By DANIEL GREEN for The Beachcomber

Despite unfinished landscaping, the freshly-built Lodges on Vashon is now up and running.

Interior decorator Paul Mendes said the owner, Eagle Rock Ventures, opened the Lodges to receive the rush of tourists over Strawberry Festival weekend.

“It was a long process getting through all of our permitting, getting everything here and getting everything perfected,” Mendes explained.

Since the grand opening, the Lodges project has been largely successful, as day-to-day vacancy has ranged from limited to nonexistent. Its customer base has varied, too, as everyone from TV crews to Seafair sailors have booked the units.

Although the buildings were built by an international home manufacturer, Mendes said he tried to pick out as many decorations and furnishings from local sources as possible. Beds, room dividers, coffee tables and soaps were all supplied by on-island artisans.

“The whole philosophy of this project is to make sure that not only are we representing Vashon well, but also being very environmentally friendly and conscientious of how we’re doing it,” he said.

Outdoor furnishings — an assortment of art deco tables and chairs — were made by local craftsmen as well.

Locally sourcing goods has allowed Mendes’ team to create a unique atmosphere inside each building.

“Each one of them has a slightly different interior,” he noted, “kind of a mix of modern and vintage.”

Indeed, the lodges have been decorated with a juxtaposition of avant-garde and antique artwork.

The addition of fireplaces in every unit has provided a nostalgic, homey feel. Mendes commented that he wanted visitors to be able to “steal away” and feel at ease in their rooms if necessary.

The scattered modular buildings resemble a deconstructed hotel. Lawns, plantings and courtyards will eventually separate the structures.

With more outdoor communal space than a conventional hotel, Mendes hoped that visitors will have more opportunities to interact in creative ways.

“You get to experience the environment much differently than if you were stacked on top of somebody,” he said. “It feels a lot more organic.”

Mendes explained that when the landscaping is finished, bocce ball and croquet courts also will be available to visitors.

In addition, Eagle Rock decided to build an outdoor pavilion and commons room on the campus for patrons to meet, drink, play music and relax.

“You can downshift,” Mendes said. “Come to the island and experience it for all the amazing things it has.  And then come back here and meet other like-minded people who are on Vashon for similar reasons.”

— Daniel Green recently graduated from Vashon High School, where he wrote for The Riptide.