A One Bedroom Boathouse Cottage On The Canadian Shield

Budget-Friendly Renovation of a Boathouse Cottage

This one bedroom boathouse cottage located in the Canadian Shield is a budget-friendly renovation. When owner Candice was hoping to give her 80's style, 2,300 square foot cottage an update, she reached out to her friend decorator Virginie Martocq. The designer used clever interior design ideas and plenty of paint to make the family getaway feel more contemporary. The good news is that all of the plumbing, windows and the structural walls were already in great shape. The one bedroom boathouse update is the perfect spot for guests to set up camp.

Modern Kitchen and Cozy Muskoka Room

Inside the dated kitchen was brought up to date with new, Shaker-style kitchen cabinets and a large kitchen island, which is perfect for Candice's young family. They spent more on the details and the accessories in the boathouse cottage because that's what makes the space feel unique. Martocq added eye-catching pendants and a colorful patterned runner to give the place an elegant look. The revamped Muskoka room in the cottage is the ideal spot for people to gather and bridges the gap between inside and out. This was the room that had the biggest transformation, with the walls going from a pickled pink to a lovely shade of grey. The new color in the room makes the space feel a whole lot cozier and helps to keep the focus on the natural surrounding views rather than the wall.

A Cozy Bedroom and Inviting Outdoor Spaces

A palette of white, blue and cherry red helps to create the backdrop in her son's bedroom. They splurged on the bunk beds that help to make the room feel cozy. The Muskoka room has plenty of comfy seating which is especially useful when guests come to visit and makes an excellent spot for entertaining. Outside the updated boathouse the exterior is painted a lovely shade of blue with white trim and cedar shake roofing which lends to the small cottage plan feeling and suits its lakeside location. Upstairs is a small outdoor patio, partially covered by the eaves that makes a nice spot to look out at the stars at night, and down below there is a covered outdoor patio right beside the water, perfect for sunny days spent outside and a spot where you can watch the kids.

Inspiration for Your Own Cottage Makeover

If a designer is not in your cottage makeover, you can take away some inspiration from this budget-friendly cottage update. One of the easiest ways to give your small cottage home a makeover is with a fresh coat of paint. Take cues from some of the colors used in this Muskoka boathouse, look in magazines and grab some paint swatches to get an idea what colors to go with. If the kitchen cabinets are in good shape but are looking a bit dated, use paint on those too and change out the hardware for a new look you'll be sure to love. Once you've painted, use a couple of runners or area rugs, some pillows and throws to add a bit of color and texture to the rooms and you won't recognize the place.