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Cottage Crashing: Rustic Rassawek

Ack, sorry for the late post – technical difficulties.

We’re excited to share the cottage that we mentioned on Friday, especially since a bunch of you seemed anxious for us to spill all the beans (and a lot more photos). So here’s the deal: it’s about 45 minutes west of Richmond in Columbia, Virginia, it’s called Rassawek, and it’s a bonafide log cabin from 1910. It was actually moved to this location by the family who owns Rassawek (which is also a vineyard) and there were all sorts of other fun out-buildings nearby (many of which were moved as well) along with the coolest treehouse we’ve ever seen. So let’s get this tour started…

Rassawek Exterior Full

John’s sister was actually the one who found it and suggested it as a way for the entire family (nearly two dozen of us, with 8 kids running around) to come together for a nice Christmas meal together at one big table, followed by a s’more roast and a big ol’ sleepover. We all jumped at the chance to shirk hosting duties in favor of gathering at a cabin in the woods for a pot-luck Christmas adventure, and although we had no idea it would be “crash worthy” as soon as we got there we were like… uh, yeah – this is the coolest place ever.

Rassawek Sign

We already shared a sneak peek of one of my favorite shots in Friday’s post. See how those amazingly graphic walls look like they’re black and white painted stripes?

Rassawek Inteior Diagonal Door

They’re actually dark stained logs with white plaster around them! I love how irregular and textural they are. And everything from the exposed rafters to the antique radiators and even the dark hardware on that cool white diagonally-slatted door stole my heart. Suddenly I want interior door knockers and doors that lock with skeleton keys.

That was one of the only rooms with an extra-dark stained log wall like that, so the main living area had them in a more mid-toned color, just like all of the beams overhead.

Rassawek Interior Main Side

The background of the shot above was actually the kitchen, which was really open and integrated into the dining and living area. If we move a little closer you can see the sweet old stove on the right side of that back wall.

Rassawk Inteior Stove

There were lots of cool pulleys with old rope and chunky iron hardware everywhere, which really added to the rustic cabin feeling. Like this old metal utensil holder dangling over the stove…

Rassawek Detail Pulley Rack

On the other side of the kitchen was this amazingly chunky butcher block along with what looked like a metal chest with brass hardware… but upon closer inspection we realized that was the refrigerator/freezer! Each of those doors was a different compartment, and some were colder (freezer-cold) thanks to big bags of ice inside.

Rasswek Interior Fridge

If you spin around with your back to that wall, you’ll find yourself facing the fireplace, which is on the living room side of the space.

Rassawek Interior Fire Side

We pretty much had a giant fire burning the entire time we were there, and we all fought to sit in those chairs and on that sofa since they were the coziest spots in the house. You’ll notice from the shot above that there was no TV over the fireplace, but this drop-down projector screen could be lowered for movie viewing (and the projector itself was hidden in one of the overhead beams).

Rassawek Fireplace Olivia

Oh and see those wooden doors on either side of the fireplace in the shot above? Those led directly to outside cubbies full of firewood. Flinging them open was chilly, but it was so convenient to access the firewood without putting on shoes.

Rassawek Christmas Tree

Here’s the projector in action (Elf, anyone?), with John toasting up some marshmallows for the kids.

Rassawek Smores

Behind that big great room were the bedrooms, but it was impossible to shoot them for you guys since we had a million family members (and bags) back there. There were two big rooms full of beds (bunks, etc) and one small bedroom that was more private as well (with a full sized bed). Some of our family members left after dinner, but 16 of us slept over – although we’re a family full of kids in sleeping bags and pack & plays, so there were probably beds for around a dozen people assuming that two slept in the doubles/fulls and one slept in the twin beds/top bunks.

That big living room in the front of the cabin was a really great space for everyone to gather, but that table in the middle of the room wasn’t where we had Christmas dinner. That was outside in this greenhouse. It was AMAZING. Apparently some people get married here, and as soon as we pulled up, I could totally see why. This giant glass room was sunny and bright with the coolest features (heated floors, a big stone fireplace, one giant table for everyone, etc).

Rassawek Exterior Green House

So this is where our giant group chowed down. We never thought we’d all end up at the same table (none of our houses would have accommodated that) so it was really fun to see everyone without being spread out into different rooms.

Rassawek Exterior Green House Inside

There were some other really cool features outside like this bench, which was an old tree they just sliced through the middle and turned into a bench).

