This was this photo that started it all. I had no choice but to adore her. The lamps, the chandy, the mod chairs and table, the artwork that I copied more than once. I found Angela from the Painted House over two years ago. She has since moved her blog but there is still great stuff at the old place. Pure inspiration.
my painted canvas a la Angela
Angela’s style has greatly influenced me over the years, more than some TV designer or magazine. This girl is a real mom with a real budget and a real house and a real life that isn’t perfect. My kind of hero. Angela seamlessly mixes modern with farmhouse with traditional with urban with country. Warm, simple, timeless, inviting spaces.
The purchase of this pair of lamps for my own nest was directly inspired by Angela who had no idea that she gave me permission to mix country with modern.
I even found the first comment I left on her blog from over 2 years ago. I am nothing if not shameless.
I’ve been a fan since April of 2008. And since then, I watched with some of you as she renovated a Cottage in the Mountains of North Carolina. The cottage has been talked about and featured all over the internets. It’s like, famous and junk.
This is the part where I wait for you to click over, read, drool, be shocked at the fact that she can find a pottery barn sofa for $10 then come back here to read what else I have to say. Go ahead, click on that link up there.
This girl had a tight decorating budget and she worked some miracles between antique shops, TJ Maxx, IKEA, Pottery Barn Outlet {rugs for $90!} and stuff she already had.
So, remember yesterday’s post where I told you that I got all motivated and inspired this weekend. Nope, I didn’t have company coming {that is motivating but not very inspiring}. Angela invited my family to the cottage. It was a trade, I would get to talk about her cottage and show a ton of my favorite things about it in exchange for my family getting to stay there for the weekend. She totally got the raw end of the deal but I’m not going to tell her that.
I expected to relax and enjoy a nice weekend with my family {and my husband’s sister’s family, they came too}. And we did relax in the hot tub, soak in the picture perfect mountain setting with spectacular views, and took advantage of some true North Carolina past times. What I didn’t expect was to come home so inspired and motivated to finish up some projects in my own home. But, I’ll tell you more about that next week.
before Angela/after Angela
And now the cottage is open for business. Meaning WE, real live people can stay there!
You can stay for a week. You can stay for a weekend. You can stay in the summer, fall, winter or spring. You can stay with your family and go tubing and rafting, stay with a group of girls and go antiquing, and see the Biltmore Estate, or stay with another couple and not cook and hang out in the hot tub. I do not like green eggs and ham.
The cottage is tucked into a beautiful setting. You feel like you are the only people for miles and miles, you feel really secluded. But, you are only 15 minutes from Super Wal-Mart and Zaxby’s. The best of both worlds. It’s got 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, a kitchen, dining area, living room, family room, huge screened in porch, deck, two fireplaces, two flat screen TV’s and a VIEW.
If you look closely, you can see layers of the Smoky mountains in the background
The inside of the cottage is just as beautiful. You feel like you are in a tree house when you look out of these four large windows.
There are lots of chairs and bar stools and outdoor seating. They will hold lots of hineys very comfortably. We were a party of two families:: 4 adults and 5 children and it was plenty of room.
There is SO much I want to tell you about what I found out when snooping around Angela’s furniture at the cottage. I’ve decided it will take me more than one post, so next week, I’m going to do a little mini series on what I learned at the Painted Cottage. I’m all hopped up on chippy paint and graphic fabrics, and oh my goodness I can’t wait to write all about it. I haven’t been this inspired and motivated to make a few changes in my home for a long time–and I owe it all to the cottage.
Back to telling you about the cottage itself, look, a full kitchen with a microwave, stove, refrigerator and farmhouse sink.
And even though everything is so pretty, I felt perfectly comfortably letting my boys sit on the furniture.
The downstairs family room has warm carpet and a big flat screen. And painted teal paneling. Love I tell you.
There are super duper comfy beds. Trust me, I am a connoisseur of beds and the one we slept on was fab.
My boys slept in the bunk room. There are four beds each with their own caged light, just like from Gym class. When we said “time for bed,” they couldn’t wait to go. Miracles do happen.
This room was very inspiring.
My husband and I love North Carolina. When we got married, he lived in Florida, I lived in Michigan and we were married in South Carolina. We honeymooned in North Carolina. I loved it. We stayed in the mountains at different types of inns and went antiquing and it was wonderful. A few years ago for an anniversary, we stayed at the Fearrington Inn also in NC. We’ve been to lots of really nice places in North Carolina, but I can now proclaim that the Painted Cottage is now my favorite place to stay.
If you like to stay somewhere that doesn’t feel like a hotel, the cottage is for you.
If you like to stay somewhere with your whole family but you don’t want to put your kids in a separate hotel room, the cottage is for you.
If you want a laid back vacation, the cottage is for you.
If you want a fun go, go, go, vacation, the cottage is for you.
If you want decorating inspiration and motivation the cottage is for you.
You can find out more about the cottage at it’s own personal website. And, check out the rates {only around $200 per night–for a whole house!} and availability here. Nesting Place readers get 10% off! The Painted Cottage is also available for seasonal renters {lucky dogs}.
We drove 45 minutes to the Nantahala Outdoor Center and the kids played in the water, we watched rafters and kyakers and ate lunch. Then we went to Bryson City and for $3 each, rented a tube and had a great time tubing on Deep Creek. Don’t let the name fool you, I spent a lot of time getting myself unstuck from rocks. If you are daring, you could do this while you are at the cottage.
Angela & Nester BFF
Have you seen the cottage online before? What would you do at the cottage?
Simply adorable cottgae! Really beautiful – the cottage, the setting, the style. Comfy and cozy, but fresh, sophisticated and up to date all at the same time!
What a fun weekend!! The view from the hot tub is just so serene and beautiful, and the house…I can see why you started the week inspired and motivated!
Janell
What a beautiful cottage! I have visited Angela’s site recently, but have never seen/read/heard about her cottage. We love that area. We are in Tennessee – very near the Smoky Mountains and in fact, that is one thing that drew us to buy our property and build our home there – we have a view of the Smokies from our front.
My hubby has rafted down the Nanahala, but I’m too chicken! (After seeing cut shins and a broken nose LOL.) We do love river rafting though.
Beautiful cottage (and view!), and I can’t wait to read your series next week and hear what all inspired you. I have a feeling we are going to be inspired too. Thanks for sharing!
tina
You are too cute. Now you know how people probably feel when they meet YOU! lol
Wow…she is inspiring. Of course I feel the same way when I visit your blog – “I need the Nester!”. By the way, is it wrong that I thought the ‘pod’ shower was kind of cool & interesting?
I will have a family gathering at The Cottage, it is gorgeous and totally affordable.
Oh my! That cottage is insane! I feel inspired just by these photos. I can’t imagine how it must have been to actually sit and sleep in there. You lucky duck! The rates sound awesome, so I may actually look into this for a vacation. Outdoorsy for the hubs and major eye candy for me. Sounds perfect!
Hi Nester, first of all I have to tell you that you have inspired me with the color of your tv cabinet, I painted mine the same color and your lamps made me rethink the style of mine, so I went on a search and found some at TJMaxx in turquise needless to say I snatched those babies up and have loved them ever since, so thank you for the inspiration!! My husband and I live in Florida, when we married(22 yrs ago, yikes) we went to NC for our honeymoon too, great memories!! What a beautiful cottage to stay in, you can’t beat that view!!
Nester! This post ROCKS! Thank you! I’m so happy that you all enjoyed the place as much as we do. It is a real blessing.
Me inspire you? I’m shocked but, UH, immensely flattered! Do you know how much courage it took me to leave you that first comment? And how happy I was when you returned that first comment? You know that phrase “I love you because you first loved me?” I loved you first! Ha! :) Thank you for all these kind words.
I love WNC–not too many places where you can sit in a hot tub in the summer!
You come back now, ya hear?
Yes, hot tub in the summer is SO true. We are mutually in love. We must be totally grossing everyone out. Do people still say “grossing out?”.
Epic Fail.
The Cottage is just beautiful! Made me feel peaceful and relaxed to just look at the pictures. Love the style, colors, decor, just all of it.
Beautiful!!! Love that last bedroom you showed. Will have to check the place out!
This is gorgeous!!! As a smoky mountains fan, I love this post! Thanks nester!!
