Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Maine Cottage on the Point
A family's vacation home renovation retains original cozy style
This cozy coastal cottage is tucked at the edge of a spruce forest, on a point overlooking mid-coast Maine islands and a busy lobstering harbor. When the cottage was passed down to the next generation, the new owners, who had enjoyed it for decades (one since she was a little girl), were anxious to make a few changes, but they did not want to lose the rustic charm of the original building. Working with builder John Levenseler, they accomplished this goal, enhancing the space to make it more family-friendly, maximizing views and bringing the cottage up to its potential.
More: A Postcard from Maine
More: A Postcard from Maine
This is the front of the house. The deck overlooks the lobstering harbor, and it's a favorite spot for friends and family to enjoy coffee in the morning and a glass of wine in the evening. If you look at the far right, a small bump-out was added so a back bedroom could enjoy a water view.
The house is covered in weathered shingles and has an austere, rustic coastal charm. This facade is considered the back of the house, where one enters from the grassy driveway. Because the house is on the end of a peninsula, there are ocean views from every side of the house.
The back door leads you right into the kitchen, where a lot of the biggest changes were made. The room manages to keep the original feel of the cottage, but has new beadboard cabinets, Corian countertops and appliances.
Upon entering, a painted country bench provides a spot to remove and store mucky shoes. The chart shows the greater local area of Penobscot Bay, where the family enjoys sea kayaking. A pantry is on the right and a hallway leading to the bathroom and three cozy bedrooms is on the left.
This reconfigured kitchen space used to house a tiny old bathroom and a hot water heater, both of which were removed to open up the space. A window was added so that the water view could be enjoyed from both exterior walls. If you look closely, you'll see a pull cord from an overhead fixture with a wooden buoy hanging from it, a small detail that keeps the spirit of the original house intact.
A peek around the corner shows the light coming in from the open dining/living space. I included this image because despite the renovation, they kept the oil lamp and the old pencil sharpener on the wall (are you old enough to remember when this pencil sharpener placement was common?) These kinds of small details keep memories alive.
A drop-leaf table can be pulled out when extra guests come to dinner. Most of the furniture is original to the home, with a few new additions. They are hard to see with the reflection, but the frames contain vintage coastal maps; very appropriate, as the husband is an oceanographer for USGS.
One new addition was a change from a rectangular dining table to a round one, which lets conversation flow with ease. The picture window was expanded to maximize the harbor view; seals in the harbor are a common sight from the dinner table.
This original niche holds bedtime reading; family favorites, books by local authors and books about about the area. It also holds meaningful objects collected in Maine over many years; the carved seagull was whittled by a family friend many years ago; the sculpture of the seal is Andre the Seal, a famous seal who used to swim from Mystic Connecticut to summer in nearby Rockport Harbor every year.
A few summers ago, the owners leant the cottage out to their son's father-in-law, Vermont artist Eric Tobin. He was so inspired by the surroundings that he completed 14 paintings the week he was there, and he left this one behind as a thank-you gift.
The jar on the right holds seaglass collected over the years, the mussel shells and sea urchins were collected out front on the rocks, and the lupine pitcher on the right is by local artist Tony Oliveri.
The jar on the right holds seaglass collected over the years, the mussel shells and sea urchins were collected out front on the rocks, and the lupine pitcher on the right is by local artist Tony Oliveri.
The husband is a talented carpenter who builds boats in his spare time, and he built this sofa. The piece ties into the rest of the home through the wood base and fabric choices.
The painting on the wall was a new addition and a very special purchase. It is by local artist Eric Hopkins.
Here's a closer look at the painting.
The painting on the wall was a new addition and a very special purchase. It is by local artist Eric Hopkins.
Here's a closer look at the painting.
A hallway wall holds a fun gallery of photos of the cottage that show how the house and the woods around it have evolved over the years.
This cozy front bedroom was once a porch. A drop ceiling was removed during the renovations to give let the small room feel larger.
The linen shams are by Pom Pom At Home.
The linen shams are by Pom Pom At Home.
From bed, one can enjoy watching the sunrise over the harbor from windows that wrap around two sides of the room.
I took this picture about two days after Hurricane Irene delivered mucky salty spray all over the windows; they are usually clean and crystal clear!
I took this picture about two days after Hurricane Irene delivered mucky salty spray all over the windows; they are usually clean and crystal clear!
Eric Tobin left another treat behind, this painted shingle, which depicts the cottage and its beautiful setting.
The room has an antique brass bed, a cozy quilt and family antiques that have always been in the cottage. The lamp is a classic jug that was wired to provide reading light.
Here's the view provided by the bump-out you saw in the first photo. The Lookout Lodge sign is original to the cottage.
The bathroom's design was kept clean and simple. Blue seaglass is always a favorite rare discovery along the coast, and the blue glass cabinet knobs recall these prized finds.
Finally, I had to throw in a picture of the garage, because it's one of my favorite vernacular buildings. One change the couple made to the structure was replacing the dirt floor with a concrete one. I'm sure the husband will be completing many wonderful projects out here in his new workshop.
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