Gorgeous Family-Friendly Victorian
Entire home in North Creek, New York
- 10 guests ·
- · 4 bedrooms ·
- · 5 beds ·
- · 3 baths
Hosted by Leslie
- Superhost ·
- · 12 years hosting
Listing highlights
Top 10% of homes
This home is highly ranked based on ratings, reviews, and reliability.
Self check-in
Check yourself in with the lockbox.
Extra spacious
Guests love this home’s spaciousness for a comfortable stay.
Gorgeous Victorian offers beautiful rooms, lovely new bathrooms, three fireplaces and large country kitchen. Enjoy amazing all natural cedar hot tub located in the barn behind the house. Sited on 20 acres of land, surrounded by fields and woods on quiet country road just five miles from the charming town of North Creek and Gore Mountain Ski Center. Nearby enjoy RevRail, white water rafting, hiking, swimming.
The space
Book a stay at our beautifully restored Victorian near charming North Creek offers huge country kitchen, fresh new bathrooms and all natural Japanese-inspired cedar hot tub suite. Close to Gore Mountain Ski Center, Revolution Rail, hiking, white water rafting on the Hudson River and a short drive to Lake George!
Inspiration for the interior décor were English country homes with their mix of antique furniture, a dash of modernity, a flourish of Asian touches and overall, a comforting place to enjoy a classic country home vacation. We brought in deep sofas, antique four poster beds, a bit of shabby chic and whimsy accessories --- seeking to create a home which embraces a bit of wear and tear, and doesn’t take itself too seriously. I framed vintage botanical prints, hung tapestries and bought nice comforters and quilts.
To make the home child friendly, we built a child’s kitchenette with a tiny working sink and Japanese tea sets. There is a Victorian dollhouse with furniture, a tree swing, board games and puppets and lots of mowed lawn for the children to run around.
There are numerous fireplaces with gorgeous mantels and realistic electric fire inserts. The new bathrooms upstairs have deep soaking tubs as well as showers.
The post and beam barn to the rear has been renovated as an enormous rec room (not heated or useable in the winter, however). We built a small stage with dramatic red velvet curtains and a whole set of children’s costumes. There is open space for dancing and yoga.
In the barn is a separate room with a gorgeous Japanese-inspired cedar wood hot tub. The tub is four feet deep so it is perfect for a deep soak after skiing or hiking.
HISTORY
This extraordinary home was built in 1890 and according to the family who owned it for more than 100 years, and from whom I purchased it last summer, it took decades to build due to the complex roof lines, detailed siding and intricacy of the inlaid wood ceilings, cherry raised paneled walls, mosaic maple floors and ornate mantels.
One of the most strikingly beautiful features of the house are the inlaid hardwood ceilings in almost every room in the house --- although they are dark stained, after we applied multiple coats of natural shellac, the ceilings shine and playfully reflect light. As a carpenter myself, I frequently marvel at how difficult it must have been for the original builders to achieve such glorious woodwork without the tools we use casually every day – those old time carpenters had all hand tools --- no electric saws, drills, nail guns, routers.
RENOVATION
The renovation of this home was done over a six month period with a crew of eight people. Fortunately, all of the original woodwork was intact, and there had been no prior insensitive remodeling. But the house needed bathrooms, a new kitchen, wiring, exterior and interior painting, a barn roof and plumbing.
FIREPLACES
Oddly, the home had multiple gorgeous mantels but not a single actual fireplace, although there is evidence that at some time in the last 100 years, there may have been some coal stoves. We added fabulous electric fireplaces --- the flames are quite realistic and lovely. There are fireplaces in the living room, the master bedroom and one of the second floor bedrooms.
KITCHEN
My goal with the new kitchen was to create a space that appeared to be a very well maintained kitchen original to the house instead of obviously new.
We spent several months detailing out a large new handcrafted country kitchen, installing wood cabinets painted in a soft blue, maple butcherblock counters, whimsical small shelves, glass knobs, tiled mural backsplashes and new appliances (gas stove, two refrigerators, dishwasher). I found a gorgeous antique double porcelain sink with drainboards, and we also added a farmhouse sink at the far end of the kitchen for washing vegetables.
