Indholdsfortegnelse for Cottage Retreats 2023 i The Cottage Journal

The Cottage Journal|Cottage Retreats 2023

Editor’s Letter

I can still recall the first time my parents took me and my siblings away for a long-weekend retreat to a cabin in the mountains. The vacation rental was a log home and smelled of cinnamon and pine. It was furnished with rustic, comfortable décor and had stairs that led to a loft bedroom overlooking the living area. The main floor opened onto a huge deck that offered sweeping views of the surrounding mountain vistas. Everything about it felt magical, and that getaway experience we shared as a family offered a peaceful respite we longed for year after year. As an adult, I’ve had the opportunity to travel and experience all sorts of beautiful cottage stays across the country. A coastal bungalow in New England, a Sunday Haus cottage in…

2 min

The Cottage Journal|Cottage Retreats 2023

Welcome in Wyoming

In designing this guest cottage in Jackson, Wyoming, the team at WRJ Design—along with Northworks Architects + Planners and OSM Construction—were tasked with meeting their clients’ needs while working within a 1,000-square-foot limitation. “They are a large family [whose] children are in college and have friends,” says WRJ’s CEO, Rush Jenkins. “And eventually, they wanted to build a new main house.” The need, then, was for a space that could serve both to welcome visiting friends and to house the family during the construction of the new main home. While the limited footprint presented certain challenges, Rush explains that he and his staff are no strangers to maximizing the use of space. The family’s needs called for a bunk room in addition to the primary suite, a full kitchen, and…

3 min

The Cottage Journal|Cottage Retreats 2023

The Perfect Spot

It’s no secret that Doug Sutton loves life on the lake. After renting a cabin on Lake Martin in eastern Alabama for years, he and his partner, Andrew Nix, finally decided it was time to purchase their own—but it wasn’t as easy as they thought. “We had a tall order, and we were determined to avoid compromising on things like privacy, big water views, sunsets, and a casual flow between indoor and outdoor living,” Doug says. After a long year of searching, they found the perfect home on the banks of Smith Lake in northern Alabama. “We toured a ton of homes on the lake, and none of them felt quite right,” Doug says. “When we pulled up to this house, it reminded me of a general store, which I…

3 min

The Cottage Journal|Cottage Retreats 2023

A Time for Change

During the process of updating this family cottage, designer Ashley Montgomery had no shortage of inspiration. “The piece of land the house sits on is really beautiful,” says the Ontario-based designer. “It’s on the lake, so we’ve got lots of color coming in; there’s tons of greenery, lots of trees, so we wanted to play off that and just bring a lot of warmth into the home.” Built in the 1960s and updated in the 2000s, the home was rife with potential—and Ashley and her team were prepared to uncover it with thoughtful design choices and a targeted use of fresh paint. Timeworn pine paneling in the living room went lighter, while Ashley took a bold approach in the adjoining space. “With the kitchen configuration the way it was, we…

3 min

The Cottage Journal|Cottage Retreats 2023

A Haven on the Water

When Margaret and Jeff Rickard set out to build a vacation home that would perfectly suit their family’s needs, they didn’t want it to be a typical lake house. “I wanted it to have more of a rustic elegance,” Margaret says, noting that she tends toward a French flair in her designs. To accomplish that, she crafted a space that is perfect for curling up and enjoying the water views—no matter the time of year. “I just wanted it to be warm yet airy and light,” Margaret says, adding that she opted for on-trend, lighter finishes. In the upstairs living area, the vaulted ceiling is planked with natural wood, which provides a glowing contrast to the crisp shiplap throughout the space. The stone fireplace at the center of abundant comfy…

4 min

The Cottage Journal|Cottage Retreats 2023

Sharing Sanctuary

“Everyone needs a place to retreat, to rest, to recharge,” says homeowner Jim Edwards. “For me, that place is Old Town in South Dallas County, Alabama. When I unlock the gate, I immediately relax and enter my retreat.” Jim and his wife, Beth, live and work in Montgomery, Alabama, but they both grew up just 50 miles away in Selma, Alabama. The couple owned land in the area in a community called Old Town for years before they decided to build their rustic retreat. And in 2006, they began building their modest country-style cabin in the woods, adding on to it in three different phases until it was completed in 2016. Thursday through Tuesday each week, the Edwardses escape to the country, making a trip back into town only on…

4 min

The Cottage Journal|Cottage Retreats 2023

Credits & Resources

Feels Like Home Pages 11–12—Adirondack chairs from Warren Family Garden Center. Vintage tobacco basket from Chelsea Antiques. Featured location at Mathews Manor in Springville, Alabama. A Time for Change Pages 13–20—Interior designs by Ashley Montgomery, Ashley Montgomery Design. Cozy Cabins by the Lake Pages 21–30—Architectural designs by Wade Weissmann, Wade Weissmann Architecture. Welcome in Wyoming Pages 31–40—Interior designs by WRJ Design. Architectural designs by Northworks Architects + Planners. Landscape designs by Bonny Hershberger, HDLA. Built by OSM Construction. A Haven on the Water Pages 42–50—Interiors painted in Muskoka Trail by Benjamin Moore. Page 42—Living room furniture from Richard Tubb Interiors. Iron sconces and large fixture in main living area from Unique Iron Lighting. Pages 43–44—Range hood from Calhoun Design and Metalworks. Reclaimed wood and beams from Evolutia. Cabinets by Creative…

2 min

The Cottage Journal|Cottage Retreats 2023

Cozy Cabins by the Lake

Architect Wade Weissmann has spent more than 25 years designing classically inspired estates around the world. Based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, his firm, Wade Weissmann Architecture, has been praised for its attention to craftsmanship and design detail and for lending homeowners a feeling of resort living right at home. When a fishing camp on a pristine, private lake in the Northwoods of Wisconsin caught Wade’s eye, he decided to use his design expertise to create his own personal retreat. The resort had been operating for 60 years and had existing cabins on the property that were used as the inspiration for Wade’s master plan: three rustic but luxurious cabins nestled along the shoreline. Tucked into the woods, these fully renovated lakeside cabins provide a tranquil escape from the city. They are…

2 min

The Cottage Journal|Cottage Retreats 2023

Mountain Retreat

Barbara Tickle and her husband, Charlie, have enjoyed weekend escapes to the mountains for more than 40 years. Finally, they decided it was time to put roots down in their favorite vacation oasis and build an incredible dream cabin in the hills of North Carolina. With the help of builder Dearl Stewart and architect Mark Paullin, their dream became a reality. Their mountain home enjoys an elegant look yet still feels appropriate to its setting due to their thoughtful use of natural materials and personalized décor. “We wanted it to be rustic without feeling cabin-y,” Barbara says of the home’s interior. The rustic cottage is built with solid wood, complete with stained pine ceilings and flooring throughout, while painted wood-planked walls complement its frame in a soft shade of linen.…

3 min

The Cottage Journal|Cottage Retreats 2023

Lake House Living

Illinois-based interior designer Elizabeth Drake is renowned for her colorful, layered, and luxurious interiors. Naturally, she was the perfect match to help give this cottage-style stunner on Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, an elevated, family-focused design scheme. The goal for this project was to create a multigenerational home for the family to enjoy. With a glistening backdrop of gorgeous Lake Geneva, the location is a sentimental place for the homeowners and filled with many happy childhood memories, so Elizabeth utilized her talents to help bring the home’s interiors to life in a unique and meaningful way that felt just as extraordinary. Throughout the design, Elizabeth used the homeowners’ favorite colors—blue and red—and drew from inspiration found in the natural surroundings. Family and friends are welcomed into the sitting room just off the…

3 min