Copake Little School

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Copake, NY
Copake Little School

Restoring a 1921 elementry school in the Hudson Valley, NY and turning it into a home.

10/02/2026

Recap for the week: I was away this week so progress was slow, but it was nice to come back home to fall 🍂

The one big gardening project I didn’t get to this year was to install metal edging around the perimeter of the building… for now I’ve mulched and seeded grass, and accepted that this will be a job for next year.

Does anyone have recommendations for good quality metal edging?

Enjoying the last few weeks of dahlias and tomatoes.

My locker collection is growing! These red lockers were free on the side of the road and of course I had to pick them up. Another painting project to add to my list for winter…

My carpenter was working on pieces for my caboose while I was gone, so I peeked my head into the schoolhouse basement to check on the progress for Copake Train Depot.

Favorite new dahlia of the week 💖

09/20/2026

Recap for the week: The floor was refinished in the former school kitchen (soon-to-be guest room)…

Sanding back 100 years of waxy layers…

…to reveal the original floors once again 😍

Side-tracked by a plumbing leak in the attic that was flooding the apartment below 😩

But I ended the week on a high note by helping my electrician install more vintage schoolhouse light fixtures…

The foyer is almost complete! (If I don’t think about my endless punch list.)

Started installing the pendant lights in Apt 2 as well.

My dahlias haven’t thrived this year (my new garden soil needs some love), but this one was so pretty in the morning sun ☀️

08/28/2026

Before and after installing my antique sconces in the school foyer. I’ve been looking at holes in the wall and wires for so long, and they look even more beautiful than I’d hoped! 🥰

Sconces from etsy
Restored by Quittner
Milk glass shades from Rejuvenation
Push button switches from House of Antique Hardware
Smart switches from Shelly USA

08/03/2026

What a difference a few days make. Last week my garden was under water (but thankfully not the schoolhouse), and today the dahlias are flowering like it never happened. 🌸

06/22/2026

So far the new fence is doing its job! 🦌🦌🦌

06/07/2026

Last night’s sunset, complete with lightning and a double rainbow 🌈

01/04/2026

🚪I’ve had mixed success with old doors in the schoolhouse (the front door has caused me so much grief 😩), but this one has been an unexpected joy.

When I bought the schoolhouse, this was a plain hollow core door with zero character. I picked up this 1930s door for $10 at a tag sale, found antique hinges on eBay for $5 to match the others in the building, refinished with a coat of Restor-A-Finish, and added to the glass in Florentine to match the original windows.

Sure, it’s not perfect. Maybe one day I’ll refinish the door fully, but its imperfections are also part of the charm. With money going out hand over fist, sometimes it’s nice to get a small win!

12/31/2025

Progress has slowed down a bit over the last few weeks as everyone has taken a much-needed break. But it’s exciting to see the kitchen backsplash grouted, more subway tiles on the bathroom walls, and the laundry floor levelled. I have a fun mosaic planned for the bathroom floor that I need to start assembling very soon too!

Botanical tiles from and bathroom tiles from .

12/05/2025

❄️ First snow storm of the season 🪿

11/15/2025

I found this beautiful old peg leg sink at last year for the schoolhouse. I didn’t realise I was signing myself up to become an expert in old sink plumbing, but I’m determined to figure it out!

Address

Copake, NY
12516, 12593

Website

https://www.theoldsouls.co/

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