With more than enough cabinets and counters, there was still a nice space leftover for a small children’s kitchen with a real sink for play time.
We rewired the original stained glass light fixture over the table and brought in an oak table which seats eight people. After months of searching, I found eight beautiful rush seat chairs that happened to match the blue cabinets perfectly (it was an eight hour round trip ride to acquire them!)
The kitchen has refinished wide pine floorboards, and at the entry, I chose old style linoleum in green and blue checkerboard pattern, seeking to create a space which felt like a classic well maintained original country kitchen.
Off the kitchen was a wood shed which we renovated as a mud room --- we added brightly painted new swing up windows, and restored the odd original quite narrow door which opens out to enormous stone steps leading to the yard.
The laundry room off the kitchen has been brightened with colorful new linoleum, full size washer and dryer and a children’s little table with chairs and coloring books. Picturing the enormous work of lugging sheets and towels down from the second floor, we found a perfect place for a laundry chute from the second floor (of course, we still need to carry the stuff UP unless we hook up a dumbwaiter?)
Off the laundry room is a nicely renovated full bathroom with large low threshold shower.
LIVING ROOM
The living room is quite large, opening onto the gorgeous staircase. The original mantel has been outfitted with a charming electric fireplace (quite realistic!), two large sofas and a table with four chairs in the bay tower on the front. The ceiling is inlaid wood, and the floor is maple in a mosaic pattern. The lower walls have beautiful raised paneling. If you look carefully, you will notice that the pattern of the floor matches the ceiling.
In the stair alcove there is an Asian desk which folds open, perfect for your laptop. The wifi, by the way, is excellent.
FIRST FLOOR BEDROOM
The first floor bedroom has gorgeous woodwork, maple floors, inlaid wood ceiling and a sitting spot in the “tower”. There is a queen size bed with dramatic four poster frame, and a beautiful large mantel (unfortunately not able to be outfitted with an electric fireplace).
BATHROOMS
Astonishingly, there was originally only one bathroom in the entire house, located on the first floor and already remodeled with low threshold shower and nice vanity.
We took one of the many second floor bedrooms, built a center wall and created two new bathrooms (master bath and hall bath) with vintage detailing --- pedestal sinks, black and white subway tiled walls and in each bathroom alcoves with deep soaking tubs. Restored maple floors and vintage towel racks imply that these are original, not new, bathrooms.
(Historical note, there was once a grand outhouse out back with three seats and ornate woodwork matching the main house. Wish we had a picture of this long gone structure … )
SECOND FLOOR LAYOUT
The master bedroom has a four poster king bed with down duvet and vintage chenille bedspread. There is an Eastlake marble top dresser and hall coat track. There is a large wing chair by the fireplace and two soft rose colored arm chairs in the bay tower.
During construction, we broke an opening from the master bedroom and added a French door to an adjoining sunny room to create a dressing room. In addition to shelving and rods for hanging and storing clothes, there is a pretty daybed with rollout trundle. I imagined that some parents might like to have their children sleep in the adjoining room instead of down the hall. We left the original door which leads to the hall to make it more versatile in terms of access.
There are two other bedrooms on the second floor. The bedrooms have wide pine refinished floors, beautiful inlaid wood ceilings and numerous windows.
The bedroom at the top of the stairs has a four poster double bed, and a beautiful original mantel with charming electric fireplace.
The front second floor bedroom also has a four poster double bed, a small electric “stove” for heat and ambiance.
THE MURALS
There are some wonderful original murals which we discovered. Every wall in the house was covered with four layers of wallpaper, the first paper being installed on bare plaster walls when the house was first built. We cheerfully (for the most part!) stripped all the wallpaper, room by room, naturally finding out that the much of the plaster was in need of repair, a process which took many months.
The living room had a 1950’s green wallpaper that I initially considered keeping so we didn’t work on this room until the end. When literally the last sections of wallpaper in the house were stripped, we discovered two hand painted whimsical murals painted on the original plaster.
