Choosing between a small college in Minnesota and a large university in New England, was a no brainer for my eighteen year old self. Exploring a different part of the country struck me as the only option. So, I packed up my preppy belongings and headed East. Twenty four years later, I was living in Brooklyn, after spending my twenties and thirties in Providence and Boston, when seismic changes hit my life. Everything in me said it was time to return to the enchanted lake in Minnesota, where I’d grown up. I soon discovered parts of my family’s property had devolved beyond “shabby chic,” and were in need of serious attention. The biggest project on my home improvement “To Do” list was replacing our old boathouse, which had become uninhabitable by humans. It took a while to secure the resources to move forward with Boathouse 2.0, but as soon as we did, I grabbed a chair and started writing down whatever popped into my head. I quickly filled pages and pages with ideas for the new boathouse. I felt possessed, but in a good way. “Hey!” I thought to myself, “you might have a knack for this design stuff.”

With my carpenter’s help, I made the architectural drawings for the building permits. Once we received a green light from the city, he ordered all the basic building materials, and I figured out everything else: floor tiles, ceiling fan, light fixtures (with dimmer switches, baby!), zinc bar top, propane fireplace, wire railing for roof deck and stairs, storage for tight spaces, stains, paints, grey elm shiplap walls (custom-milled!), and more. I LOVED researching all those things. As it turns out, the job of researching and procuring, and designing the new space, suited me, because our boathouse is now a dreamy retreat and the perfect, Holly GoLightly party space. Working on projects at Quench Properties is where I belong.