You Can Actually Stay in These Restored Historic Homes
Historic homes provide a tangible portal to the past—we get to see what life was like when previous owners lived there, including what design elements are still relevant today (long live closed floor plans!), and which ones are less prevalent, but still just as charming all these years later, like Dutch doors. Preserving these bygone era abodes can be quite the challenge, but, if you ask us, it’s more than worth it to protect a piece of history that cannot be replicated.
Fortunately, there are plenty of homeowners who are appreciative of what came before us, and sometimes, even those of us who are not in possession of a historic house are able to visit these remarkable sites in person, thanks to historic house museums, and even rentable historic homes.
For the past seven years, Michael and Sofia Antoniadis have been doing just that: renting out multiple historic homes on the North Fork of Long Island, all of which were preserved and restored to their current splendor by the Antoniadises. Best of all, you can enjoy these impressive properties yourself: Six of these homes are available to rent, for varying rates per night, through victorian-seasons.com, including the Victorian Seasons Stirling, the Farmhouse Duplex, the French Country Cottage, the English Country Cottage, the Cape, and the Italianate Great House. Time to start planning a road trip!
The Victorian Seasons Stirling
The Victorian Seasons Stirling house was the first of these six properties to be restored, simply because its owners couldn’t bear to risk losing this historic structure to demolition. Sofia Antoniadis tells House Beautiful, “We were inspired to restore Victorian Seasons because we simply did not want it to be razed. It had retained just about all [of] its original details, and each detail had a story to tell that once gone, would be lost forever. Back then, the house was known as the Edwin B. Tuttle house and had a report generated by SPLIA (Society for the Preservation of Long Island Antiquities).” This Queen Anne-style Victorian house includes five cozy bedrooms, a glowing stained glass window in the dining room, and a sprawling veranda.
The French Country Cottage and the English Country Cottage
These adjoining cottages are quaint and adorable, making for the perfect weekend getaway. Complete with a cedar roof and well-kept English gardens, the French Country Cottage and the English Country Cottage feel like a storybook setting come to life. Upon visiting each of these cottages, you’ll see a charming white picket fence that guards a bluestone walkway. Inside, you’ll be welcomed by granite counters, Italian tile-covered baths, and iron beds. Both cottages feature two bedrooms each, so this pairing is perfect for a family getaway, or, stay in one cottage for a trip with a friend.
The Cape
The Cape is a newly renovated, 3-bedroom cottage with two full bathrooms, a den, living room, dining room, and kitchen, complete with an adorable little gazebo with matching white wicker furniture. Just like the Farmhouse Duplex, the Cape is walking distance from the Lavender By The Bay farm, as well as Sep’s farm stand and the Fork & Anchor deli. And, don’t worry if the temperatures are plummeting outside—this house boasts five fireplaces and a sunroom, so you can enjoy your stay no matter the weather that comes your way.
The Italianate Great House
This 200 year old house is newly restored—it’s been repainted and refurnished—and it encompasses a grand total of five bedrooms, so you can fit plenty of friends and family in this historic gem. True to its time period, the Italianate Great House features gingerbread trim, which further adds to its charm, as do the numerous bay windows, and—get ready for it, design lovers—dreamy wallpaper in just about every room.
The Farmhouse Duplex
As part of the Italianate Great House, the Farmhouse Duplex consists of a one bedroom duplex suite, a kitchen, bathroom, living room, and an outdoor deck in the backyard. Expect to see exposed wooden beam ceilings, a floral comforter, and pine floors, all of which create a rustic, cozy feel. And you can still enjoy modern features while staying here: This home comes with free WiFi, cable TV, and central air conditioning. Plus, you’ll be walking distance from the very Instagrammable Lavender By The Bay, a lavender farm filled with 17 acres of the fragrant purple plant.
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