Wisconsin in the winter is next level cold. It's like they invented cold. I've been there a few times in the winter and this past December was no different. But I was excited to make a once in a lifetime trip to Minneapolis (I know, not Wisconsin) to see my best friend from high school be sworn in as a federal judge. It was the perfect time for me to stay at an airbnb that I have had the hugest crush on: The Backwater in Amery, Wisconsin.
The house was designed by architect Michael Huber out of Hudson, Wisconsin. The interior is pure Sarah Anderson.
Amery is just over an hour drive from the airport in Minneapolis. And shout out to the Minneapolis airport as one of my favorites. My flight got in at 7am and after the hoopla of getting through the airport, picking up the rental car I was headed to Amery by 8:30. Sarah was really so flexible in allowing me an early check-in at noon. I stopped for breakfast in Amery so my arrival time was perfect.
It's an easy drive to Amery from Minneapolis and up north Wisconsin feels like home because it's so similar to up north Michigan. But I knew I was in Wisconsin when I passed the supper club, which is right down the road from The Backwater.
I get very homesick pretty quickly so it's rare when I travel somewhere that I don't want to go home. But this is one of those times. I wanted a whole month here! I felt like I was basking in a dream. It's got all the modern amenities, Amery's downtown is so cute (Sarah used her connections to get me into the coolest vintage store, even though they were closed), and the house is so comfortable, fun, and clean. I mention clean because I know lots of folks think of maximalism, especially with a vintage aesthetic as old & dusty. It seriously looked like everything had just been put into the house the day before I got there.
I was lucky enough to meet Sarah in person as she came to visit with me an hour or so before check out. I could've chatted with her for hours. We have so much in common and I can't thank her enough for entertaining me as I bombarded her with questions.
I hope you'll enjoy my pictorial and don't hesitate to book this one. Absolute diamond! If you get to the end, I've got a list of "Yes, chef"s that make any airbnb better.
I'm going to start with some overview shots. I didn't take any photos of the exterior of the house, but this is it as seen from the dock in the lake.

The kitchen

The stairs when you enter. You enter on the ground level and go up 1 floor to the "main" level. There is a bedroom on each level: lower, main, and loft. My favorite part about these stairs (besides the plaid!) is that 2 pieces of my vintage collection are now safely housed here. An old squirrel board game and a really cool blue & white vintage thermos.

Not the best photo because of the back lighting but this is the living room (open to the kitchen) with a view out to the lake. Because it's winter, I didn't use any of the decks or outdoor spaces (screen porch, firepit area, etc)

I mean...It's so good!!! And like I said, it's not musty & dusty. It's fresh, comfortable and so familiar feeling.

The main bedroom is my favorite. There's a deck and a soaking tub in the room. All with views to the lake. It's glorious. How perfect is that tapestry??!

Said tub...also note the guardian taxidermy up high in that nook :)

I love the "update" on the vintage painting. Of course the Beastie Boys are oldies these days but this touches me right in my Gen X.

Another view of the living room with the fireplace (flips on with a switch, super easy!). Bonus points if you find my book. Lol, bonus points if anyone actually reads this far.

And this might be my favorite gallery wall every. It's behind the large banquette off the living room


It's so well done

The view down the stairs. Look at the little concrete yard fawn!!

View from the loft down to the living room. I could 100% never leave here.

The loft bedroom

This is the lower level; tv/game/bar area. I love when airbnbs have a separate tv area. It's just nice, if you have kids, or some folks want to watch sports or whatever to have a space away from the main living room.

Bold colors but it doesn't feel at all obnoxious. Fantastically nostalgia basement vibes.

The cutest little bar cart. Vintage mailbox letters spell out "CHEERS"


Heading up to the loft...

Even the outside has vintage charm.

This place has to be even more of a dream in the summer!

Super cute hidey hole space over the banquette.

And now some fun details...
Inside the hidey hole:

My curated playlist for the eevning. The record collection is SICK!

My take on a Wisconsin Brandy Old Fashioned (sweet):
2 oz Cherry brandy
1 oz Grand Marnier
Bitters (I used orange)
Prosecco
Muddle a maraschino cherry and an orange slice in a glass. Add the brandy & the GM. Top with prosecco.
There is a whole jar of vintage stir sticks here as well as vintage glass ware.




Just loving this texture & color combo

Much to my surprise, the loon album is narrated.

Perfection



The best fly swatter I've ever seen

I always thought I would dislike gas fireplaces. In airbnbs, I love them. Instand mood.

The best vignette, maybe ever.

This table is so cool



Her name is Agatha :)

Quite possibly my favorite design move: random animals perched & peeking here, there, and every where.


Sweet, sweet goodie basket.

That embroidery piece is delightful

Find my book:

Huge fan of paint by numbers

The balcony off the main bedroom

Laundry room door

Lovely gallery wall. Note the mushroom nightlight- how perfect?!

Ok, these are my "yes, chef" moments:
NIGHTLIGHTS- many rentals have them. Some have motion detector ones that often don't detect motion very well. Some have fluroescent light levels of cold, bright, white light. And the worst ones are chemical scent machines. Blech! Pictured about is a simple warm light nightlight.
WELL LAID OUT KITCHEN WITH GOOD RANGE OF COOKWARE & UTENSILS- Nothing more annoying than wanting to cut a strawberry and the only options are a butter knife or a medieval battle axe.
FANS (not ceiling!)- it's nice to have an option for white noise in bedrooms. Ceiling fans often make weird sounds above & beyond the motor and I personally don't want a breeze on me when I'm trying to sleep. The Backwater has these cute, small, vintage style fans that go perfectly with the decor but also create the perfect amount of white noise. Especially when I'm traveling, it's nice to not have to bring any kind of sound machine.
SEPARATE TV ROOM- We often travel with our children as well as other families so it's nice to have a living room that doesn't have a tv and then another room with a tv area. The Backwater has a perfect tv/game table area.
EASY TO USE TECHNOLOGY- It's happened more than once where I haven't used a tv or coffee maker because it was fancy or different and there were no instructions. Yes, I could look it up but I don't want to be responsible for messing anything up. The fireplace here is a switch. The record player connects to a blue tooth speaker that is already there. The coffee pot was definitely unique but the instructions were super simple. However, if I didn't have instructions, I wouldn't have used it.
BENCH & HOOKS AT THE ENTRY- Seems silly but it's nice to have a designated place to stash coats & shoes right when you enter.
CHARGING BLOCKS PROVIDED- I really appreciated this detail. They're inexpensive and it's guaranteed that someone forgot one.
SEATING VARIETY IN THE LIVING ROOM- not a must have, but the variety of seating is fantastic. Here, there is a sofa, club chairs, side chairs, and stools. Lots of options.
If you'd like to stay at The Backwater, you can BOOK HERE!
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