Getaway by the Creek

The transformation of this little cottage by the creek was a work of love. The community in which it sits is where this family, a dad and his 2 sons spend their summer. The original structure built in c.1898 consisted of one main room and a porch built on nothing more than an old tent platform. When we set out to reconfigure, remodel and restore this charming space, we quickly figured out that not much had changed in about 100 years. The timeframe was tight, the budget was flexible but small, yet the journey from rotting boards, sagging floors and squishy walls was astounding.

This project was about summer living in a cottage snuggled up next the woods.  We had to make it functional and easy to live in.   The most significant enhancement was the redo and opening up of the kitchen to the original one room cottage. What was previously a small door leading to the kitchen became a giant opening that matches the opening to the porch directly across the room. One huge living space that extends from the front porch to the rear of the kitchen was created. We painted the dark wood walls a welcoming cream and added shiplap to the kitchen to maintain a cottage-in-the-woods feel.  With the kitchen so open to the rest of the living space (and the budget restrictions), we left the kitchen void of wall cabinets.  Having no wall cabinets visible from the living room makes the two rooms feel more connected.  We added huge oversized lights and open shelving as the focal points of the kitchen. Keeping in mind the occupants were all male, the design theme throughout was more industrial. To cozy up the masculine, we added hints of antiques and textiles uniting all the eclectic elements while mixing the past with the present.

The before pictures are a stark contrast to the afters.  Most of the occupants of the valley in which the home sits have grown up there. They have seen the evolution of the little cottages occupants and remodel attempts. When the project was finished it was featured on a home tour to which my favorite comment from a women was “It’s a miracle.”