I think this might be one of the cutest houses I've ever seen.
When we pulled up to The 1969 Chalet by Great Lakes Modern in Harbor Springs, Michigan, I immediately fell in love. The bright orange front doors, the shape of the house, the way it sits tucked between the trees. It looks like something out of a storybook. Or maybe a cartoon. It's just so cute.
And somehow, the inside is even better.
I spent the first few minutes walking from room to room, oohing and aahing over everything. The house is filled with vintage treasures, rich colors, interesting textures, and the most thoughtfully curated collection of furniture and objects. Every corner has something worth looking at.
It doesn't really feel like short-term rental. It feels more like stepping inside someone's art collection. Everything has so much personality, but it all works together beautifully.
The floor-to-ceiling, mid-century wood-burning fireplace is an absolute showstopper. It's the kind of architectural detail you could design an entire house around. Between the warm wood tones, vintage furniture, and all the little unexpected details, I kept finding new things to appreciate.
But as much as I loved the inside, my favorite part of the house was actually out back.
The deck overlooks this beautiful open clearing surrounded by trees. Technically, the chalet is in a neighborhood, with other homes nearby, but you would never really know it from sitting out there. The house is set back from the road, with trees on either side, and the view opens up into this peaceful little stretch of nature.
There's even a tree growing right through the deck. Or, more accurately, the deck was built around the tree. I loved that detail. Instead of removing it, they made it part of the space.
And because apparently one amazing fireplace wasn't enough, there's another mid-century fireplace outside on the deck.
On our first night, after a long day of driving, David and I poured ourselves glasses of red wine, lit a fire, and spent the entire evening sitting outside.
We didn't really do much of anything. We just sat there, talked, watched the fire, and enjoyed being somewhere so peaceful.
It was exactly what we needed.
One of the biggest challenges of The Journey was how little downtime we actually had. We were constantly driving, scouting locations, building, photographing, editing, or trying to figure out where we needed to be next. Even when we arrived somewhere beautiful, there was usually another task waiting for us.
So having a place that made us want to stop and sit for a while felt especially good.
Joey was pretty thrilled with the backyard, too. We played fetch with him in the clearing, which I'm sure was one of the highlights of his entire trip.
There's also this incredible little teepee made out of sticks tucked among the trees. It feels almost magical, like something you would stumble upon in the woods as a kid.
And one of my favorite details? The backyard fence is made from old skis. The house is near a ski resort, so it's such a clever nod to the area. It's those kinds of thoughtful, playful details that make this place so memorable.
We slept incredibly well. The bed was so comfortable, and after spending so many hours on the road, I don't think I've ever appreciated a hot shower quite so much.
I remember waking up feeling genuinely rested and at peace.
Of course, we still had plenty of work to do. We were in Harbor Springs to continue creating photographs for The Journey, taking our handmade photography set into different landscapes along our route.
But it was nice to have such a comforting place to come back to at the end of the day.
Another thing I loved about this stay was how close we were to downtown Harbor Springs. It's the sweetest little town, and I wish we'd had more time to explore.
Before heading out, we stopped at Johan's Bakery for breakfast and sat outside with our coffee, enjoying the view. Such a simple little moment, but one of those memories that sticks with me.
Throughout The Journey, we stayed in so many different kinds of places, and each one added something different to the experience.
The 1969 Chalet by Great Lakes Modern was one of those places that reminded me how much our surroundings can affect the way we feel. There was something about all the color, the vintage objects, the trees, and the warmth of the fireplaces that made everything feel a little softer and slower.
It's a house with so much personality, and you can feel the care that went into every detail.
I left feeling inspired, rested, and a little sad that we couldn't stay longer.
If you're ever visiting Harbor Springs, Michigan, and you love vintage design, interesting spaces, and being surrounded by nature, this place is such a gem.
