THE PRETTIEST VACATION RENTAL COTTAGE I’VE EVER SEEN

Greetings from Orcas Island where I found the prettiest vacation rental cottage I’ve ever seen: Rutabaga Farm. This 5 acre country farm is home to a collection of simply adorable renovated historic buildings that are available as short term vacation rentals.

Beautiful Orcas Island is the largest island in the San Juan Archipelago in the Puget Sound, approximately 70 miles northwest of Seattle, Washington. Rutabaga Farm is situated near the small hamlet of Deer Harbor, and is owned and operated by a the very talented and delightful David and Blake Shore.

Rental units at Rutabaga Farm consist of The Cottage, The Carriage House & The Bunkhouse.

We chose The Cottage for a 3 night stay last August after our cruise to Alaska. We arrived prior to the other guests that would be our neighbors for the weekend, so our gracious host Blake was kind enough to let me explore and photograph all 3 units. But let’s start with The Cottage where Brad & I stayed.

Our charming one bedroom cottage was hand-crafted by owner David Shore from old island timbers. His wife Blake, a talented interior designer, has filled the cottage with a curated collection of vintage finds that speak to the character of the relaxed Orcas Island lifestyle.

The spacious living/dining room with its high, open-rafter ceiling, exudes a feeling of warmth and casual comfort.

Furnished with Blake’s carefully curated collection of antiques, collectibles and great finds, all the details have been creatively attended to, right down to a basket of magazines I enjoyed perusing while lounging on the built-in window seat.

Blake told me that for many years she operated a shop called Rutabaga Home & Garden where she sold treasures like the ones that now embellish her rental cottages.

She has traveled widely and used to spend a lot of time in Mexico. You can see evidence of her travels in the little objects and artwork she has used to ornament the cottages.

An open staircase leads to the spacious lofted bedroom and bathroom.

The cottage sleeps 3 in a queen bed and adjacent twin.

I couldn’t get over how special the bathroom was with its large round window and vintage clawfoot tub.

A perfectly placed oil painting completed the warm and inviting bathroom design.

Now let me take you next door to The Carriage House.

Shaded by a pretty weeping willow, The Carriage House has its own pretty deck from which to enjoy the garden.

This one room cottage with its rustic wood framed walls houses a queen bed, a table and chairs, and a sitting area with a cozy couch.

Stings of seashells ornament the windows and starfish adorn the walls, reminding visitors that this truly is island living.

The rustic charm of the simple bathroom with its skylight-ceiling left me feeling as though I were actually outdoors. Whimsical nautical touches were also used here. I loved the old wooden sea captain and the mirror fashioned out of a brass porthole.

Just across the flowering garden path we find the third accomodation called The Bunkhouse.

The spacious covered porch is decorated with more antique charms.

And it is here that guests can make use of an outdoor kitchen complete with a vintage stove.

Dining at The Bunkhouse is done alfresco.

Stepping inside The Bunk Room you find a long, rectangular shaped room that contains a queen bed, across from which lies 2 twin beds. There’s also a cute bathroom that I didn’t photograph.

I sure enjoyed being able to explore all of Rutabaga Farm, including the amazing space that owners Blake and David Shore call home. They reside in what was once the Deer Harbor Dance Hall. It’s that large building you see on the right in the photo below.

On our last day at the farm Blake invited me to see her dance-hall-home, which was so astounding words cannot begin to describe the uniqueness of her residence. I am so sorry I didn’t have the gumption to ask her if I could photograph her home, because without exaggeration, it was truly the most incredible residence I have ever laid eyes on! It’s one super giant expanse of a room in which Blake has created individual spaces with enough furniture and decor to fill 10 houses. There are numerous sitting areas, several dining areas and a couple of sleeping areas, one of which is positioned on the former dance hall bandstand/stage. It was like being in a fantastic Disneyland of Decor, so surprisingly unique that I felt like I had stepped onto an incredible movie set. Her home was once featured in Coastal Living Magazine, a copy of which Blake showed me. Unfortunately the article is not online so you too could see it. I guess you’ll just have to stay at Rutabaga Farm and hope for your own invitation to The Deer Harbor Dance Hall.

Rutabaga Farm is one very special place, owned by 2 very talented people. Blake, with a vision and eye for design unlike anyone I have ever met. And what a team she has made with her husband David who is a carpenter, builder and jack of all trades.

To top it off they also raise egg-laying chickens and care for 2 charming donkeys that we visited each evening at cocktail hour. Stay tuned for my next post: Cocktails With Donkeys.

You might also enjoy these posts, all about Orcas Island:

• A Weekend on Orcas Island
• A Visit to Beautiful Orcas Island Part 2
• Dining at the Acclaimed Hogstone’s Wood Oven
• Cocktails With Donkeys
• Dining At Red Rabbit Farm

So there you have it: THE PRETTIEST VACATION RENTAL COTTAGE I’VE EVER SEEN

Thanks so much for dropping in! 

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All opinions expressed in this post are my own. All photos unless otherwise credited are the original property of Celia Becker @ www.AfterOrangeCounty.com and may not be reproduced without specific permission.