Monday, May 16, 2011

To change or not to change, please answer the question

This will be year 13 for Blueberry Cove Inn. Many things have changed over the years. Some have been driven by sheer necessity to bring the house from a trashed SRO to its current state. Some have just been for fun. Some have been to fix the first choice - who knew that antique bureau drawers wouldn't hold up to daily use? All have been driven by a desire to enhance the guest experience.

I have the itch again. In 35 years Dave has never understood why he might come home and find a room completely turned around. I like to migrate furniture. Ask my mom, as a teen I rearranged my room frequently much to her horror.

The focus of my discontent is the Glen Room. Don't get me wrong, it is a perfectly sweet room. Guests have said nice things about the room. No one has ever run from it screaming in horror. It is a comfortable room with a traditional motif.

But I wonder if it is too sweet or too traditional. Is it time to move away from toile and the antique dresser? Is the stained glass too pink? Are the green walls too unfashionable? Is there a great way to deal with the slanted exterior walls and lower ceiling that hasn't come to mind?

I love the comfy red checked settee but that TV has always been awkwardly placed on the dresser. Now that the Glen has a LCD TV maybe it should be wall mounted? The antique oak dresser with harp mirror is nice and roomy but showing its age. Unfortunately the windows and the 11 degree slant of the walls limit the furniture placement.

Help me out here. Should I leave it alone? Make it more modern? Go for a mid-50s retro/Madmen look? Does it need a shelf like the one in the Shells Room? Paint all the furniture purple? Mirror all the walls like a fun house or gym?

Share your thoughts folks. As an incentive to tap into your inner interior designer, if I run with your idea I'll give you two free nights (Sun. to Thurs.) this year in the newly designed room.

But, shhhh, let's surprise Dave with this one.

Innkeeper Seely