I just love a good "before & after"! Though who doesn't love seeing a good transformation? There's a lot of hard work involved and it can take a lot of time and money and initial planning, depending on the project. Seeing the after is always so satisfying.
In this project we started with an average cottage in a beautiful location. Originally it was a three bedroom cottage with a small kitchen, bedrooms, and main living area. The entry was also small with no room for shoes or coats. As the family grew and more people began gathering together at the cottage for a weekend of fun, these areas just weren't cutting it anymore. This is where I got involved in the project and we came up with a plan for an addition and reconfiguration of the existing layout. Now everyone has a little more space to move around and can enjoy the cottage and each other.
The home owners have had this cottage for a long time and had built the existing kitchen themselves. They wanted to reuse this piece of history in the new design in some way, but still wanted to update the space and make it more functional in the new design. We reused a lot of the existing cabinetry in both the new kitchen as the island and in the new mud room. I love making good use of what is already readily available and saving it from the landfill. I also love it when a home or cottage has a story to tell and history behind it.
Before:
After:
(Just click the pictures above to view the photo gallery )
Here's a few fun cottage details I noticed when I was back for a visit:
The family has a moving moose. (Similar to elf on the shelf, only he's around all year long and moves between cottage visits.) How fun is that for the kids who visit regularly!
I also love this towel hook they have hanging in the bathroom, it's super cute and a great way to keep track of who's towel is who's. The chalkboard and chalk are excellent for guests.
Now that it's complete the family can relax together in this great space and enjoy their beautiful property.
