Monday, June 1, 2015

Our stay at the Historic Four Mounds Estate

It's been far too long since I shared anything on the blog. I don't have a house or furniture project to share with you today, but I do think many of my readers will appreciate seeing pictures of a beautiful B&B. Brett and I were finally able to get away, just the two of us, on a little vacation and we had no idea how special it would be. Best of all, it's right here in the great state of Iowa... land that we love :)

Have you heard of the Historic Four Mounds Estate in Dubuque, IA? I hadn't until I recently starting searching online for our little get-away. The place captured my attention and I am so glad it did. If you care to read more about it after seeing some of the pictures from our stay, you can click on this link www.fourmounds.org and find out more.

This gentlemen's farm was bequeathed  to the City of Dubuque in 1982. Later a foundation was formed to manage the estate and over time new life has been brought back to this amazing property. It's nestled high along the bluffs of the mighty Mississippi River and the views are spectacular. It felt magical. We booked the Master Suite of the White House for our stay. There is another home with several rooms and a cabin on this property that can be rented as well, but I had a feeling that the White House would be perfect for us. I was right... it was absolutely perfect.

This is the White House and the side that has the view of the Mississippi River. The home was built in 1924 and she is charming in every way.




This is the front door and main entrance to the White House...




Here's the great thing about this B&B... no one lives in the houses or the cabin that you rent. Brett and I went during the week and we had the whole house to our-self. It was so much fun... and a little spooky at night which made it even better :)

This is the living room of the White House...



I loved the white trim and built-ins. The furnishings fit perfectly with this elegant and refined Colonial Revival style home. 

Just off the living room was a porch. I found this to be the perfect setting to enjoy a cup of tea in the afternoon.


The formal dining room was also on the main level...



The upstairs of this home has a total of four guest rooms. As mentioned before, we opted for the Master Suite and I have some pictures of our room and bathroom. When you first open the door to the suite you enter into a very large sitting room...




Off of the sitting room is both the bathroom and bedroom. The bedroom was in the sleeping porch and I loved it... so did Brett. These windows were fabulous and so was the king size bed. I think I may have to upgrade to that someday in my home.



Last but certainly not least for the suite is the bathroom. You know me and my love for the simplicity of white along with vintage fixtures... this bathroom has it all in my book.





Each morning we walked over to the Grey House for breakfast. This Craftsman style home was built in 1908 and features seven guest rooms. It has a very masculine feel to it and is a bit rustic as well. We were able to take a peek at the guest rooms and the Majestic River Suite in this home definitely lived up to it's name.



A plate of fresh fruit, hot tea, juice and blueberry bread awaited us. Then shortly after we sat down and started in, a delicious hot breakfast was served. That was a highlight for me. I'm sure all of you young mothers can relate to what a treat that is. Add to that a 20+ week pregnant mama and it's as close to heaven as one can get on this earth. Marie, who cooked the amazing food for us each morning, snapped a picture of us enjoying our feast. Thanks for the wonderful food Marie! We so enjoyed our morning chats with you as well.

 
The view outside the Grey House was picturesque as well...



We enjoyed exploring the grounds with the hiking trail and all the old buildings. I will leave you with the photos I snapped while out walking around the estate...


A special thanks to then hens who provided the farm fresh eggs each morning...




There were two of these charming yellow cottages on the property. Originally they were the chauffeur's house and the gardener's house, but today the grounds-keeper and the manager call them home. Quaint and charming indeed.





I posted this photo on Instagram while we were there. I was sitting outside the White House enjoying my view of the river. I am so thankful for the time we had there and I can't wait to go back. Our goal was to catch up on some much needed rest, enjoy each others' undivided attention and figure out a name for our baby girl that is due in October. I am happy to say we accomplished all our goals! I hope this gives you a taste of what you can find there. Visit the link I posted earlier if you want to see more of this place. If you've ever wanted to try a B&B but have been hesitant or reluctant... try this one! It is truly a gem.


Thanks for stopping by!
Hopefully soon I will have some house and furniture projects to share again. I'm ready to get back to work and tackle some projects before baby #4 arrives!