporary Yet Cosy Rural Retreat In The Catskill Mountains

A few years back I visited the Catskill Mountains to capture homes for my first book Modern Pastoral - it was a bit of a whirlwind tour and I've always vowed to return. When I do, I've earmarked the studio at Table on Ten. Table on Ten is a restaurant, cafe, inn and a gathering place for farmers and artists alike. It's located in Bloomville in the western Catskills, just a few hours from New York. Known as 'studio on the hill', the cabin stands alone on a 23 acre hillside overlooking the Catskill Mountains. It's simple and understated, yet contemporary and cosy - just the way I like it! Think vintage furniture and a roaring wood burning stove. Oh yes, and you're only a stone's throw from the best wood-fired sourdough pizza west of the Hudson! 








Did someone say wood-fired pizza?! Even if you don't stay onsite (Table on Ten also offers three other apartments through Airbnb) - it's well worth stopping by at the restaurant to take in the rural surroundings and treat your taste buds! 




Sound like your kind of holiday? Perhaps we'll meet around the table one day! 

You can find out more about Table on Ten here (for the foodies among you - there's a sample of the menu here) and book this studio on Airbnb

A few other homes /spaces in the Catskills I think you'll love: 

A Black and White Retreat in The Catskills (I visited and captured this one for my book - it was even more wonderful in person!). 

See you there?!

Niki

Photography courtesy of Table on Ten with thanks.

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The Shack: A Super Cosy Off-The-Grid Cabin On Bruny Island

Sorry about the radio silence these past few days. I've been on a girl's trip with my Mum and sister to Norway. We did nothing but sleep, eat and hike, it was absolutely magical! Have I mentioned how much I LOVE Norway? *Everyone rolls eyes*.  This morning I'm dreaming of returning to the wilderness and would so love to swap my desk for this simple, earthy cabin in Bruny Island, Tasmania. Affectionately known as The Shack, the cosy bolthole is fully off-the-grid (power comes from solar and wind sources) and is built from reclaimed timber.  Owner Janene invites guest to "beachcomb for art supplies, forage in the herb gardens for breakfast, reconnect with Mother Nature" and kick about in the cosy space, overlooking Sheepwash Bay. Fancy joining me? 


I love this linen combination, doesn't it fit the vibe of the cabin perfectly? If you're feeling inspired, you can source similar brown and indigo linen bedding on Etsy. 

On colder days the wood-burning fireplace keeps the cabin feeling toasty! 


The cabin has an indoor kitchenette with outdoor cooking facilities including a glass burner. 

Your stay is an eco-living experience. Lights are 12 volts and the hot water is instant gas with an inline pump bringing fresh rain water in for you to bathe and drink.  

A pair of king billy French doors open out onto a deck from where you can enjoy dreamy views out over the bay with the snow-capped Southern ranges in the distance. 

From the deck, you can wonder down to the private beach front and launch a kayak, fish or simply stroll along the shore. 


Bags packed yet?

The Shack sleeps two (remind me to speak to Per about this later today!) and Janene takes bookings via Airbnb here. Juuuust saying! 

I've featured so many charming places in 'Tas' recently that I'm starting to see it as a sign (what do you reckon?). Here are a few other homes I think you'll love:

Captain's Cottage: a cosy bolthole on Hobart
A relaxed artist's cabin by the sea
You very own dream island hide-away

Have a dreamy start to the week friends!

Niki

PS I loved reading all your comments about whether or not to go for two single duvets or a double on a double bed last week! My conclusion from reading all your comments, e-mails and instagram messages is that the best solution is to go for two queen duvets on a king size bed. Bliss!

Photography by Sarah Andrews courtesy of The Shack / @sheepwashbay

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A Cosy Off-The-Grid Cabin in The Woods


There's two ways go in Autumn / Winter - embrace it or escape it. And boy does Alice Saunders embrace it. When Alice isn't making travel bags for her successful business Forestbound in Boston, she's escaping to her magical cabin in the woods in the heart of New Hampshire. It's 'escape' in every essence of the word. Located at the end of a dirt track, the off-the-grid cabin has no running water or electricity and mobile reception can only be obtained by rowing across the lake! Alice and her boyfriend spent several years renovating the space on a shoestring budget, furnishing it with charming vintage pieces and cosy layers of textiles. The result is an unbelievably cosy, rustic, relaxed living space where the pair can truly switch off, read and enjoy the surroundings - completely uninterrupted! Time to dream....







This has to be one of the cosiest little cabins I've ever seen! I'd so LOVE to be kicking about there right now, candles lit, book in hand. How about you? 

