Exploring Life & Business with John Lavin of Blue Ridge Inn Bed & Breakfast

Today we’d like to introduce you to John Lavin.

John, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I view my life as a big gumbo where the places I’ve lived, work I’ve done, people I’ve met all get tossed into the pot, stirred around and hopefully something wonderful and interesting is the result. Owning a mountain inn seems to be a (somewhat) logical result of 30 years in hospitality, design and marketing. I spent 20 years in NY and LA honing my video and photography skills working on other people’s projects, so it’s awesome to now be able to apply those skills to my own business. I was mentored by some incredibly talented builders and designers like Brett Waterman, with whom I created a renovation show called Restored (DIY and Magnolia Network). What I learned from guys like him is immeasurable, and the homes I’ve owned in Palm Springs and New Orleans were all sold fully furnished, books on shelves, art on walls, silverware in the drawer because I poured myself into their design, growing and learning more with each new home project. Then, after 6 years in New Orleans (where I owned a Victorian double shotgun house in the Marigny) and Miami (where I became obsessed with Art Deco), I was ready to get back to the mountains and closer to Chattanooga, where I grew up. When the Blue Ridge Inn B&B became available, I leapt at the opportunity and have called North Georgia home for about 5 years now.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The 135 year old inn looked and felt dated when I bought it, so the immediate necessity was to turn it into the vision I had in my head. I knew from the minute I saw the inn what she needed and how I would approach the changes I wanted to make. The goal was to strip away the accumulated layers of junk that she had taken on over the years and bring her back to her Victorian roots. I sourced authentic antique pieces from all over the area, wallpapered, painted and added art and decor that help our guests feel as if they are stepping back in time or into another world while they are here. Huge inspiration for me comes from some incredibly renovated Victorian properties in New Orleans like Hotel Peter & Paul, Hotel St. Vincent and the Chloe, all beautifully converted spaces. So even though we have only 9 guest rooms, because we’re in the center of downtown, and have a vintage gift shop and outdoor event garden, the vibe is more boutique hotel than traditional b&b. Every space (foyer, parlor, dining room, guest rooms…) feels authentic to the period home without sacrificing interesting design. We covered the wall behind the bed in the Rose room with a bold rose fabric “wallpaper” and created a feature corner with a dozen vintage framed still lifes of flowers. The hallway into the foyer has green plaid walls above the dark wainscoting and serves as a dramatic, moody entry and gallery of maps and landscape paintings. I chose the fern wallpaper up the stairs because I have trouble keeping real ferns alive but Victorians were obsessed with them (along with palms). The two story wall up the stairway features framed portraits that would’ve come from any time over the past 135 years, including Elvis. I found lots of antique tea pots and tea cups stashed in cabinets and cupboards when I bought the inn, so I grouped them into collections on the dining room buffet and mantle. Groupings of a theme make more of an impact than random pieces scattered about. My mom gave me raw silk curtains, stashed in her attic, that now hang in the dining room and, to my surprise, I keep buying even more antique silver platters and tea pots when I’m out sourcing. Thankfully a Victorian inn can tolerate a heavy dose of antique and ornate furnishings.

We’ve been impressed with Blue Ridge Inn Bed & Breakfast, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We all crave a break from the hyper speed of modern life. It’s a big reason I moved to Blue Ridge and it’s a major reason our guests stay at the inn. If it were up to me, there would be no tv’s in the house, but I’m not yet bold enough to remove them from the rooms entirely. However, we have a library stocked with hundreds of books, games and cozy nooks to spend hours reading or writing. The music playing gently throughout the day is all from bygone eras, whether it’s 40’s standards, classical, Elvis or 70’s country. That element really helps to transport anyone here to another time along with our somewhat fancy Southern breakfast prepared fresh every morning at 9am. When guests linger at the table chatting with new friends long after the plates have been cleared, we know they are allowing themselves to settle into the slower rhythms of the historic house and an earlier time. It makes this place a remarkable and often even magical destination for people who need a break from their day to day life.

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I’ve got a fairly sunny disposition, always looking on the bright side, pragmatic to optimistic, I’d say. I probably have one or two bad days a year; and by that I mean, a little grumpy or down. So I think I’m pretty lucky in that regard, and it comes from my mom who is the same way. My friends would describe me as country, but that’s because they don’t know any real country people and I’m probably the only Southerner a lot of them know. I’m a good-time-guy and throw a great party. Very sociable and love to meet new people and figure out what we have in common and what makes them tick. People are endlessly fascinating to me. I’m fairly competitive, mostly with myself and always push myself harder, to get more done. I like things to be a certain way and my staff at the inn knows every little detail has to be perfect every single time. There’s little to no room for error and I think I run a pretty tight ship. I’m also very ready with a laugh nearly all the time and love nothing more than cutting up over a bonfire with friends. That’s heaven to me. My favorite people are the ones who laugh at my jokes and who can crack me up. When I find those, I hold them close.

Pricing:

• average night ranges from $150-300

Contact Info:

• Website: https://blueridgeinnbandb.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blueridgeinn/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlueRidgeInnBedandBreakfast/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@leaptallbuildings

Image Credits
Kevin Garrett
Caleb Jones
Morgan Snellings