Rassawek Split Log Bench

And here’s an outside shot of those two doors on either side of the fireplace that open to provide firewood access. It was pretty cold but nice and sunny, so we logged a bunch of outside time with the kids.

Rassawek Exterior Fireplace

 We also trekked down to this cool old barn, where some wedding receptions take place.

Rassawek Barn

It was currently housing an old red truck that the kids all took turns posing with. There were also wall shelves full of fun vintage items like old decander bottles, buckets, and Coca cola crates.

Rassawek Barn Truck

And last but not least, was the tree house. It was all made from old trees and lumber from the property, and there was access through that little door in the trunk as well as the long wooden ramp that you see in the back left of this photo. So the bigger kids could “take the trunk up” while the little ones and grown ups could take the ramp.

Rassawek Tree House Far

Clara was in love.

Rassawek Tree House Detail

And let’s just duck back inside since we forgot to share this tiny bed that Burger got to get cozy on (hooray for dog-friendly cabins).

Rassawek Burger Bed

There was also this sweet black and white bathroom, complete with vintage tile and an old clawfoot tub.

Rassawek Interior Bathroom

So there’s our little tour of Rassawek. I hope you guys are all inspired to build a log cabin now. You think I’m joking, but it’s now on my bucket list. Maybe when we retire we’ll build one for all of our future grandkids to gather for the holidays. A gal can dream…

Comments

  1. Marianne in Mo. says

    What a cool place to have a family gathering! And to not have to share it with anyone –double awesome! You don’t mention how many bathrooms you had there, just the one?
    My family (2 daughters with their husbands, one child-then, and my husband an I) rented a beach house together once, but it was July. We had such a great time together despite the humidity in Fla. We hope to do it again, and it would be cool to do for a holiday! A cabin is really my dream spot for life!

    Reply

  3. Tracy W says

    What an awesome idea! My dad and stepmother built their log cabin (with help, of course, from many other family members.) My uncle owns a logging company so they actually picked the logs that were used! It was a very cool experience to see the step by step process of it going up. They documented every step with photos. Everyone loves to stay at their cozy, rustic cabin!

    Reply

  4. Alicia says

    What a cool cabin! I am in LOVE with that tree house! I would so love to climb up the trunk, and I love the little door!

    Reply

  5. Emily says

    John’s big sis Emily chiming in. It’s impossible not to fall in love with Rassawek and so many neat details to take in. To see more of the property and for those interested in seeing what a wedding looks like at Rassawek prepare to be stunned!!! Here is a link to my other friend who got married there this past November.

    http://www.samhurdphotography.com/2014/wedding/luke-julia-richmond-va

    In addition to the spring jubilee on website now there is also a WIne & Wreath Jenny puts on each December. Sherry couldn’t join us this year, but my mother and I had such a great time making fresh wreaths (think fresh evergreen and magnolia leaves)

    Reply

  6. Jenny Liesfeld says

    Sherry & John,

    Wow, THANK YOU so much for your amazing review on our family property.
    Big thanks to Emily for suggesting such a place to celebrate the holidays, what a great sister and sister-in-law you have.
    The photographs are so great! We love that your family had a fun at adventure Rassawek. I hope you will visit Rassawek again in the future.

    Thank you so very much, Jenny

    Reply

  7. Amy says

    Holy cow, I’ve always been fascinated with log cabins and this one is a gem. Thanks for the pics and for the info about it.

    Reply

  8. Debbie says

    one of our homes is a 5,300 sq foot log home & they are a lot of work to maintain. for instance, it is impossible to bat proof a log home. asain beetles LOVE log homes, so do carpenter ants (we have an exterminator come quarterly). there is a delicate balance of humidity that needs to exist in a log home (can’t be too dry, cant be too wet). log homes generally have hot roofs, meaning no attics so there isn’t that barrier of space & insulation. so in cold climates (such as ours) you have to install electric coils on top of the shingles to keep from developing literal ice jams that can rip off gutters & 8-12′ ice stalactites that can break windows if they go rogue (& if you have a lot of roof lines that becomes its own engineering feat). the logs have to be re chinked more often than your wallet would like. the logs are forever expanding & contracting as the climate changes creating noises that you just have to get used to. oddly enough they are pretty quiet in the winter, but in the summer, it can be as quiet as can be & then *CRACK*, youll just about jump right out of your skin. but even if we would’ve known all those things before investing seven figures in purchasing & rehabbing, we would’ve still bought the place. it is our chalet getaway.

