The Red House Vacation Rental

"You are invited to stay in a Klickitat County landmark, listed on both the state and federal registers of historic places. The Red House built for the ‘Horse King of the Northwest’ Charles Newell and his wife Mary in 1890, is now a distinctive vacation rental. The Red House’s three stories are furnished with art, antique/vintage finds, colored glass windows, original ornamental trim, fresh linens and comfortable beds. The house is well equipped and designed for relaxing.

The Red House is steeped in history and local lore. On the dining room side table, you will find a red binder that gets you up to speed on the house’s past. As you spend time in its rooms, my hope is that the house and its furnishing bring to mind a long held cherished family retreat.

From the high Victorian front porch, thru the large 5 paneled front door, the entryway with its 10-foot ceilings, stained glass windows and many paintings give you a good idea of what awaits. You can access the winding narrow stairs to the upper stories, or enter the formal living and dining room with their large matching brass light fixtures. The colorful upholstered vintage velvet chairs and couch pick up the stained-glass panes of the windows. The oval antique dining table and chairs can seat 8 comfortably (additional leaves are located in the 1st floor bedroom closet).

Off these rooms is a bathroom. The small marble topped vanity with chrome inspired Victorian taps and small claw foot tub with shower head are surrounded by multicolored tiles that are arts and craft in nature.

The first-floor bedroom contains a double bed from Europe. This sleigh bed with inlaid wood on the headboard and footboard faces 3 brightly stained glass windows overlooking the iris and peony garden. The 2 slight faux bamboo antique chairs used as bedside tables, are from a Yale University ballroom. Originally this room was the dining room.

The heart of this historic house, the sunny farmhouse kitchen has seen many a home cooked meal. You will find the kitchen has what you need. The apron sink, microwave, and gas stove are recent additions. To the right is the mud room with washer and dryer.

Off the kitchen is the fireplace room. The cathedral ceiling, pole rafters, large rock fireplace and locally salvaged board and batten siding and old hand hewn beams give the room a lodge look and feeling, very different from the rest of the house. Roku TV and board games are here. On the walls are several art pieces depicting The Red House. Next to the fireplace is a photo from the 20's or 30's showing the long gone service portions of the house.

From the back yard, looking at the house a friend mentioned she now knows how the old lady in the shoe felt living in a shoe. I had to laugh. The main part of the house, tall and narrow, the fireplace room and kitchen, low slung, I saw her point, a gigantic shoe.

Going back to the front hall, 2 double sash windows with colored glass cast a medieval glow over the stairs. On the second floor are 2 bedrooms, a bathroom and small desk nook (my favorite spot). The spacious second bathroom has bead board wainscoting, tile flooring and a subway tiled bathtub/shower. The Red House brush and ink drawing in this room is from my talented friend in a shoe.

The bedroom off the desk nook hallway is bright and cheery and cozy. The double size bed with its simple iron head and foot board is from my grandparent’s farmhouse outside of Goldendale.

The bedroom to the right houses landscape paintings, a Victorian sunflower emblem double bed, matching marble topped vanity, and burgundy velvet settee that have been in the house for decades.

On to the 3rd floor attic suite. High above the surrounding neighborhood, these 2 rooms offer a private sitting room and bedroom with Roku TV and queen-sized bed. The attic’s shiplap walls and odd ceiling angles make for a inviting hide away.

The Red House is like a time machine with modern amenities. For me the house brings back forgotten memories while creating new ones, I hope this is true for you too.

Guests have access to all of the house, the yard, and large three sided shed located at the back of the property. The shed's 2 wood tables and assorted folding chairs are great for dining or hanging out on a hot day. When it gets dark, plug in the mini lights for a soft light. The gas grill is here along with a plastic table and chairs that you can place on the lawn. The quarter acre garden has a budding shrub border along the periphery, while the established foundation plantings give color. The deer, a blessing and a curse, add a graceful note to the garden, but are the reason the new shrubs are fenced.

The furnace in the laundry room is what heats the 1st floor fast."