Homestead on the Hill

A week ago the Frankfort Girls met, and we changed things up quite a lot. Instead of meeting at someone's home for coffee and stitching around the kitchen table, we took a field trip! 

Kathy welcomes us from her kitchen.

Some of the girls knew Kathy Skinner, a former resident of neighboring Pickaway County, but I had not previously made her acquaintance. Kathy has a new venture in her new location - Vinton County - and she invited our group for lunch and a tour. We were all on board for an outing; we had an absolutely lovely day. 

Our hostess has a beautiful cabin in the hills of Vinton County which is so impeccably decorated - why it should be in a magazine, for sure. Kathy's style is primitive, but it's a modern version of primitive, and it is so tastefully done as not to overwhelm, but to welcome. While her home is magazine-worthy, guests feel instantly comfortable and at ease with all the homey touches Kathy has infused into her decorating scheme. 

Words just don't do it justice, so why don't we take a tour? I took a gazillion pictures, and none are framed or angled optimally, but the subject matter more than makes up for my amateur photo skills. I hope you will instead study all the special little touches Kathy has put into making her home so perfectly appointed. The beauty is in the details!

Kathy has named her hidden Vinton County treasure Homestead on the Hill. It seems evident from this front yard shot of her entrance that we are, indeed, on a hill. She doesn't seem at all daunted by yard work on such inclines as both the lawn and flowerbeds are carefully tended.

Approaching the steps to the front porch and entrance. Little Pooch is part of the welcoming committee.

Inside the front door; the great room.

The opposite side of the great room; through that center door are a guest room, bath, and Kathy's hobby room.

On a side table in the front window sits a primitive doll house with the most intricate detailed decor.

The dining table was set for our lunch.

Fireplace wall of the great room.

Another view of the kitchen and fireplace wall.

Kathy's hobby room - she's a rug hooker!

This quilt adorns the back hall which leads to the garage.

Master bedroom with a beautiful pineapple quilt and coverlet layered on top.

Master bedroom easy chair.

A beautiful spinning wheel in the master bedroom.

Master bedroom looking into great room. Note the dulcimer leaning in the corner!

Mirror in the master bath. It is so perfectly impressive!

My senses were so overloaded with trying to take in all the wonderful details in Kathy's home. I am so lacking in decorating skill that her talent really impresses me. And while this has been a decently representative tour of her home, but we are not nearly done. Not even close!

Kathy has created a retreat center behind her home, and is opening it to groups like ours for crafting getaways. After our meal - which was fantastic, by the way! - Kathy gave us a tour of her retreat center. It can be seen out her back door, further up the hill, and it is every bit as welcoming as her home.

Kathy's back patio and the retreat center, beyond.

The retreat center's front porch.

The front door. Simple touches make all the difference!

 

The front door opens into this entrance space.

To the right of the entrance is the kitchen.

And this big space beyond the entrance and kitchen is the gathering room.

The gathering room is so wonderful, you must see it from all the angles!

More views of the gathering room. Tables on each side wall, seating in the center. A perfect setting for all manner of needle arts enthusiasts.

Each side of the gathering room leads to bedrooms and baths for overnight guests.

Some bedrooms have twin beds; others have full.

We made ourselves right at home in the gathering room!

Those big cupboards in each corner of the gathering room house Kathy's wool stash.

More of Kathy's wool!

Now, you may have noticed some of the rugs decorating Kathy's walls. Also, she has used lots of cross stitch samplers in her decor. In this post I have mostly just featured the quilts, but I think I will soon do another post in which I feature her rugs and samplers. Oh my gosh, they are wonderful, and all together, all her spaces are all the more welcoming with such warm, gentle, calming decor.

Our group is considering a 2-night, 3-day retreat at Kathy's Homestead on the Hill. It's all a matter of scheduling for us! If you are in the area and are interested, I am sure Kathy would be happy to schedule your group, too. Her contact number is 740-664-1666.

This has been a super-long post; I have taken a lot of time in getting it ready because I had so many pictures! It was hard to whittle down, and I still went overboard. Well, hopefully, they are as much a delight to you as they were to me in person!

Happy Quilting, Friends!