Tuesday, August 8

Our new mountain retreat


Several weeks ago I shared the news that we bought a condo in the Blue Ridge Mountains. This summer I've had the task of changing an unfurnished unit into a fully-functioning home away from home without completely breaking the bank. It's been a fun challenge, and I'm excited to show you some of my progress.

I should start, though, by saying that our favorite part of this mountain place is not what's inside our four walls. It's the setting, such as this scene on the main drive of our neighborhood:


Or this swimming hole that's at the end of one of our favorite hikes:


If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you might have seen this photo of me hiking in that creek:


Being in the mountains is fun, y'all. But I promised to show you some photos of our place, so here goes.

The condo's layout is simple but smart. Half of the unit is devoted to three bedrooms and three bathrooms; the other half is the living/dining/kitchen area, all open to one another. In the middle is the entry hall.  Want to look around the living/dining/kitchen area with me?

When you approach the living area from the entry hall, here's the first look:



Then as you turn to the right, you see straight out to the deck:


To the far right is the kitchen:





Looking from the kitchen back toward the living area:


Then back toward the dining area, completing the circle:


Decorating a mountain place could easily go the rustic/cabin look, but that wasn't quite what I was wanting. My hope was to create a space that's casual and relaxed, with some rustic elements, but nothing that would compete with the beautiful spaces outside the windows, like this view from the dining area:


See what I mean?

The furnishings and decor and decor are a mix of things we already owned, new items, and new-to-us items. Since we did purchase some new items, we were able to have those delivered directly to the condo, which meant we didn't have to hire movers. So far, every time we've gone to the mountains, we've just taken a carload of things along with us, and the moving-in process has been pretty easy.

We still have a ways to go, but we're getting there! We've already found a painting for above the fireplace; what you see here is a picture that was once in my kitchen, then moved to my guest room. And we've decided that we need a bigger rug for the living room instead of this old one that was in my attic. The great things is that even while we continue to work on the space, it's already fully functional and ready to welcome guests.

What do you think? Want to visit the Blue Ridge Mountains?


19 comments:

  1. I love your condo! And the view! Looks so peaceful and serene. I think having a getaway to the mountains would be a perfect answer to this crazy world we live in! Here's to mountain adventures and peaceful moments when needed!

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  2. I want to hop in my car and drive there now! I dream of having a condo in the mountains someday.

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  3. Richella,

    That view! Are you going to rent it out? Or keep it as a retreat?

    ~Kiki~

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  4. Richella, we have just recently purchased a cabin off the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Glendale Springs area. What a blessing. Love the mountains.

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  5. That view is so amazing! I'm so happy for you!
    Will you spend Christmas there also? Or is it just for summer trips?

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  6. Beautiful job decorating and I'd never want to leave! Thank you for sharing.

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  7. Oh my word, it is amazing and I think you have it furnished beautifully. I would be there in a heartbeat. Love it all. Congratulations!!!!!

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  8. It is just perfect. I know it is a great getaway.

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  9. Beautiful place to relax and unwind! Love your little end tables beside your couch - quite unique! How far away is your home?

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  10. Lovely😍 Getaway condos are a gift - enjoy it!

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  11. Sign me up! That place is absolutely GORGEOUS!! Well done, my friend. :)

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  12. Richella, wow it's gorgeous and that view, the view is amazing! You've already done a great job with the decorating and it looks perfectly lovely and livable. Great for your family!

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  13. SO pretty. Our dream is to own a cabin in the Smokey's some day...

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  14. I want to visit! Are you going to be renting your mountain retreat out? I'm thinking mini writer's retreat! You've down a great job decorating your open spaces Richella. It looks like the perfect getaway for your family. BTW, I couldn't help but notice the picture of your home on the wall to the right as you enter the great room space. I think I still have Pinned, the tutorial for how to do that and I'm thinking I really need to create pictures of all the homes we've had as a family.

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  15. No, we're not planning to rent the condo, although we might consider it sometime. Right now it's nice to know that it's ready and waiting for us anytime we want to get away!

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  16. Very nice, Richella! That'll be a great alternative for you and all your guys for many years to come. Beautiful view.

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  17. I just LOVE it, Richella! It is very homey and warm and I am glad you didn't go real rustic...while I like the real rustic look I find it hard to live with long term-although for a part-time home it might be great, too.

    Anyway- you have done a great job pulling it all together in a short time. I love it and I know you do, too. We are actually looking at condos now that we are going to be downsizing. I'm not sure I am ready for that yet but...we'll see, I guess.

    Hope you have a wonderful night and rest of the weekend- xo Diana

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  18. Love the new condo and look at that view. Just look at you hiking! Congrats on the home away from home.

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  19. I so love this area Richella!!...you new home away from home is beautiful and the view is magnificent...may you have many happy memories there!!!

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