Lofty Updates from A»Zzz

Hey, there! Thanks for stopping by to sneak a peek at the latest “up”dates Eric and I tackled during our 24-hour blitz visit to Lutsen last weekend. It was a whirlwind tour! The really good news—there are big improvements happening inside our little 142C condo at Caribou Highlands Resort…

The condo is an Alpine Elite, which means there are two floors. The upper space has a loft, a separate bedroom and a bath; the main level features a kitchen/dining area, living room with fireplace, bathroom and a small deck that delivers spectacular views of Moose Mountain (above) and overlooks the inviting outdoor pool area…

Lately we’ve made a wish list of amenities and little extras we could offer 142C guests, asking ourselves, what would make for a welcoming and more memorable North Shore getaway. We’ve added to the kitchen collection & gadgets so that all the essentials are within reach and coffee, tea and hot chocolate are complementary. And, earlier this year we introduced the amazing patio chairs! Installing a sturdy and space-efficient bunk bed in the loft with ample room to stretch and slumber would enable 142C to comfortably accommodate 7 guests.

I was browsing Facebook one day and stumbled upon J’s Woodworking.  Jim is the amazing carpenter and craftsman from Clearwater, MN who’s been building for more than a decade.

“It started off with arts and crafts and home décor,” Jim explained. “From there we started selling bigger items such as picnic tables, benches and sandboxes at swap meets and arts & crafts shows. Customers started requesting beds and bunk beds. Our business grew quickly by word of mouth and pretty soon I constantly had 8-10 orders waiting for bunk beds. That’s when we decided to start advertising the bunk beds on social media.”

So, please meet Jim and his wife Jessica. And, while I’ve not met them in person, they are quite a team and managed to create the exact piece of furniture that fits snugly in the loft and gives us much more storage space. If you’re looking for a well-built custom bunk bed, check out Jim’s Facebook page.  Jim guesstimates he’ll build about 75 bunks this year, although I joked that  he’d very well have time to construct 76 beds if it wasn’t for me bothering him about the order specs, numerous questions and details for the blog post! Haha!

Here’s a visual story of our St. Paul to Lutsen trip to install Jim’s bed, which now has a permanent home at Caribou Highlands 142C!

All the boards were numbered for streamlined assembly!

Ready to leave St. Paul with the U-Haul

Larger bunk bed pieces and other essentials loaded and ready to go!

Eric rented the U-Haul and we packed & strapped materials inside. When we arrived at Lutsen, we started hauling; thankfully the friendly maintenance team – JR and Casey – pitched in, helping with the heaviest pieces. Jim shared the straightforward instructions with us (err…Eric) in advance so we’d have a guide to follow.

The materials were clearly labeled and numbered, so the build was a breeze. And, some of the larger pieces – the staircase (yes! there are special steps!) and pull-out drawers were already assembled.

Keep calm and let Eric handle it!

The hardware is heavy-duty!

Adding the slats to the beds. Jim uses plenty of boards to insure the loft is strong and stable.

Eric tackled assembly – that’s why his T-shirt reads: Keep calm and let Eric handle it. While I was the bumbling assistant and photo snapper. Jim even designed the bed so it wasn’t quite as high, which is a relief. So, no bopped heads on the ceiling and a shorter distance from the tippy top to the lower bunk. You can tell here, the quality of the wood and the precision of the workmanship is impressive!

Now…just add mattresses!

And, my favorite part is the steps! The treads lift up for underneath storage – a fun place to tuck bedtime books, crafts and games.

Ta da!! We chose a light whitewashed finish to keep things bright in our cozy space and adds contrast to the existing woodwork. We’re over-the-moon happy with the quality new bed frame and are excited to hear what guests have to say!

A quick p.s….we also updated our dining room, which is still work in progress. But, here’s a before & after to give you an idea:

Former dining room table with wooden chairs

Chairs with cushions! A more modern vibe & a Fika Coffee poster, too!

By 3 p.m. Sunday we were heading home, descending Ski Hill Road, and feeling pleased with progress!

The next time you’re heading to Lutsen, let us know! Happy trails.

#xo

This post was first published on http://www.FromLutsenwithLove.com.