I've received so many requests from my Instagram followers and blog readers to do a cottage house tour. So here you have it. I have a ton of photos to share, so I will break the tour into two or three parts so I don't overwhelm you with all the pictures. This post covers the porch, foyer, living room and dining room.
Picture below: our cottage covered porch. Scandi-styled patio conversation set was from JYSK (no longer available), 8x10 blue outdoor rug from Lowes, dining table from Wayfair and bistro chairs from Amazon. It's funny (and silly) I picked our cottage lot based on the sliding colour. This cheerful yellow really makes me happy. It provides a perfect backdrop for the modern, minimalist and Nordic theme I am going for.
I couldn't be happier with the Hindo patio storage shelf unit from Ikea. Not only doesn't it provide some height for visual interest, it also packs a ton of storage. Behind those closed doors are our life jackets, a trac-ball set, and a badminton set among other things. The shelves avail me surface space for entertaining - not to say I could also style them pretty!
We are going to have three Lilacs planted on the right side to the walkway. That way I can see them from our kitchen window. I would also change that patio light to something a bit more interesting and maybe in a matte black finish.
It's a perfect shade of char-navy. The Schlage Addison lockset in matte black which was kindly provided to me by Allegion on behalf of Schlage, instantaneously elevates the style. Together they are quiet, simplistic yet incredibly sophisticated, just what I was after for our cottage.
Immediately behind the front door is probably the world's smallest foyer. I managed to install a peg rail and squeeze in a short bench for extra storage.
The dining room presents itself as soon as you set foot into our cottage.
Two weeks ago I came across this handmade butternut canoe paddle while we were out in the county antiquing. I've always wanted to invest in a walnut paddle but couldn't bring myself to like those heavily varnished ones from big box stores. This one was finished with mineral oil so the wood texture was subtly preserved.
Our living room, dining room and kitchen is all one big open space. Furnishing, styling, giving each room its own definition and all while making one naturally flow into another, is no easy feat. Our counter stools constantly fight for space with this ginormous sofa right behind them.
After trying out a Moroccan shag and a vintage-styled Turkish rug, I finally settled on this gorgeous cowhide number to anchor our living room. I am positive it's here to stay.
I had an a-ha moment while watching TV the other night while staring at the ugly make-do TV stand I managed to squeeze in between two windows. It was an awkward, confined (to in between two windows) but also the only logical spot for a TV. I thought, how about a floating TV stand like the fauxdenza in my home basement? Though the floating cabinet takes up the same amount of wall space, the overall room appears so much more spacious because the cabinet is lifted off the ground. Not to say I am still crazy about the "fauxdenza" look and the outcome was completely satisfying. By hanging the TV on the wall, we also gained that extra foot in distance between the TV and the sofa. I honestly can not think of any downside of a floating cabinet!
I called in my local contractor Super Ian to bring my design plan to life. It was perfection.
Part two of the tour will be about kitchen, bedrooms and the most exciting loft! Stay tuned! Let me know what you think of the cottage tour so far.
Picture below: our cottage covered porch. Scandi-styled patio conversation set was from JYSK (no longer available), 8x10 blue outdoor rug from Lowes, dining table from Wayfair and bistro chairs from Amazon. It's funny (and silly) I picked our cottage lot based on the sliding colour. This cheerful yellow really makes me happy. It provides a perfect backdrop for the modern, minimalist and Nordic theme I am going for.
This is the porch from the other perspective.
I couldn't be happier with the Hindo patio storage shelf unit from Ikea. Not only doesn't it provide some height for visual interest, it also packs a ton of storage. Behind those closed doors are our life jackets, a trac-ball set, and a badminton set among other things. The shelves avail me surface space for entertaining - not to say I could also style them pretty!
Our cottage is in the woods. Trees with sky-high canopies offer stunning views as is, so we tried to keep the landscaping to a minimum. The immediate surrounding area however did get pretty muddy when it rained so putting down a walkway was essential. I opted for a complete wraparound walkway for easy access from either side, and a more symmetrical appeal. The contrast between the darker slate centre and the lighter-grey paver border was amazing. The entire landscaping was done for us during the week. Nothing beats arriving at the cottage on a Friday afternoon to find your design plan was implemented to a T, and the workmanship was impeccable.
We are going to have three Lilacs planted on the right side to the walkway. That way I can see them from our kitchen window. I would also change that patio light to something a bit more interesting and maybe in a matte black finish.
Going back inside the porch, remember last year I painted our front door in BM's Raccoon Fur. So glad I did!
It's a perfect shade of char-navy. The Schlage Addison lockset in matte black which was kindly provided to me by Allegion on behalf of Schlage, instantaneously elevates the style. Together they are quiet, simplistic yet incredibly sophisticated, just what I was after for our cottage.
Immediately behind the front door is probably the world's smallest foyer. I managed to install a peg rail and squeeze in a short bench for extra storage.
The dining room presents itself as soon as you set foot into our cottage.
Two weeks ago I came across this handmade butternut canoe paddle while we were out in the county antiquing. I've always wanted to invest in a walnut paddle but couldn't bring myself to like those heavily varnished ones from big box stores. This one was finished with mineral oil so the wood texture was subtly preserved.
Our living room, dining room and kitchen is all one big open space. Furnishing, styling, giving each room its own definition and all while making one naturally flow into another, is no easy feat. Our counter stools constantly fight for space with this ginormous sofa right behind them.
After trying out a Moroccan shag and a vintage-styled Turkish rug, I finally settled on this gorgeous cowhide number to anchor our living room. I am positive it's here to stay.
I had an a-ha moment while watching TV the other night while staring at the ugly make-do TV stand I managed to squeeze in between two windows. It was an awkward, confined (to in between two windows) but also the only logical spot for a TV. I thought, how about a floating TV stand like the fauxdenza in my home basement? Though the floating cabinet takes up the same amount of wall space, the overall room appears so much more spacious because the cabinet is lifted off the ground. Not to say I am still crazy about the "fauxdenza" look and the outcome was completely satisfying. By hanging the TV on the wall, we also gained that extra foot in distance between the TV and the sofa. I honestly can not think of any downside of a floating cabinet!
I called in my local contractor Super Ian to bring my design plan to life. It was perfection.
Part two of the tour will be about kitchen, bedrooms and the most exciting loft! Stay tuned! Let me know what you think of the cottage tour so far.