    Reply

  9. Megan says

    Very cool! I loved the whole thing, but the tree house was especially awesome! Who doesn’t love a good tree house? The access through the trunk might be the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. And that little Burger bed? Might be the crazy dog mom in me, but that just melted my heart. So sweet!

    Reply

  11. Kari says

    It’s official: I’m obsessed with this cabin and now want to coordinate an escape weekend for my friends and I to get away from the “hustle and bustle” of RVA. How did John’s sister find this place and how can I?!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      John’s sister Emily attended a wedding there and discovered that they occasionally rent cabins. Her contact there is Jenny and if you scroll up to one of the earliest comments (on the first page) there’s a link I dug up with more info (it’s technically for wedding info, but that’s the same Jenny that Emily chatted with to arrange things). Hope it helps!

      xo
      s

  12. Vickie says

    WOW! I love the hidden ladder up to the tree house!

    About 10 years ago my family rented a huge cabin in Tennessee for a vacation. It was great! It had six bedrooms, five baths, three floors with two wrap around decks, porch swings out back overlooking the valley, even a hot tub. Would love to do it again, but it would be difficult to get us all together now as some of our kids are married and have their own children now.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Seriously, between Burger loving that bed and Clara loving that treehouse (an the various tractors and trucks on the premises) it was a good time for the kiddos! Haha!

      xo
      s

  14. Rachel says

    Wouldn’t a graphic wall similar to the dark wood and chinking fit in with the Barnacles nursery? Even just painting stripes that that would probably be pretty cool looking.

    Reply

  15. Karen says

    Ok, really. Did Burger climb into that little doggie bed or did you place him there? I know he didn’t pull those covers up… Right?!??

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      He nuzzled under the covers all by himself so he was completely covered – just a lump in the bed (he does that a ton at home too). Then John pulled back the covers to try to get a picture and he stuck his hands and head out like that. It was hilarious! He spent half the time we were there in that bed.

      xo
      s

  19. Molly says

    Non-sequitur: thanks for not doing a 2014 resolutions post. I’ve read about a thousand of them on other blogs and while I’ve enjoyed some, maybe even most of them, after a while it all seems so formulaic and boring; even a little depressing for various reasons. To them I say: that’s great you want to grow your readership and focus on the word “ketchup” all year long (ha, see what i did there?), but I’m here to read about design/diy/fun/etc. Let’s all just assume we have our own goals and move on, shall we? Just wanted to say thanks for always doing your own thang. It’s why I keep coming back. ps: i actually enjoy your bloggiversary posts where you often lay out some new goals. Something about the NY resolution posts seems so phoned-in to me, but your bloggiversary posts seem really thoughtful and personal.

    Reply

  21. Cori says

    So fun! My Dad is building a log cabin just outside of Lexington and we spent last weekend up there. He has made so many cool things for it (including a bathroom vanity from a dresser he bought at an auction). I wish that I had inherited his handiness!! This post has lots more fun ideas for me to pass along! :)

    Reply

  23. Casey says

    WOW! I love the pulleys! And we’ve been struggling with whether to put a in our greatroom, since the best place for it is above the fireplace, but we don’t want to mount a TV above the fireplace. I think I will work on figuring out whether we can do some sort of projector with a Chromecast fob or something!

    Reply

  24. Carrie Lea says

    I have a reoccurring daydream about owning a cabin in the woods. When I get super stressed or just need a break my imagination builds and decorates that cabin. )I’m not a lunatic, I swear!) My imaginary cabin’s bathroom looks a lot like this one. :) But now my imaginary cabin will have stained log walls instead of natural and white plaster. So fabulous. And white diagonal doors with dark hardware.
    Maybe my next vacation should be here. Alone, with books. Maybe bring the dogs. Ahhhh.

    Reply

  25. Caitie says

    Hi! Love the cabin- so charming!

    Completely random but I cannot for the life of me find a post I’m looking for so maybe you can just answer my question! When you guys did your second house basement clean-up (I believe), you had someone deliver a bag that you filled with garbage and they hauled it off for you.. What was the name of that company?

