The couple in their mid-20s may be newcomers to the lodging industry, but they have a hospitality background, albeit in local restaurants.

'We were lucky, because my dad (Bill Barry) is an engineer so we knew what we were getting into,' Maggie Barry said. The couple were well-aware of the necessary structural improvements before they bought the 115-year-old inn. Gavin said the heavy lifting came when the three-story structure had to be jacked up - as much as six inches in some places - and reenforced in order to make the inn level. The restoration started with the removal of modern day siding that covered up the original wooden clapboards,' surprisingly well protected,' according to Barry. 'We were still painting outside,' Barry said. The recent unseasonably mild, dry weather - a curse for winter enthusiasts - has been a blessing for the innkeepers timetable. Barry and Gavin expect the project, financed by the Pittsfield Cooperative Bank, will be completed by early spring, with the inn ready to accept Berkshire visitors in late April or early May.

Lakehouse inn