One mural says “Home Sweet Home” with a picture of a woman dressed in turn-of-the century clothes and a man with barbershop quartet mustache, singing gaily at a piano. Upon closer inspection, I realized that the piano in the picture was the very one which we had discarded when I first bought the house --- the piano was huge, rectangular in shape, in terrible condition and taking up the entire stair hall (also blocking the view of the gorgeous inlaid paneling), so I had it hauled out the front door where it took two men an entire day to break up and remove. But I kept the enormous piano legs, thinking that one day I would build a coffee table with them for the living room. The piano legs are clearly visible in the old mural. (Update: haven’t built a coffee table yet but the legs are safely stored in the barn).
The other mural is of a windmill, and the story is that the original builder hailed from Holland.
Both murals are left intact and unrestored for your amusement.
--------------------
Thanks for reading out story! Hope you will book a stay in this beautiful home!
Guest access
Enjoy the entire home ...
Other things to note
HOUSE RULES AND POLICIES
We provide sheets and towels.
The kitchen is set up with dishes, pots and pans, silverware, etc. We have oil, salt and pepper on hand, but we don’t provide spices or coffee.
We provide hand soap but not shampoo or shower gel.
Check out is 11 firm. Check in is 3 or later. Please do not ask for early check in or late check in because we can never grant this request --- we have too much to do between bookings!
Please leave the beds unmade so we know which ones were used. Or you can be Super House Guests and toss the second floor sheets and towels down the laundry chute. First floor sheets would need to be walked to the laundry (darn).
Please do all your dishes and put them away. Don’t worry about putting away dishes if the dishwasher is running when you leave.
Please take out your kitchen and bathroom trash to the trash cans outside, and put in new liners.
Please don’t move the furniture, and if something does get moved, please put it back.
Games, puzzles, kitchen accessories etc should be put back where they belong.
The third floor is an unfinished space and the door is locked. Please do not attempt to go up the stairs to the third floor because the railing does not extend the whole way. Nothing to see here, folks, (yet everyone is tempted to see the third floor!)
Don’t go into the basement. The stairs are tricky and there is nothing interesting down there.
Noise: we want you to have a wonderful time which includes music, laughter and talking. The nearest neighbor is some distance away, but still, noise carries in the quiet country air so please be respectful: no outdoor music, and keep it quiet after 10 pm.
We don’t have cameras as some hosts do, and we rely on you to only bring the number of guests stated in your reservation.
We live a short distance away and can come if you need anything fixed or explained.
PETS
We welcome pets at our other rental cottages, and we have been lucky to have only a few incidents of damage. However, because of the ornate woodwork and fine floors, we need strong assurance from potential guests that their furry friend will not do damage.
Other pet policies: one dog ONLY, no dogs left alone in the house even if crated and absolutely no dogs on the furniture.
OTHER
When you reserve, please let us know something about your plans and who will be coming.
HOT TUB
The hot tub is modeled after a traditional Japanese “sento” --- a spiritual place to bathe in a quiet, natural environment. It is only to be enjoyed by one or two people at a time. Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult to assure they are respectful of this special beautiful space. There is more information about the hot tub rules posted in the house.
The space
Book a stay at our beautifully restored Victorian near charming North Creek offers huge country kitchen, fresh new bathrooms and all natural Japanese-inspired cedar hot tub suite. Close to Gore Mountain Ski Center, Revolution Rail, hiking, white water rafting on the Hudson River and a short drive to Lake George!
Inspiration for the interior décor were English country homes with their mix of antique furniture, a dash of modernity, a flourish of Asian touches and overall, a comforting place to enjoy a classic country home vacation. We brought in deep sofas, antique four poster beds, a bit of shabby chic and whimsy accessories --- seeking to create a home which embraces a bit of wear and tear, and doesn’t take itself too seriously. I framed vintage botanical prints, hung tapestries and bought nice comforters and quilts.
To make the home child friendly, we built a child’s kitchenette with a tiny working sink and Japanese tea sets. There is a Victorian dollhouse with furniture, a tree swing, board games and puppets and lots of mowed lawn for the children to run around.