It would also make the most perfect writers retreat, don't you think? Once, of course, I've come up with a topic - details friends, details!

Could you imagine escaping here for a few days too?!

If you'd like to see more pictures,  hop on over to Alice's instagram here. Better still, if you're planning a long weekend at a similar log cabin, you might just want to pick up one of her Forestbound original tote or carryalls made from found and salvaged textiles. They're fab! 

There's a load more dreamy places to drool over in the rural retreats and log cabin archives (some of which are also on Airbnb - just saying!). 

Have a cosy day! 

Niki

Photography: Alice Saunders, shared with kind permission.

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Before & After: A Dated Cabin Becomes a Dreamy Airbnb Hideaway In The Woods

Have you ever dreamed of owning a little home from home? Somewhere you can escape to at the weekends and completely switch off. Often the cost and effort involved in acquiring and renovating a second home is enough to put most people off. But actually, a fixer upper doesn't need to cost the earth - there's a lot you can do with a small, remote place on a tight budget. Tom and Hope had always dreamed of owning and renovating cabin in the woods. The answer came in the form of The Cobb Haus, a wooden cabin at the end of a track in the quiet rural neighbourhood of Whispering Pines, Cobb, California. The pair closed in February and set about transforming it into a peaceful retreat, a world away from the hustle and bustle of city life. I caught up with the pair to find out more about their wonderful hideaway in the woods - which is also available to rent

EXTERIOR BEFORE

How long did it take you to transform your cabin into the lovely hideaway it is today? 
We completed in February and had it finished (I say that loosely as it is a continuous work in progress!) in June.

EXTERIOR AFTER



Wow, that was quick! What type of work did you carry out in that time?
Most of the work we did was purely cosmetic aside from the bathroom which was a complete remodel. 

KITCHEN BEFORE


What was your decorating goal? 
We really wanted to keep the original 40s / 50s charm while adding some modern touches. It's a small space so keeping the decor minimal and well thought out was key. 

KITCHEN AFTER

The upper cabinets were replaced with relaxed open shelving and the lower cabinets were painted in Woodland Lichen by Sherwin Williams. The green was a perfect choice as it draws the surrounding nature indoors. 


BEFORE - WOOD BURNING STOVE / SITTING ROOM

"There is no central heating but there is a wood burning stove and two small space heaters you can move around as needed."

WOOD BURNING STOVE / SITTING ROOM AFTER

The pair painted the wood burning stove with special paint and replaced existing the hearth with tiles from Home Depot. 

The cosy sitting room has been kitted out with poufs and a side cabinet from IKEA and an Article sofa. There green curtains from Target were picked out to match the kitchen cabinets for a cohesive look. 

What inspired the interior style? 
It's hard for me to pinpoint one style as inspiration, but I love to pull from Scandinavian, mid-century and a little boho, while keeping a minimalistic feel. 

DINING AREA BEFORE

DINING ROOM AFTER
I see (with glee!) that you rent out your cabin through Airbnb - did you have this in mind during the renovation?
Ultimately, we wanted it to feel like home for whoever walks in. We wanted it to feel cosy and inviting with a focus on the beautiful views of the surrounding forest. 

BEDROOM BEFORE

BEDROOM AFTER

A lick of white paint on the floors, walls and ceiling have completely transformed the bedroom into a light and airy room. A glimpse of the forest through the window makes a great focal point (almost like art!). 

The side table is from HomeGoods, however, you'd be forgiven for thinking it has been fashioned out of a tree trunk from outside the door. A perfect nod to the surroundings! 

Truly inspiring, don't you think? 

In case it's rekindled your dream of going for that fixer upper you've always dreamed of, here are some budget friendly lessons to learn from this renovation:

6 ways Tom and Hope saved money
  1. Carrying out a lot of the renovation themselves
  2. Painting existing kitchen cabinets rather than replacing them
  3. Working with the existing structure
  4. White washing the interior for a fresh feel
  5. Furnishing with items from IKEA, Target etc
  6. Renting out the cabin via Airbnb to cover running costs
Not quite ready to purchase your own rural hide-away?! The Cobb Haus is available to rent through Airbnb. And word on the street is that you can also order healthy, homemade meals directly to the door! It sounds like a trip to Whispering Pines (beautiful name!) might be in order, don't you think?

Read more about The Cobb Haus here and check out more pics on instagram

Other incredible rural retreats to dream about this Monday:  


Wishing you all a truly inspiring start to the week! Here's to new future projects, big and small!

Niki

Photography courtesy of The Cobb Haus, with kind permission

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