Holiday House Tour 2004

Sunday, December 5, 11 AM to 4 PM

Moose Lodge

The sign says it all. “Moose Lodge” spelled out in birch twigs across the front of this gloriously refreshed log cabin speaks of North Woods whimsy and charm. In 1910 three small log cabins were brought to this hilly site from Maine and joined to create a rambling rustic retreat that current designer-owner Rebecca Ellsley has perfected and enlarged. One of the old cabins, a rare example of vertical log construction, now houses a comfortable home theater.

There are authentic rustic features throughout the home including stick banisters on both staircases, stone fireplaces, and cut-out iron fixtures with scenes from the woodlands. The original knotty oak floors have the patina of age, and the addition convincingly reproduces the antique feel.

The new kitchen has barn-red cabinets, curly maple counters, and a Heartland stove. The decorative details of old china, camp-style collectibles, and Adirondack-type features even in the tiles in the bathrooms treat the eye to a delicious feast. The dining room particularly exudes the spirit of a great camp with its old-rose fabric wallpaper, rock floor, and the log booths discovered in a camp mess hall in Maine.

The rusticity is softened in the upstairs bedroom by vintage style English wallpapers and comfortable patterned furnishings. The master bathroom has herringbone brick floors and the free-standing tub set in front of a window which gives the sense of being in a treehouse.

About the designer
Rebecca Ellsley has been a partner with Beverly Ellsley Design for 10 years. Beverly Ellsley Inc (www.beverlyellsley.com) is especially known for their one of a kind cabinetry design and custom millwork, and the firm is widely is recognized for the ability to combine luxury and individuality to create designs where style and quality are timeless.

Rebecca, who lives in Westport, Conn., has participated in several Kips Bay Designer Show Houses and has been featured in major magazines such as Redbook, Good Housekeeping, and Connecticut Cottages & Gardens. She is currently working with her mother, Beverly Ellsley, on a line of carved wood elements for the Enkeboll Company.