There are numerous fireplaces with gorgeous mantels and realistic electric fire inserts. The new bathrooms upstairs have deep soaking tubs as well as showers.
The post and beam barn to the rear has been renovated as an enormous rec room (not heated or useable in the winter, however). We built a small stage with dramatic red velvet curtains and a whole set of children’s costumes. There is open space for dancing and yoga.
In the barn is a separate room with a gorgeous Japanese-inspired cedar wood hot tub. The tub is four feet deep so it is perfect for a deep soak after skiing or hiking.
HISTORY
This extraordinary home was built in 1890 and according to the family who owned it for more than 100 years, and from whom I purchased it last summer, it took decades to build due to the complex roof lines, detailed siding and intricacy of the inlaid wood ceilings, cherry raised paneled walls, mosaic maple floors and ornate mantels.
One of the most strikingly beautiful features of the house are the inlaid hardwood ceilings in almost every room in the house --- although they are dark stained, after we applied multiple coats of natural shellac, the ceilings shine and playfully reflect light. As a carpenter myself, I frequently marvel at how difficult it must have been for the original builders to achieve such glorious woodwork without the tools we use casually every day – those old time carpenters had all hand tools --- no electric saws, drills, nail guns, routers.
RENOVATION
The renovation of this home was done over a six month period with a crew of eight people. Fortunately, all of the original woodwork was intact, and there had been no prior insensitive remodeling. But the house needed bathrooms, a new kitchen, wiring, exterior and interior painting, a barn roof and plumbing.
FIREPLACES
Oddly, the home had multiple gorgeous mantels but not a single actual fireplace, although there is evidence that at some time in the last 100 years, there may have been some coal stoves. We added fabulous electric fireplaces --- the flames are quite realistic and lovely. There are fireplaces in the living room, the master bedroom and one of the second floor bedrooms.
KITCHEN
My goal with the new kitchen was to create a space that appeared to be a very well maintained kitchen original to the house instead of obviously new.
We spent several months detailing out a large new handcrafted country kitchen, installing wood cabinets painted in a soft blue, maple butcherblock counters, whimsical small shelves, glass knobs, tiled mural backsplashes and new appliances (gas stove, two refrigerators, dishwasher). I found a gorgeous antique double porcelain sink with drainboards, and we also added a farmhouse sink at the far end of the kitchen for washing vegetables.
With more than enough cabinets and counters, there was still a nice space leftover for a small children’s kitchen with a real sink for play time.
We rewired the original stained glass light fixture over the table and brought in an oak table which seats eight people. After months of searching, I found eight beautiful rush seat chairs that happened to match the blue cabinets perfectly (it was an eight hour round trip ride to acquire them!)
The kitchen has refinished wide pine floorboards, and at the entry, I chose old style linoleum in green and blue checkerboard pattern, seeking to create a space which felt like a classic well maintained original country kitchen.
Off the kitchen was a wood shed which we renovated as a mud room --- we added brightly painted new swing up windows, and restored the odd original quite narrow door which opens out to enormous stone steps leading to the yard.
The laundry room off the kitchen has been brightened with colorful new linoleum, full size washer and dryer and a children’s little table with chairs and coloring books. Picturing the enormous work of lugging sheets and towels down from the second floor, we found a perfect place for a laundry chute from the second floor (of course, we still need to carry the stuff UP unless we hook up a dumbwaiter?)
Off the laundry room is a nicely renovated full bathroom with large low threshold shower.
LIVING ROOM
The living room is quite large, opening onto the gorgeous staircase. The original mantel has been outfitted with a charming electric fireplace (quite realistic!), two large sofas and a table with four chairs in the bay tower on the front. The ceiling is inlaid wood, and the floor is maple in a mosaic pattern. The lower walls have beautiful raised paneling. If you look carefully, you will notice that the pattern of the floor matches the ceiling.
In the stair alcove there is an Asian desk which folds open, perfect for your laptop. The wifi, by the way, is excellent.
