A Tiny Cottage Uses Reclaimed Building Materials for an Antique Look

The Setting and Aesthetic of the Cottage

The site of this beautiful small cottage plan was once the site of an early 1900's camp. The beautiful wooded site is located on Lake Minnetonka was the perfect setting for the 860 square foot residence steeped in architectural history. The small cottage plan gets its charming look from the myriad of reclaimed building materials and architectural antiques that were used for the construction. The small cottage home feels as if it were taken right from the Loire Valley of France. The open living plan differentiates it's rooms with the use of ceiling beams, posts, and ceiling changes, with rooms that share common spaces still being functionally efficient.

Architectural Details and Unique Features

Some of the details that give this small cottage home its antique look include the front facade with stone that came from an 1889 Lake St. Bridge in Minneapolis. Gable details on the small cottage with winged lion tile inset in stone. The kitchen has a vintage butcher block table, stainless steel countertops, wood hinged windows, and a breakfast alcove with antique pharmacy rack that comes from France. The small cottage home has a Great Hall with oak ceiling beams that came from an 1860's barn in Houston County, Minneapolis. The Great Hall fireplace has stone from Derby, Iowa. Great Hall with flooring from 1880's barn in Osseo, Wisconsin. Details of timber beam with scarf-joint and mortise and tenon joinery. The bedroom has wood from an 1870 Kentucky tobacco barn and closet doors from France. The small cottage home has an exterior sitting terrace that is made from brick salvaged from the streets in Minneapolis. There is an antique French fireback from 1744 that adorns the side wall. The side of the small cottage home has vintage French Orangerie window for rose vines, with a view of the woodland pond at the rear of the small cottage home.

The Benefits of Reclaimed Materials

The reclaimed building materials are what gives this small cottage home its authentic look. There are plenty of benefits to using reclaimed building materials with one of the top benefits being durability. When compared to new materials, reclaimed building materials, especially old-growth wood, are much stronger and will last a lot longer. Reclaimed wood is based on growth life and the tightness of the wood grain. The tighter the grain of the wood the more durable the wood is, making old-growth reclaimed wood much stronger than the new wood from big-box stores. Old timber has also settled and shrunk which creates less of a hassle down the road. Reclaimed building materials also require less maintenance because they have already become worn over time. The result in using reclaimed wood is an antique look which is very popular.

Eco-Friendliness and Character in Design

Using reclaimed building materials also gives a sense of history. People love the idea of using eco-friendly building materials in their small cottage homes and home designs, as much as they like adding some character and nostalgia into their home which is accomplished when using reclaimed building materials. Reclaimed wood can come from a variety of sources to include warehouses, fences, old barns, building, and rural structures. You can use reclaimed building materials throughout your small cottage home from the floors, walls, post, and beams and so much more. Using reclaimed wood can add a sense of history, make your home eco-friendly and give a unique look with plenty of character. Not only do reclaimed products save resources but they give you a sense of character and history that you can't get with off-the-shelf products. Reclaimed wood is also an eco-friendly option that keeps wood out of landfills.