Creating the perfect mountain vacation home

Picture the scene. You’re sitting on a cozy, leather sofa, wrapped in a blanket. On your lap, you hold a cup of warm herbal tea, sweetened with a spoonful of mountain honey. You casually extend your feet towards the dancing fire in the fireplace. Bliss.

Mountain cabins offer a break in everyday routine. They give you the chance to leave the stress of work and your hectic lifestyle behind for a few days and follow the peaceful pace of nature. That’s probably why most cabins don’t have any TV; it’s all part of the retreat feeling. Your job is to forget about modern life, while the cabin serves only as a soothing place. And yes, that means, no news and no TV; you need to spend all your spare time reading and immersing yourself in nature.

However, while the location is a crucial factor in making the most of your cabin staycation, you also need to create the perfect decor for a delightful and homely holiday far from home — both for your family and for other holidaymakers if you’re renting your cabin.

Wood cabin

Nothing says cozy like an open fire

First of all, you can’t have a proper cabin staycation without a comforting fire. However, when you’re not using the fireplace regularly, which can be the case with a holiday home, you need to make sure to stay on top of cleaning and maintenance schedule. Indeed, a dirty chimney could lead to monoxide poisoning, which is not a risk you want to take. Ideally, you need to plan professional cleaning – get in touch with experts such as the Capitol Chimney sweeping services team – before and after each winter season. Make sure as well to keep an instruction manual handy for holidaymakers. Not everyone grew up with a fireplace at home! A little bit of guidance on how to start a fire and maintain it can avoid many troubles in the long term – did you know that most fireplace-related incidents are the result of lack of fire-starting knowledge?

Stage the scene

Creating a homely interior is all about furnishing and decorating your rental property as if it were your home. Ultimately, black walls and cheap DIY furniture lack a certain je-ne-sais-quoi. You want to inject a breath of fresh air and personality to your cabin. Start by giving the walls a focal accent, through colorful art pieces or vintage picture frames from the local area. A bookshelf with plenty of books about the region as well as some classics is always a tasteful addition. The presence of books immediately transform a room and makes it an inviting space for relaxation.

A welcome tray

Whether you’re planning your arrival or you’re thinking about your guests, nothing beats the welcoming sight of a tray filled with delicious treats. If you have a rental manager on-site or close-by, you could ask them to prepare a welcome tray for each family; it’s a friendly touch that makes a great deal of difference. What do you want on a welcome tray? Ideally, you should pack some local specialties. If there’s a kind of biscuit, cheese, or even a drink from the region, it should be part of the offering. For a rural cabin, it’s always a good idea to have a few jars of homemade jam using the local fruits. Always make sure to add enough for a cup of tea or coffee too. And if you want to give the cabin a homely feeling, you can add a pack of bread flour or cake mix that holidaymakers can prepare as they arrive.

Cozy up with homemade touches

You may not be able to have your favorite things in your holiday home, but you can still bring some personal items. A little DIY magic can transform the room. If you’re handy with a sewing machine, you can make seasonal cushion covers for your lounge, which you can change throughout the year. If you prefer a more hands-on approach, you should consider hand-knitting a throw for the sofa. You don’t need to have previous knitting experience when you’re working your way through the knots.

Knit your decor

You need to plan for bad weather too

Last, but not least, a rural cabin can be vulnerable to extreme weather conditions. If the rain or the snow keeps you indoors, you should make sure that you and your guests have plenty of food stored in the pantry – tins and conserves can be a life-saver! Additionally, do make sure to keep an emergency generator as a backup plan. You never one when you’ll need one!

If you’re dreaming of spending more time in your mountain cabin, now’s the best time to transform your holiday home into a homely and cozy space to relax. Your rural property needs a lot of care to stay safe and welcoming.

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