Ok so you know I am a total chippy paint girl!!!!! Love it!
How far from an airport were you??? And where did you fly into? I’m thinking…. I’m thinking….
Girl, it’s only like 2 and a half hours away from my house!!!!! Charlotte airport is near me but, now I’m wondering if Asheville has an airport.
Asheville DOES have an airport. My mom & I flew in this time last year from Houston. Toured the Biltmore and drooled all over Asheville for a long mother-daughter weekend. Take-your-breath-away gorgeous scenery! And twist my arm, I now have another reason to take her back. We missed something – The Painted Cottage! Thanks for sharing this little gem.
PS… dude…. you got the hook up! What a win-win for both of you ladies!!!!=)
I KNOW, right!
YES. I love Asheville! My husband an I are trying to figure out a way to move there–and I’ve been trying to find Asheville blogs!
Does the Painted House Lady now live in Georgia?
Thank you so much for telling us about the Cottage. I live in Mooresville and this would be such a fun place to visit with friends or family .. and SO close !
We are hoping to take a trip up that way next year sometime. We’ve heard it’s beautiful. We love long scenic car trips with the kids. I’ve got her page bookmarked and we will definately make plans to stay at the Painted Cottage when we visit. What a beautiful place!!
We will be in Highlands, next week! I cannot wait to smell and feel that fresh (and cool) mountain air! I love the Waynesville area – so beautiful! Thanks for the tour. The cabin looks perfect.
Love to visit Highlands too. I was born in the old Highlands Hospital 49 years ago. I think the hospital only had like 7 rooms then.
Lovely cottage! Would love, love, love to go there!!! What would I do? REST!
Wow! I’m going to send the link to my husband. We live in Raleigh and he would love to spend some time in the mountains. Even though I’m more of a beach girl, I think I would love it too – especially in this cottage!
Mary Ellen
Beautiful! BUT, my favorite thing?? Your sister in law’s outfit!!!! I want it!!!! Where did she get the shirt, shorts, and sandals????
Can I really use both green and teal/turquoise in decorating? I’ve been torn between the two, but Angela does it beautifully.
I’m paralyzed from the beauty of The Cottage.
I can’t move.
you KNOW i’m jealous. :)
xoxo
Loved this post and love WNC too. I actually grew up in Waynesville and my mother and 2 sisters still live there. Moved later to Asheville and remained there until about 8 years ago. I’m now about 90 miles away but I do love those mountains. I would love to stay in this cottage. It is just beautiful and love everything about it. To answer your question earlie, Asheville DOES have a airport. Asheville Regional right off of I26.
Thank-you for making the Evergrateful Collection. They are so inspiring and I love the flax linen color w/the white (purity). The honey gold represents God (gold). I’m so thankful!
Love, His and ours, Dave and Mary Jones
I’m there today in my dreams. Following shoulder surgery nearly four weeks ago (three surgeries total), I need to destress and feel like a real lady again instead of ungrateful, depressed and “Why me?” After reading this post, seeing some Before/After, as king David did, I encouraged myself. I’m going to be a “new and improved” me that can bless others shamelessly with nothing to prove but that I, too, am blessed! What a blessing for your two families to be so blessed. You are indeed reaping what you have sown.
I’m in love too!
Wow! I have family near there that I NEED to visit, huh?
Angela did a beautiful job (you can tell she’s passionate about it).
Nester, your post made it come to life! Thanks!
Oh what fun to stay in such a gorgeous place!!!
What a really great getaway! I hope you took lots of pictures. I find that I have to do that to remember something that might inspire me that I want to do back at my own house. Of course, it helps that she has a blog in case you missed a picture!
I am in love! Actually we are staying in a house in August in that general area and I am glad that you put some links up on things to do! I’m going to check them out. Our family would love to go tubing.
What would I do at the cottage?! I would SLEEP there! It looks so relaxing. I would sleep, then eat snacks, and read books. And not work. At all.
I love this house. My office is headed to Waynesville in late September for a conference, what a great place to rent for the week! I will be calling about reservations this week. Thanks for posting and I am like you now totally motivated to update my home! Love your blog all the way from Greenville, NC!