FIRST FLOOR BEDROOM
The first floor bedroom has gorgeous woodwork, maple floors, inlaid wood ceiling and a sitting spot in the “tower”. There is a queen size bed with dramatic four poster frame, and a beautiful large mantel (unfortunately not able to be outfitted with an electric fireplace).
BATHROOMS
Astonishingly, there was originally only one bathroom in the entire house, located on the first floor and already remodeled with low threshold shower and nice vanity.
We took one of the many second floor bedrooms, built a center wall and created two new bathrooms (master bath and hall bath) with vintage detailing --- pedestal sinks, black and white subway tiled walls and in each bathroom alcoves with deep soaking tubs. Restored maple floors and vintage towel racks imply that these are original, not new, bathrooms.
(Historical note, there was once a grand outhouse out back with three seats and ornate woodwork matching the main house. Wish we had a picture of this long gone structure … )
SECOND FLOOR LAYOUT
The master bedroom has a four poster king bed with down duvet and vintage chenille bedspread. There is an Eastlake marble top dresser and hall coat track. There is a large wing chair by the fireplace and two soft rose colored arm chairs in the bay tower.
During construction, we broke an opening from the master bedroom and added a French door to an adjoining sunny room to create a dressing room. In addition to shelving and rods for hanging and storing clothes, there is a pretty daybed with rollout trundle. I imagined that some parents might like to have their children sleep in the adjoining room instead of down the hall. We left the original door which leads to the hall to make it more versatile in terms of access.
There are two other bedrooms on the second floor. The bedrooms have wide pine refinished floors, beautiful inlaid wood ceilings and numerous windows.
The bedroom at the top of the stairs has a four poster double bed, and a beautiful original mantel with charming electric fireplace.
The front second floor bedroom also has a four poster double bed, a small electric “stove” for heat and ambiance.
THE MURALS
There are some wonderful original murals which we discovered. Every wall in the house was covered with four layers of wallpaper, the first paper being installed on bare plaster walls when the house was first built. We cheerfully (for the most part!) stripped all the wallpaper, room by room, naturally finding out that the much of the plaster was in need of repair, a process which took many months.
The living room had a 1950’s green wallpaper that I initially considered keeping so we didn’t work on this room until the end. When literally the last sections of wallpaper in the house were stripped, we discovered two hand painted whimsical murals painted on the original plaster.
One mural says “Home Sweet Home” with a picture of a woman dressed in turn-of-the century clothes and a man with barbershop quartet mustache, singing gaily at a piano. Upon closer inspection, I realized that the piano in the picture was the very one which we had discarded when I first bought the house --- the piano was huge, rectangular in shape, in terrible condition and taking up the entire stair hall (also blocking the view of the gorgeous inlaid paneling), so I had it hauled out the front door where it took two men an entire day to break up and remove. But I kept the enormous piano legs, thinking that one day I would build a coffee table with them for the living room. The piano legs are clearly visible in the old mural. (Update: haven’t built a coffee table yet but the legs are safely stored in the barn).
The other mural is of a windmill, and the story is that the original builder hailed from Holland.
Both murals are left intact and unrestored for your amusement.
--------------------
Thanks for reading out story! Hope you will book a stay in this beautiful home!
Guest access
Enjoy the entire home ...
Other things to note
HOUSE RULES AND POLICIES
We provide sheets and towels.
The kitchen is set up with dishes, pots and pans, silverware, etc. We have oil, salt and pepper on hand, but we don’t provide spices or coffee.
We provide hand soap but not shampoo or shower gel.
Check out is 11 firm. Check in is 3 or later. Please do not ask for early check in or late check in because we can never grant this request --- we have too much to do between bookings!
Please leave the beds unmade so we know which ones were used. Or you can be Super House Guests and toss the second floor sheets and towels down the laundry chute. First floor sheets would need to be walked to the laundry (darn).
Please do all your dishes and put them away. Don’t worry about putting away dishes if the dishwasher is running when you leave.
Please take out your kitchen and bathroom trash to the trash cans outside, and put in new liners.
