Renovation Woods Hole Inn style, with secrets found in the walls

When we first bought the Woods Hole Inn, it suffered from what is politely referred to as deferred maintenance — peeling paint, broken windows, a Byzantine layout. Many people saw a tear down, but we appreciated it’s Victorian charms and renovated over several years (the epic adventures of renovation 2012 are here before, and during,  during and after) to create the vibe and atmosphere our guests have come to love.  We like to call it vintage restored, and to be honest we felt that we were “done” with renovation Woods Hole Inn.

Then along came a recent acknowledgement as one of the top ten B&B’s in the country.  And with that, we began looking with fresh eyes at every corner of the property.  Room Seven is located on the first floor, and while it’s uneven floorboards, 50’s era pink tile, and plywood closet seemed quaint, in the stark light of our new honor, it just felt … (sigh) tired.  Here is what it looked like after we cleared all the furniture but before we started renovating this January 2016:

We felt we could live without this built-in bureau, a remnant from a time when this was the innkeepers quarters.  You can barely see the pink tile in this photo — but it’s safe to imagine that Gloria McLean (innkeeper of the 50’s) chose it.

And so we commenced a major rehab to make Room Seven larger with a new floor plan, brighter with new windows, and more chic with marble tile and a glass rain shower.  Along the way we were also able to upgrade the floors, add a real closet and put in built-in air conditioning.

We kept the charming bulls eye moldings, the solid brass door hardware and other touches which you have come to expect from our aesthetic.  There was plenty of work involved — demo, plumbing, wiring, changing the sprinkler head locations, new recessed lights and more.

Renovation of an old building is not for the faint of heart as you never know what you will find that requires an expensive upgrade — and this time was no different as the rough plumbing had to be totally re-worked (ouch).  But there are often wonderful surprises as well, like this old newspaper which if you look closely is dated April 22, 1910 (Good news, the Red Sox won that day:) which was found in the walls.

I also love the headline (“Perhaps Washington Will Know Better Than to Start Anything Like That Again”) which in light of the political drama so far this season seemed almost contemporary.

Here is a sneak peek of the results of renovation Woods Hole Inn 2016, with more to come next week.  Stay tuned for the renovation “after” photos by signing up for our newsletter,  or following us on Facebook.

Enjoy this snowy view of Eel Pond, as we worked through the winter to keep the Woods Hole Inn special for you.  Hope to see you soon!