The Chestnut Suite Renovation

chestnutsuite

The Chestnut Suite Renovation

After several months, umpteen trips to Lowe’s, and untold trips to the dump, we present the Chestnut Suite, now open!

Once upon a time, two sisters visited an old, once loved, and long abandoned house.  They didn’t see worn floors and acoustic tile ceilings.  They didn’t see salmon pink bathtubs and leaking pipes.  No, they saw lovely, rosy potential gently showered by falling red leaves and backed by the peaceful rush of the stream.

Of course, it didn’t take long to realize the immense amount of work in store, even for the rooms that were almost up to par.  The downstairs, with it’s two small bedrooms and two tiny bathrooms in a shared hallway, became a project for “one day.”

Now, the handy innkeeper is not the sort for “one day.”  He’s the sort that unpacks all the boxes the day you move and builds an entire deck when the request was for a bench.

So it should come as no surprise that the original idea of updating one of the bathrooms and closing the other off and then cleaning up the two bedrooms was sort of forgotten about.

Now, technically, none of these rooms counted as bedrooms because neither of them had a closet.  There was some pretty bad water damage as well as a mystery leak that we hoped came from a pipe in the wall, the alternative being a leaking foundation which would have been pretty insurmountable.

chestnutrenovationbedroombefore
Started with a totally, non-creepy bedroom, right?
chestnutrenovationsittingroombefore
Like the original, multi-colored sitting room?
chestnutrenovationbathroombefore
The black abyss bathroom would scare the you know what out of anybody!

We had been using the rooms as storage, particularly for the handy innkeeper’s assorted wood working tools, each of which he declares vital.  So the first step was shoving – I mean – carefully organizing said tools into a new room.  

Second step was, of course, demolition.

chestnutrenovationwetbardemo
Sitting room stripped down to drywall
chestnutrenovationshowersledghammer
Aftermath of the first sledgehammer attack on the shower.
chestnutrenovationbathroom
Someone really did a number in these bathrooms!

Next, we started to rebuild.  This project was by far the largest we had attempted, and though we used an electrician and plumber, the handy innkeeper did nearly everything else on his own.  Our original plan for the bathroom included a shower and tub, but once we had everything torn out, we realized the existing plumbing would not allow for both.  Until we realized we could put the tub *in* the shower.  Hmmm…

We used distressed shiplap style wood paneling on the ceilings and poured concrete floors that we acid stained in green and copper.  Each piece of furniture is hand made, of course, using primarily white and grey and soft green, giving the suite a sort of beachy cottage feel.  

So, after three months of non stop work, we present our newest favorite room, the Chestnut Suite.

Chestnut Suite Bedroom at RLRI Bed and Breakfast
Nice and cozy!
Secluded Sitting Room
Spacious Shower

Thanks to all of our wonderful guests this year who helped to make the building of the Chestnut Suite a reality.  We are so grateful to all the lovely people we have been privileged to host and can’t wait to share this newest addition with you! The Chestnut Suite is now open, so book now!

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Chef Victor Johnston, Owner of Red Leaf River Inn in Waynesville North Carolina

Thanks for visiting! I’d love to host you during your stay in North Carolina!

– Victor

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