Please don’t move the furniture, and if something does get moved, please put it back.
Games, puzzles, kitchen accessories etc should be put back where they belong.
The third floor is an unfinished space and the door is locked. Please do not attempt to go up the stairs to the third floor because the railing does not extend the whole way. Nothing to see here, folks, (yet everyone is tempted to see the third floor!)
Don’t go into the basement. The stairs are tricky and there is nothing interesting down there.
Noise: we want you to have a wonderful time which includes music, laughter and talking. The nearest neighbor is some distance away, but still, noise carries in the quiet country air so please be respectful: no outdoor music, and keep it quiet after 10 pm.
We don’t have cameras as some hosts do, and we rely on you to only bring the number of guests stated in your reservation.
We live a short distance away and can come if you need anything fixed or explained.
PETS
We welcome pets at our other rental cottages, and we have been lucky to have only a few incidents of damage. However, because of the ornate woodwork and fine floors, we need strong assurance from potential guests that their furry friend will not do damage.
Other pet policies: one dog ONLY, no dogs left alone in the house even if crated and absolutely no dogs on the furniture.
OTHER
When you reserve, please let us know something about your plans and who will be coming.
HOT TUB
The hot tub is modeled after a traditional Japanese “sento” --- a spiritual place to bathe in a quiet, natural environment. It is only to be enjoyed by one or two people at a time. Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult to assure they are respectful of this special beautiful space. There is more information about the hot tub rules posted in the house.
Where you’ll sleep
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What this place offers
Garden view
Kitchen
Fast wifi – 374 Mbps
Dedicated workspace
Free parking on premises
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Rated 4.96 out of 5 from 76 reviews.4.96
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This home is in the top 10% of eligible listings based on ratings, reviews, and reliability
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Rated 4.9 out of 5 stars for cleanliness
Cleanliness
4.9
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars for accuracy
Accuracy
5.0
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars for check-in
Check-in
5.0
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars for communication
Communication
5.0
Rated 4.9 out of 5 stars for location
Location
4.9
Rated 4.9 out of 5 stars for value
Value
4.9
Where you’ll be
North Creek, New York, United States
Neighborhood highlights
Quiet country road without a single neighboring home in sight. Beautiful level land, 20 acres to explore
Meet your hosts
Born in the 50s
Where I went to school: Indiana University - Bloomington
NORTH RIVER MOUNTAINTOP HOBBY FARM
Our family-owned mountaintop property in North River originated in 1910 when my great-aunt came as a teenager from Port Washington, Long Island to the Adirondacks to recover from tuberculosis. Back then, the only known cure for TB was to be outside, in cold winter months on a porch under quilts or walking the meadows in the summer. Fortunately Aunt Edie recovered from TB, and in celebration, my great-grandparents built Bird Camp which is now restored and one of our vacation rental cabins. There are still apple trees in the meadows which were planted one hundred years and ten years ago by my great-grandfather. I treasure the old black and white photos I have of this era.
Sadly, the property went into decline over the decades when the various siblings, cousins and in-laws could not agree on how to maintain the property. It took decades, but I managed to buy out the other owners. Once free with clear title, I began the hands on restoration of the original Bird Camp. Then, thinking that I might scratch out a living as a hobby farm, I built a unique “farmstand” and large gardens, but then pivoted as is sometimes necessary in business (and life) --- I converted the farmstand into a vacation rental (“The Farmstand”) and kept the large gardens where we grow cut flowers, herbs and vegetables for our guests and for sale at farmer’s market.
About 10 years ago, I bought 40 additional acres of beautiful adjoining land below ours (Shields Road) where there were once incredible views of the Hudson River and the mountains beyond. I worked with an excavator to clear the woods for six new sites, creating for each incredible views for which the land was once known.
After some intense approval hassles, I began to design and build small romantic cabins and various outbuildings in what architects call the “new old” style. The construction and design are driven by a desire to pay homage to the original Japanese/Adirondack architectural detailing of the 19th century. As a carpenter and home designer, I have taken great pleasure in this work --- frequently picking up my tools to work alongside the various craftsmen who have helped to these unique cabins and out buildings.
