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Home / The Museum of Mid Century Material Culture / vacation spots, historic homes, museums

Groovy Getaway in Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Kate - May 10, 2016, Updated: July 27, 2021

1970s decor
Photo courtesy of Robert Batey of Robert Batey Photography

Todd and Jackie — the dynamic duo behind Furnish Me Vintage — have done it again. First they created the Shaggin’ Chalet (update: no longer available for rental)in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Now, they’ve created a second 1970s-1980s-style vacation spot, a condo they call “Groovy Getaway” (update: no longer available for rental – but I’ll keep this retrolicious story up for our archive). The Groovy Getaway is decked out with wall-to-wall shag carpet, 70s and 80s decor, and there’s even a shuffleboard table and vintage Atari games to play. Super fun.

1970s decor
Photo courtesy of Robert Batey of Robert Batey Photography

Groovy Getaway

Jackie tells the story:

Todd and I decided to sell our beloved Shaggin’ Chalet (Kleenex, please). We absolutely adored the place but it’s proven to be a bit more house than this two-person family needs. We’ve re-created the retro vay-kay dreamland concept in an easier to manage 3 bedroom/3 bath modernist condo.

1970s shag carpeting
Photo courtesy of Robert Batey of Robert Batey Photography

Our new Groovy Getaway is located in Gatlinburg (same as the Shaggin Chalet), on Mt. Harrison with outstanding mountain views. You can even see Skiers at Ober Gatlinburg and the Gondola (tram) pass by from the HUGE 16×9 foot patio.

70s decor
Photo Credit: Danielle Thompson Photography

The condo building itself was constructed in 1982 (my birth year, yay!) in preparation of the 1982 World’s Fair in nearby Knoxville. “High Alpine” (our complex) was designed by a Knoxville architect and has a distinctively modern feel.

The structure is perched along the face of a hillside and one has to cross a small bridge walkway from the parking lot to reach the building. This bridge spans a 25 foot tall ravine that is defined by “Game of Thrones” style wall of interwoven wood beams covered in ivy. It really is quite neat!

spiral staircase with shag carpet
Photo courtesy of Robert Batey of Robert Batey Photography

We fell in love with this unit as soon as we saw the dramatic cathedral ceilings typically found in 1960s style A-frame mountain homes. I knew they had us sold once I spotted the spiral staircase leading up to the loft. Mr. FMV has frequently vocalized his dream of owning a home with a spiral staircase to cover in shag carpeting.

Needless to say we were under contract within a week. The day of closing we had a team on the ground ready to transform this ho-hum 80s condo into something that would make Austin Powers (aka, Mr. FMV) feel right at home. We tracked down the only U.S. manufacturer of true shag rugs and ordered 2 tons of lime green and orange carpet.

70s decor
Photo Credit: Danielle Thompson Photography

It’s lime green upstairs in the loft and burnt orange on the ground floor. Funny note, the burnt orange carpet is actually surplus from production of the TV show “Fargo.” You should have seen the carpet installers once they were done. Many of the 20-30 something year old crew had never experienced shag before. It pretty much blew their minds. I have to admit, it blew all or our minds. The intense sea of 3″ pile green and orange strands looked like the Muppets exploded in our home.

1970s decor
Photo courtesy of Robert Batey of Robert Batey Photography

We added the usual FMV touches like vintage furniture, art, and accessories from our shop. We worked with a local contractor to enhance the space with mountain home charm like pine wainscoting and a wood beam mantel for the stone fireplace. Yet to come is a tongue and groove paneling with Tudor style wood beams on the ceiling. We kept the vintage-y 1980s patterned wallpaper which seemed dated but made sense once we enhanced it with our retro inspired shower curtains and wood trim.

The early 1980s rustic cabinets worked perfectly — so we kept it. I love 1980s country inspired decor… mark my words, this will work it’s way back into America’s hearts some day.

Gatlinburg Tennessee
Photo courtesy of Robert Batey of Robert Batey Photography
70s decor
Photo courtesy of Robert Batey of Robert Batey Photography
70s decor
Photo Credit: Danielle Thompson Photography
1970s decor
Photo courtesy of Robert Batey of Robert Batey Photography
1970s decor
Photo courtesy of Robert Batey of Robert Batey Photography
1970s decor
Photo courtesy of Robert Batey of Robert Batey Photography
1970s decor
Photo courtesy of Robert Batey of Robert Batey Photography
1970s decor
Photo courtesy of Robert Batey of Robert Batey Photography
1970s decor
Photo courtesy of Robert Batey of Robert Batey Photography
1970s decor
Photo courtesy of Robert Batey of Robert Batey Photography
1970s decor
Photo courtesy of Robert Batey of Robert Batey Photography
70s decor
Photo Credit: Danielle Thompson Photography
Gatlinburg Tennessee
Photo courtesy of Robert Batey of Robert Batey Photography

Mega thanks to photographers Robert Batey of Robert Batey Photography and Danielle Thompson Photography for sharing their fabulous photos with us — and to Todd and Jackie for making such a fantastic place for a retrolicious escape. Repeating the update: No longer available for rental — but I’ll keep these retrolicious story up for our archive!

Link love:

    • Furnish Me Vintage

CATEGORIES:
The Museum of Mid Century Material Culture vacation spots, historic homes, museums

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21 comments

Comments

  1. Beth Grodis says

    May 28, 2016 at 10:36 pm

    I stayed in the Shaggin Chalet last September before it was sold. It was INCREDIBLE. We went to book it again for our visit in May and were heartbroken to learn it’d been sold and is now a private residence. This place looks great but we never do condos in Gatlinburg as we prefer more privacy. Bummer!

    • pam kueber says

      May 29, 2016 at 8:40 am

      Beth — Jackie and Todd now have The Groovy Getaway, also for rent, check it out: https://retrorenovation.com/2016/05/10/groovy-getaway-gatlinburg-tennessee/

  2. Michele says

    May 13, 2016 at 3:38 pm

    looks like the set on the brady bunch!

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