Photos Galore!

In switching computers, I found an old file for this blog with loads of yummy decor pics! I try to give credit where credit's due, but some sources are unknown. I'll endeavour to correct this if anyone knows the unknown.;)

JSA INTERIORS

JSA INTERIORS

AHL Stan Topol

AHL Stan Topol

AHL Stan Topol

G.P. Schafer Architect

H.B. MacDonald

Home & Lifestyles

Unknown (but ABFAB beautiful!)

Unknown (ditto)

Plush Palate

The above unmentioned are unknown sources.

Lazzzzzzy

Insta...FB...Twitter -- I can't keep up. I'll admit, Insta is my new addiction. I can't be bothered with Twitter anymore and FB, I only peek in for family and friends catch-up pics or repost something I find important or just a good giggle.  Not to mention: I have a knitwear design Insta page and FB page, as well as a writing FB page. Have I overdone it??? Now you understand why this blog (and yes, I have a knitting blog too) suffers.
That said, I enjoy looking back on my posts and seeing what I've done over the years. I wonder if Eddie Ross still blogs?

So let me make this short and sweet. Now that Spring is here, we are back to construction at the cottage and working on the interior (and finishing off the shakes in the exterior eaves).

Let me explain the interior. We've added 8' to the kitchen and screen-in porch (to the right). The plan is to paint the ceiling white, and sand the floor to stain the maple a light colour (Yikes! Lots of work!) The wall behind the wood stove will be knocked out and the tile will be replaced on the floor then a new (maybe white) wood stove with glass installed. My white shaker kitchen from home will be repurposed here. I'm trying to decide if we just repaint all white or do the lowers in a soft gray (like Benjamin Moore's Wickham Gray HC-171). The wall to the right of the door will be replaced with a 12' sliding door to the porch to let all that wonderful light in.

Below are where we are with the exterior. A ways to go! Well, you know what I'll be up to this summer. Hopefully, next time I post, the cottage will have a lighter breezy feel to it!

Happy Summer everyone!

Oxox

Busy, busy, busy!

Is blogging on the decline? Are we too busy to blog? Or has Insta and FB replaced it?

I enjoy blogging as it gives me another excuse to write, but school (I am an older student working on the last year of my English degree and now have my Certificate in Academic Writing), writing, knitting, and the cottage reno have me busy, busy, busy.

As this is a Home Decor ID site, let me talk about the reno. We built the cottage 17 years ago from the inside-out. We've reached a certain age where our kids have (almost) flown the coop and our "Shack" needs to grow up too.
We started with this, a knock-down...

Yup, we bought it.

to this for many years...

This year, we've added a den, a third bedroom--a master bedroom--with ensuite and walk-in closet, and expanded the kitchen and screened-in porch by almost 8 feet.

Here's the driveway view, where you can see the old vinyl siding on our shed. To the left of the cottage is the porch/kitchen extension. To the right, is the new entrance, new den and behind, the master bedroom.

And the front view by the lake...

 Here's my colour inspiration, a photo taken on our old street (in fact, our old neighbour's building this dream house)...

We're using Maibec engineered wood siding 6" rabbeted bevel in Ocean Spray,

And Ocean Grey for shingles above white trim.

Windows will be dark brown and the good news is that siding work will begin this weekend. Whew! 

It's been a busy hot summer, so blogging has been last on my list, but if you want to follow a more regular posting from me and see video tours, check out my Insta account here (note, I don't accept businesses that want to use my Insta to sell or creepy men. I will accept if you have an interest in home design, knitting or gardening/landscaping).

Until next time, 

Happy Autumn,

Joanne

Bunny's Spa

Yet another snow storm hits Ontario and I can't help but dream of summer. Spring is around the corner, yes, but my flower and landscape design googling has given way to dreams of swimming. Susanna Salk of Quintessence interviews my favourite designer in her pool house.

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