One year’s work was building a Japanese temple with a natural cedar hot tub overlooking Gore Mountain. Another project was a wood fired pizza oven and pavilion. Both amenities are treasured by our visiting guests.
Our land in North River is now developed as far as we wish to go. Hence, we named the last cabin “Camp Finale” to signify the end of what we will build here. Our focus is now on maintaining a restorative and relaxing experience for our guests.
Our vacation cabins in North River on the Hobby Farm are named:
Bird Camp
Farmstand
Camp HudsonView
Camp Lillian
Camp Bossie
Camp Finale
Glamp Richard
Glamp Suzanne
Glamp Thomas
Glamp Bernice
NEW PROJECT --- NORTH CREEK HUDSON RIVER PROPERTY
Five miles down river from our mountainside paradise, we now have another beautiful property directly on the Hudson River in nearby North Creek.
The 14 acre parcel which I purchased in the summer of 2021 included an abandoned 1940’s cottage which not been inhabited for decades. The boarded-up cottage, overlooking the Hudson River which is directly across the country road, was ready to collapse. The rafters and outside walls were bowing, huge pine trees ready to fall on top of it and the interior was in deplorable condition.
For an entire pleasurable year, I worked alongside my group of tradespeople to restore the cottage. Tricky carpentry was involved to shore up and brace the sagging roof rafters, and to bring the outside walls back to plumb. Because of the cottage’s proximity to the Hudson River, the new septic system had to be designed carefully to meet setbacks, and the abutting flood plain elevation had to be dealt with in the permitting process. The interior was gutted and rebuilt in our “new old” style with knotty pine beadboard, antique beams, bright tile work and an antique style bathroom.
Sensing that this could be the place where I may live in retirement (close to town, flatter grades and less challenging in the winter than living atop a mountain), I admittedly went a little overboard during the renovation with extra beautiful detailing inside and out.
(I read this somewhere recently and it describes my building philosophy: “A preferable solution is to maintain all that is good. All that has served us well. Maintain the foundations of the old house and as much of the structure above as is still sound. Root out the rot and treat the wood worms. Repair and replace what is broken but keep as much as possible of what has stood the test of time, what has worked.” This is good advice for old homes and life as well.)
Although virtually everything in the cottage has been replaced (framing, siding, roofing, interior finish, mechanicals), the Hudson River cottage now appears both inside and out as a well-maintained historic cottage instead of a major renovation. This pleases me.
Our Hudson River cottage is named Riverfront Cottage on the Hudson River.
THE PLEASURE I TAKE IN HOSTING IS NOW TWOFOLD … ON THE MOUNTAINSIDE AND BY THE HUDSON RIVER … HOW LUCKY AM I?
I have the honor to host vacationing guests who come to the Adirondack Mountains from all over the world, and who leave with generous notes of thanks and lovely reviews.
On our mountainside property In North River, our guests enjoy having the opportunity to live as I do with my children now, and as my grandparents and great-grandparents once did here. We treasure our farm-like setting reminiscent of an 1800’s farm with pleasant meadows, beautiful mountain views and brilliant star-filled nights.
On our riverside property in nearby North Creek, our guests enjoy the beauty of staying right on the Hudson River on a quiet country road where they can slip into the river to bathe or fish or kayak, where they can enjoy a quick walk to the sweet downtown.
To create these amazingly beautiful places, I have invested years of my own labor, energy and design expertise, and I have willingly taken on substantial financial risk and debt. But I would not own these wonderful places if not for my brother Thomas Clement and my late father Richard Clement who made significant financial contributions and gave me great encouragement. I am most grateful for their love and help, and I consider myself a lucky woman indeed.
Leslie is a Superhost
Response rate: 100%
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Things to know
Cancellation policy
House rules
Check-in: 3:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Checkout before 11:00 AM
10 guests maximum
Safety & property
Nearby lake, river, other body of water
Carbon monoxide alarm
Smoke alarm