The transition from interior spaces to exterior spaces is a crucial element in cottage design. Well-placed decks, terraces, and patios extend your living space, providing a natural flow between indoor and outdoor environments, and better connect inhabitants with their surrounding natural environment. Consider using materials and design elements that harmonize with the natural surroundings, blurring the boundaries between your cottage and the landscape beyond. This creates a cohesive and inviting space for relaxation, entertainment, and the appreciation of the outdoors.
Harmonizing your cottage with the existing grade of the property ensures a natural and visually pleasing connection to the land. Avoid abrupt elevation changes, especially in areas where you'll spend time outdoors, thereby allowing for a more comfortable and functional environment. Gentle slopes, terraces, and landscaping can be employed to guide the eye and create a sense of harmony between the structure and the land it inhabits.
Consider the various ways in which you will approach the site and the cottage. For many lakefront properties, one often first approaches the cottage from the back as the front of the cottage is facing the lake and the driveway is at the rear. What are the first impressions you get coming up the driveway? How is the property and the cottage unveiled? As it is said, first impressions are important, but in the case of a cottage site, other approaches and impressions of the site are of more significance than that initial approach up the driveway. Consider the approach from the lake. Does the cottage blend in with the surrounding landscape? What are your views as you move across the property from various paths. When all of these approaches to the site and the cottage are carefully considered as part of the overall design the quality of the experience is elevated.
The positioning of your cottage is a thoughtful, multi-faceted endeavor that, done correctly, will greatly elevate the overall experience of the cottager. By considering sunlight, the prevailing winds, considered views both grand and intimate, and facilitating seamless transitions, a cottage can be created that not only harmonizes with its surroundings but enriches the experience of cottage life. A cottage isn't just a building, it's a retreat and a thoughtfully designed cottage will have a large impact on how both the built and natural environment are experienced. Better living through better design.
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