7.12.2010

Vacation: Cabin-tastic

Over the 4th of July weekend we had a great opportunity to visit a wonderful cabin near Sperryville, VA owned by our friends Susan Raines and Jim Duffy.  Although we have visited many times before, it has been a while since we visited in the height of summer.  It always feels about 10 degrees cooler there than in Washington (only 1.5 hours away) and we feel instantly relaxed once the road turns to dirt about 2 miles before we arrive at their driveway gate.  Here's a picture of the cabin almost completely obscured by trees. 

Jim and Susan have a lovely small pond on their property, completely with lily pads and frogs, perfect for fishing and floating around on a hot day. 
As you can see, the A-frame log structure is charming before you even get inside.  Here's the "front" door, although I generally think of this as the back of the cabin because it's on the opposite side of the pond. 

Once inside the cabin, you walk through a short hallway into the kitchen and great room.  The cathedral ceilings (with skylights) and the overall openness of the room make the room airy and welcoming despite hte dark wood logs.  The beautiful blue wood stove helps heat the building in the winter.  Duffy is an amateur lumberjack and spends a lot of time cutting up fallen trees and splitting firewood throughout the year! 
Knowing we were coming with the kids, Susan did us a huge favor and put away all of the small, breakable, and hazardous decorations that she usually has around the house.  As a result, the pictures show a pared down version of the usual decor.  Still, it's beautiful and rustic all at the same time.  She has an amazing collection of handmade pottery which I wish I had photographed.  I always spend a lot of time ooing and ahhing over it.


I love the artwork they have collected both for the cabin and even before they had the cabin which works so well.  In addition to the great decor, the cabin has 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, and a finished basement with a combination family room and guest bedroom - perfect for a great weekend with friends and family.

Isn't that claw foot tub amazing?  Makes you think about climbing in after a long hike on a cool fall day... except it was 90 degrees when we were there last week!  Here are a few pictures of the master bedroom on the main floor.  I love the views out the windows of the pond and the beautiful ferns which surround the cabin.
Susan and Jim recently finished renovating their basement to include a family room, an additional guest sleeping area, full bathroom, and a laundry/work room.  Jim is a serious LSU football fan so it's critical that he not have to worry about missing any games while spending beautiful fall weekends at the cabin!  They also needed the extra sleeping space for extended family visits. 

I love the simplicity and modernity of the family room which is in sharp contrast to the upstairs rooms.  But, we don't go to the cabin to watch TV (although it's a great distraction for tired kids), we go to sit on the deck and watch the day go by.

Yes, I took a nap on that sofa soon after arriving in the early afternoon.  They also have a beautiful garden on the sunny side of the pond a few hundred feet from the cabin.  It's practically a full time job keeping the deer from eating the plants but it seems worth the effort when you experience the space. 
The view of the cabin from the garden.

Thanks Susan and Jim for letting us borrow the cabin again!  Hope everyone enjoyed seeing this amazing little spot of heaven.