    Reply

  26. Sandra says

    I’ve passed through Columbia about a million times…, my grandparents lived in Fluvanna county their entire lives over near another “bump” in the road…Wilmington, VA I think I’ve seen this place…is it up on a big hill on Rt. 6 overlooking the James? I’ll have to pay closer attention next time!

    Reply

  27. Dana@chocolateandsunshine says

    I love this cottage so much!! The whole time I was reading your post, I thought of how much fun a family could be having sprawled together in such a beautiful setting for Christmas and without disrupting any particular family’s home for such a large group. Are you going to be able to make it an annual event? Can you imagine the kids looking forward to this each year? I want that butcher block more than anything!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We all would love to make it an annual thing, although we did hear that sometimes the family that owns Rassawek stays there themselves (who can blame them!) so it might not always be available.

      xo
      s

  28. Susan says

    Sorry if this has been addressed….but did everyone just bring their own dish, like a potluck, or did you cook there? Sounds like so much fun!!!! Nothing is more precious than a close family!!!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Yes, we all brought our own dishes (some strategically placed in crock pots that we could just plug in, or tins that could be popped into the oven and warmed). Since we arrived around noon on Christmas Day, it was pretty easy to get things warmed up a few hours later for the meal.

      xo
      s

    • Shana says

      Ha Susan that was all I was thinking too – how do you manage a dinner for 24 (or breakfast the next day) in that kitchen! But then I am always thinking about food! I was wondering if the turkey got cooked on site in that ah-mazing stove. We had a quasi potluck with my inlaws this year (only 12 people and I brought the turkey, stuffing, gravy and cranberries and others did the sides but it was an undertaking to get everything there/kept warm/reheated!)

      As an aside my grandma used to have an old icebox like that – hers was painted this awesome emerald green and was just used for a pantry as by then she had a real electric fridge but my sister and I loved opening all the hatches and seeing where the drawers were tat would have held the big blocks of ice. She used to tell us stories of the ice guy coming (with his horse and wagon!) to deliver their ice.

  30. Ashley says

    What a great idea for family time at Christmas! Looks like it was a perfect, cozy place to relax together. And oh my, the Burger Bed…I’m dying! Love it, haha!

    Reply

  31. Colleen says

    I actually have a random question that I hope you guys see… I’m about to order some lights from Shades of Light (including your orb light!) and was looking for your 10% off code but couldn’t find it. Do you still have one? BTW, this cabin looks amazing, I wish I would have known about it when I still lived in DC! Thanks!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      So sorry! They tend to turn it on and off, so I don’t think it’s running right now. But if you search for an online coupon sometimes another site is running the same 10% off with their own code from them!

      xo
      s

  32. Logan says

    My niece got married there! It was beautiful. She and her wedding party stayed in the log cabin and the ceremony was by the lake in front of the cabin. We had drinks and hors d’oeuvres in the cabin and greenhouse after the wedding, then we all trekked over to the barn for the dinner (outside) and dancing (inside the barn). The kids loved the tree house. Another small house near the tree house was where the groomsmen stayed. About 30 people camped on the property for the wedding. Lots of fun!

    Reply

  36. Caity says

    Sorry if someone has asked before, but have you shown the house crash in seattle yet? I don’t know if I missed it or just haven’t seen it yet. :)

    Reply

  37. Megan says

    Thanks for the tour, I love old log houses! Nothing’s cozier.
    A new series has just started on Canadian HGTV, called Timber Kings. They build log houses *and* its set in my old hometown, so win-win!

    Reply

  38. Barbara says

    Thanks for sharing this. Its so beautiful! The outdoor diningroom/glasshouse reminds me of a similar one close to my home in Ireland which just screamed wedding potential when I first saw it, so romantic :)

    Reply

  41. aynsley says

    What a great photo tour of Rassawek! Jenny and I developed and maintain visitgoochland.org and have written about/ photographed and spend a lot of time at Rassawek but you really captured the spirit of the place! The greenhouse is so cool- it hails from James Madison’s Montpelier. Another fun fact- the BEST TREEHOUSE EVER sports the judge’s platform from the Montpelier Horse Races. We loved your fresh take on such a special retreat. Come back for the Spring Jubilee! I’d love to repost or link to your post from our blog….your thoughts?! Want to know more, check out my new book Facts and Legends of Goochland County, by Aynsley Fisher, Rassawek is a chapter. You can buy the book through the publisher website dementibooks.com. What a great idea for a family gathering that was equal parts adventure and time together!

    Reply

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