In love with a cottage

Once and a while you spot a photo on Pinterest that announces, "I'm your new favourite thing." That was the case when I discovered Lighthouse Cove Cottage by TMS Architects. We've been thinking about updating our cottage after our home is planned and finished (Yes, always getting ahead of myself) and I pinned this photo for future inspiration:

This cottage is much bigger than ours, but we're considering an add-on garage with master bedroom and bathroom above. Also a porch across the cottage facing the lake. We hope to spend summer (and then some) up here. Love the stone!

All photos from TMS Architects

Lake Elmo Farmhouse

Don't you love Houzz? As the forsythia and tulips bloom, I feel the urge to head to the country. It's a wish of mine to, one day, live on 25 acres and walk, walk, walk. Lake

Photo by Ron Brenner Architects - Discover traditional exterior design ideas

Photo by Ron Brenner Architects - More farmhouse kitchen photos

Photo by Ron Brenner Architects - Browse traditional kitchen photos

Photo by Ron Brenner Architects - Browse farmhouse kitchen photos

Photo by Ron Brenner Architects - More farmhouse bathroom ideas

Photo by Ron Brenner Architects - More traditional bathroom ideas

Photo by Ron Brenner Architects - Discover traditional family room design ideas

Still deciding

Before we decide to knock down the current home, we thought we'd noodle over what we can do to renovate. We love living among the trees with a view to a creek (that often becomes a river) and the fawn and flora that goes along with it. I hadn't expected to see coyotes, owls, hawks, ducks and a plethora of birds (well, yes, birds I expected).
So with renovations in mind, we're drawing floor plans. If the interior doesn't work then renovating the exterior is pointless. With that said, I found a lovely inspiring photo to transform the front of the house on Houzz.

Contemporary Entry by Birmingham Architects & Building Designers VanBrouck & Associates, Inc.

Here are the as-is shots: