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Gypset Digs: Ellerie’s River Cottages, Darrington WA (Review & Photos)

Location: 31420 365th Dr NE, Darrington
Telephone: 206-362-9200
TripAdvisor: Click here

Until we checked into Ellerie’s River Cottages, I thought cabin couture was flannel and wool socks. I was wrong.

A Seattle transplant, interior and landscape designer Ellerie Cain has a knack for sniffing out antiques, which she uses to decorate (curate, really) her haute-rustic cabins.

Admittedly, ‘cottage’ is a bit of a misnomer. Ellerie’s lodgings are spacious and elegant; a marriage of European flair and rustic charm.

“I love texture, and obviously lamps and chairs. The glass is so old and it’s broken, but you know what? We’re kind of rusty.”

In fact, the number of doors and windows Ellerie has salvaged would lead one to believe Seattle’s antiques suffer a major abandonment problem; I suspect it’s her well-trained eye. “That’s why I have a van. You should see how fast I can load up and toss into reverse” she laughs.

There are three proper cottages for rent on her tree-lined, riverside property. Each comfortably accommodates five people on two double/queen-sized beds and a single. River House and Stilly House have crackling wood stoves and unobstructed river views, while Tree House is dressed in mid-century charm.

Eccentric, elegant and authentically Ellerie, cabin couture is quietly redefined in quaint Darrington. And there’s no better place to stage our cozy cabin getaway.

Caveat Emptor // Buyer Beware

Darrington is not the type of place to be a tourist or relish in anonymity. Sure, no one will know who you are, but locals here are too friendly to let you be a stranger.

Staying at Ellerie’s is a personal affair. She will check in on you multiple times, often unannounced, to ensure the fire is still burning or to weigh in on the best local hotspots. She might be so bold as to remind you to clean your dishes, mid-stay (“Trust me, you feel much more connected to a space when you’ve taken care of it!”) and she might read something in your aura.

So, if you prefer to enjoy your holidays uninterrupted, you might consider staying somewhere else. If you don’t like the company of cats, move along. Stilly and River house are both outfitted with cat doors, though Ellerie makes no attempt to hide this fact from her guests.

However, if you prefer your travel to be local, genuine and connected, Ellerie is a gracious hostess.


 

My stay at Ellerie’s River Cottages was arranged via a collaboration with Snohomish County Tourism. Read about my entire weekend here: We Went to Washington For Some Seriously Toasty Cabin Vibes

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