Driftwood Cottage

“Remember when you were a kid and you spent your summers collecting feathers and pebbles and driftwood? Well, we want that experience for our kids.”

“We want the sound of waves to accompany every meal. When it rains, we want to light a real fire with real wood. Then we want to sit together at the dining table doing puzzles, reading mysteries or playing cards.”

“We don’t want a second home with a satellite dish. We want a cottage that’s wide open to the beach and filled with breezes. We want it to be spare and simple. Kick off your shoes by the door and grab a towel. Go build castles. Capture a few little critters.”

In 1912, a tiny rudimentary cabin was built overlooking Lake Huron. But it had been eclipsed, dominated by poorly-conceived additions in the 1950’s and 70’s. This mishmash needed to be cleared out, de-cluttered and re-structured. The architectural editing was merciless.

The original 500 square foot cabin was restored as a relaxed gathering place for the family. The masonry fireplace was rebuilt and modernized to anchor a new magnificent family/dining/kitchen space. Short stairs lead up to a cluster of quiet sleeping quarters.

Covered porches watch over the lake and also back towards the road. Pristine white walls and deep window sills invite displays of this season’s discoveries. ‘In the fall, we’ll re-deploy the pebbles and driftwood back to the beach. We’ll liberate the feathers, and then we’ll head back home.’

“…mosquitoes, watermelon, crickets and my brother teasing me…” – Robin Wright