Gasping!! I am just in love with that cottage. It might be the only thing to convince me to go anywhere that’s not close to a Target. ;) I would be a little worried about my girls, spills, and those couches, but WOW!!! Just breath-taking. :)
You’re nearly making my hyperventilate, I swear to you. My husband’s family often goes down to that areas to drive on all the fun curvey roads in their Miatas (especially the Tail of the Dragon) and to just be in the moutains. I wish we could stay in this house! We keep talking about going down to the Smokies as a mini family reunion one summer, maybe I should suggest this house!
Looks like an AMAZING get away! I know we would just relax and enjoy Asheville. I know I live super close to it but we’ve yet to make it to Asheville…hmmm, maybe a trip is in order!
oh it’s fabulous! i want to go in the fall. i’ve always wanted to see the blue ridge mountains in the fall.
Hi Nester!
It’s funny that your post today is about inspiration. YOU’VE inspired ME!!! I think I have pictures of every room of your house in my “house pics” file. And I wanted to share with you something I did that was directly copied from your white dresser. I’d love it if you stopped by… http://www.sweetwaterbaby.blogspot.com.
Keep up the great work!
Maggie :)
I want to go today and we just got home from Florida on Tuesday! The cottage is beautiful. We live in NC so not that far from us! I love the fact that we’re so close to the mountains and the beach! My husband is originally from Spartanburg, SC (really Boiling Springs, SC people usually think of BS, NC!). I don’t know if I’ve ever commented before! So sorry. I do absolutely love your blog. Very inspiring. Thank you. I had not come across TPC yet! Thanks for introducing it!
Nester – I clicked over to Angela’s old blog where she posted photos of the before and afters, and, wow, stunning! Every room is just perfect, but the best is the living room with that wall of windows. I bet it was so wonderful and relaxing to look out those windows while you were there. I can’t wait to read more of your posts about this adorable little cottage!
I am green. GREEN with envy, I wanna go now!
I am green. GREEN with envy, I wanna go now!
Simply gorgeous! How wonderful that you and your family got to enjoy that beautiful place. Thanks for posting and passing along the inspiration…
Oh, Nester. What have you done to me? I read about your trip to the cottage two hours ago and I can’t stop thinking about it. In fact, oddly enough, North Carolina is my FAVORITE STATE and my husband and I were just thinking about taking a trip to NC but didn’t because well, it’s expensive but now there’s this cottage which has availability NEXT WEEK when my husband is on vacation and oh, what a dream that would be.
*sigh*
So, if I can’t go there, I do plan to paint my headboard that same greenish color as the headboard on the bed in your post because I love it. That’s almost the same as staying the week there, right?
If you come to NC, you better tell me so I can hang with you. Don’t you wan to hang with me on your vacation? :}
Um…yea… I now have a severe case of vacation envy! And decor envy too — how gorgeous! :)
I read all about the cottage on her blog. . . it’s so nice to know that it’s available to rent! What a wonderful job you did writing about it here. That Angela is one smart woman–what better advertisement could there be than to have Nester write about you??
I know you love North Carolina, but there’s one place in NC you haven’t been–my house. It’s not the Painted House, but it’s a fun place. And you would be oh so welcome. :)
Richella,
Yes, that’s one place I really need to visit!
Beautiful cottage! We have friends with a home in Burnsville, NC …the area is just breathtaking.
Such a beautiful cottage! And the location is outstanding. We have a home just off 441, about 15 miles from Deep Creek. I grew up tubing there…of course we always had a watermelon chilling down at the rental place…for our snack when we finished tubing. The Nantahala Outdoor Center is in interesting place, too. My nephews were guides there…both the with rafts and kayaks.
Beautiful area for a family vacation…
Jane (artfully graced)
Her before and after pictures ARE AMAZING!! What a cruddy house before her gorgeous style and TONS of hard work hit it! Visit?! I want to MOVE IN! =)
I have had the honor of staying there and it is absolutely beautiful inside and out. It’s so cozy and comfy. The cottage is tucked away up on a mountainside and you feel like you are the only ones up on the mountain. It is truly a real get-away.
The cottage is BEAUTIFUL! One of the best views ever. My friends and I had a blast there and it is the perfect setting to just get away from it all. I went up there with my girlfriend and left with my fiancée! I will always love this cottage!