Last week at my father's big cottage, the painting on the third floor was finished, wall to wall carpeting in three rooms was torn up, and the floors were sanded and sealed back to their lovely 1897 glory. Then on Saturday morning, I drove over all of the STUFF that the new house needed for the renters that I'd ordered online (toilet paper, plates, silverware, towels, etc), and our whole family pitched in as my mother's entire storage locker of furniture was delivered to furnish the house quickly. The renters arrived at 3pm, and we were all done, but it was a long day!
From nearly empty, the whole house filled up and came to life.
It was amazing. While my mother's furniture from her home in the city was a little older, darker and heavier than I would have liked, I used it to lightly furnish the rooms and it looked really nice (I thought).
That evening the renters (a lovely European family with two small boys) had friends over for dinner and stayed up late into the night in their new house (we forgot to supply any carving knives, which made cooking challenging, but not impossible). It sounded like a fine party and a great housewarming for the next century.
Over the next few months we'll be moving things around, making small improvements and filling the gaps, and I'll keep you updated. I'll also keep updating the list of sources that I'm using so that you can find stuff if you like it.
First Floor
Second Floor
Third Floor
Sources (so far)
- Towels & Mats: Matouk Milagro
- Wine Glasses: Arcoroc Cabernet
- Drinking Glasses: Flare
- Plates & Bowls: Casper
- Mugs: Teema
- Cleaning Supplies & Paper Products: Seventh Generation
- Sheets: Company Store
- Pillows: JoJo Designs
Dirty Little Secrets of Tidy Families
Hillary & Michael's Refined Roost
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Nomade Express Slee...
How To Cook Fluffy, Tasty Quinoa
Summer Cocktail Staple: Campari & IPA Spritzer
Love it all. Streamlined furnishing is great for renting and I, for one, think your mother's furniture works fine for renting. Yes, if you were going to live there yourselves, you would have chosen differently...but this all looks so clean, simple, welcoming now. I would have voted to keep the flamboyant green wallpaper on either the walls OR the ceiling, but you have plenty of time to make changes in the future, too.
Thank you so much for sharing this experience.
You kept the wallpaper! YES!
Such a beautiful home with fabulous bones! And I absolutely love how you kept everything in it's original glory, especially that wall paper, it looks great with the with hardwoods!
I like what you've done so far. It looks relaxing and uncluttered. Very appealing for a summer rental.
Have you considered doing an Apartmenttheray Showhouse? You know, sort of like a Kip's Bay Showhouse but using your summer cottage. You have a lot of rooms and it would be a great way to feature new designers.
Very sweet - perfect for renting!
This is a beautiful space wth great light. I look forward to seeing this challenge unfold.
Soooo nice!
You'll need to put fans in those 3rd floor windows... and use them to draw the air up the stairwells and exhaust it out the windows..
It looks beautiful. That renting family is going to love it all.
bedskirts?
Love it!!
And love that you kept the wallpaper!
(would LOVE to have rented it too!)
Love what you have done, but as the owner of a house of the same vintage, I was a bit crushed to see that you polyurethaned the floors. Gulp.
Very charming! Much improved. Great work.
Sweet! Happy to see that the wallpaper was able to be salvaged.
"Last week at my father's big cottage..."
Isn't "big cottage" an oxymoron? This looks more like a mansion to me.
love to do a sketch of this grand old cottage to hang in there...
pve
this place is amazing!! love the simplicity of what you've done so far - looks fresh, light and beachy. the renters must be thrilled to move in there! thanks for sharing.
@WORDGRL - thank you...
"cottage" my ass! That house is humongous! And look at the grounds!
ROSE123---Fell off my chair laughing.
Nice home, very nice home.
As much as I love the wallpaper, I think that room is best reserved for someone you don't want to overstay their visit.
Nice, simple treatment - perfect for a summer house. This house has great potential, and if you decide to renovate further at a later date, you could put French windows in the first floor bedrooms, with a wrap-around balcony. Do you have a sea view from up there? A pool would also be nice, if costly.
Again, I am so happy you kept the green wallpaper! It's fabulous as is the rest of the "cottage" Are there summer rentals or year round as I was wondering why you needed to supply so much.
As someone who has rented a lot of holiday places, I hope you put in comfortable mattresses. Especially after your Year in Bed.
I *wish* there was a source for that big rug. But I'm betting it came out of Mom's storage locker...
It made me smile soooo BBBIIIIIGGGG to see that you left that amazing wallpaper..
Thank you,
It all looks as it should...simple and beautiful...........exactly..
You ordered renters online?
What a beautiful home! I don't mind that you've opted for removing most of the wallpaper for the sake of renting - the white is far more neutral for a house in an ever-changing set of hands - but so glad you the 60s charm in one room. The built-in shelf, the molding, and beadboard are also fantastic so I'm so glad you're not going to touch them. This house is incredible.
Please, share the story on the rug in the living room. I have a guess but would love to hear where it came from first :)
Oh my. I love this house. LOVE.
Gorgeous house - and agree with many others, happy to see that wallpaper remain. Would love to spend a summer here!
I know jealousy is a curse, but I hate your renters.
These photos evoke thoughts of how cottages should look and feel – the light is wonderful, and everything is so relaxed. Glad to see you kept the green wallpaper too.
@Thorndale - well, it IS McMansion sized! If it were my summer house, I would want those things, and they can be added with sensitivity to the age and style of the original building, IMO. It would be fabulous.
A 'European' family? Not from any particular country then?
Suzin, haha, I thought the same thing. This house is so cool. Beachy is my thing.
This house is just awesome !! I wish I had this.By seeing this beautiful photos I,m dying for this type of house.I have also something for you furnished rentals New York
OMG! You ordered your renters on line????
House is lovely, truly less is more. Especially in summer!
@BoudiccaDjango - Maybe they're Europeans from different countries, or many countries.
I may be alone in this opinion, but I really disliked the green wallpaper. The downstairs floors, though, are gorgeous. Good job on this "cottage"; looks like a lot of work went into the renovation.
I LOVE the floors! Everything looks great! So fresh, clean and roomy! This is really a beautiful and amazing home. It looks like your Mom had good taste and some lovely belongings! So happy you left up that fantastic wallpaper! Would love to see this home in person!
I love this house and the simple furnishings. Good job!
Where does the rug on the front hall stairs come from?
I'm a bit confused. Is this just a one-season rental or year-round? If the latter, it seems a bit odd to be providing toilet paper, towels and making up the beds (is that the norm over there?) I do that for house guests, but have never encountered that level of service as a renter - and the owners moving in their possessions suggests a certain permanence. Please clarify!
It came out so lovely and you kept the wallpaper everyone loved!! YAY!! The outside is so much like my Granny's home in Asbury Park....I built a shingle style home here in Virginia because I always loved the look. I know your renters will love it!
Blessings, Lorraine