With a few modifications to your cottage, you might also realize the dream of never leaving. Fifteen years ago, Doug and Claudette Williams were like most other cottagers. They spent their free time at their 400-square-foot recreational property on BC’s Sunshine Coast, wishing they could extend the pleasure indefinitely. 

Over the years, as Doug and Claudette neared retirement, renovations were made to the wee cabin to enable it to meet the needs of entertaining family and friends — and make it more livable year-round. Five years ago the couple got very serious about their dream to stay year-round — and today they are living the cottage lifestyle on a full-time basis.

Crossing Over

The newly expanded building measures out at 2,200 square feet but it feels much bigger. Cascading down the steep lot, the interior spaces are enhanced by a series of patios and decks that lead off each level and continue down to the shoreline. But it is the view from inside that is the most impressive.

“The great thing about the house is the way you feel part of the outdoors when you’re sitting inside,” says Doug. “The way the windows are positioned, especially coming down the [centrally located] stairs, you can see the trees at all levels. I still go ‘Wow!’ when I walk in after five years of it being like this.”

Claudette agrees. “I like how you can see through the house to the outside from so many different angles,” she says. “There are lots of spectacular views here.”

The flow between the rooms does indeed highlight the area’s natural beauty, with every angle punctuated by views and view corridors. Most windows run floor to ceiling. Skylights were a limited option due to the amount of debris from surrounding trees, so clerestories (windows placed on the upper part of a wall) were used whenever possible. The affect allows in plenty of natural light, an important feature given the home’s heavily treed position facing Sechelt Inlet.

The Williams’ dream-realization had much to do with talented designer named Dana Brash; it likely wouldn’t have been such a success without her input. Over a six-year period, she helped Doug and Claudette realize their vision of the perfect home to suit their active retirement lifestyle. Hits of bold colour were used strategically and sparingly to give the space added life on dull winter days. Otherwise, the material and colour palette was kept purposely neutral and natural in order to ensure nothing distracts the eye from the views — not even the fireplace, which was installed on the window wall in the living room.

That connectedness to the outside is a large part of the Williams’ lifestyle. The expanded cottage-cum-principal residence also allows plenty of room for family visits — especially from grandchildren.

“We do a lot of entertaining here,” says Claudette. Brash ensured that getting together with friends and family would be easy. Brash’s design made plenty of entertainment space with an open-concept plan that features an ample kitchen and dining area that step down to the living room. In warmer weather, the activity can easily pour out onto the large deck off the kitchen or the smaller side deck that leads to the waterfront access and the soon-to-be-completed hot tub. A hold-over from the original cottage — the outdoor shower — is a reminder of the laid-back lifestyle the Williams now embrace full time.

Overnight guests can easily be accommodated. Claudette’s craft/sewing room does double-duty as a guest room as does Doug’s “office” (which these days sees more fly tying than anything else). A purpose-built guest room is also available. If that’s not enough space — or if the grandchildren get their way — there’s always room on the waterfront deck to pitch a tent.

The laid-back lifestyle is most evident in the upper/entry level floor which houses the master bedroom. In addition to knockout views of the surrounding forest and the waterfront beyond, the bedroom also looks out onto the most tranquil space in the house.

The rock-filled Zen garden is the first thing encountered when entering the house and it sets the tone for the entire property. Nestled between the master bedroom and the main bathroom, it can be enjoyed as a transition space between the two other rooms or as a separate space unto itself, depending on the position of the shoji screens that separate the individual rooms. A window bench at the back of the garden provides an ideal place to read, with those magnificent forest and water views beyond.

Making It Work

While the conversion of this small cabin and outhouse to a full-time residence was quite the undertaking —surprisingly, the foundation was no issue. Piers were keyed into rock so there was no excavation. All of the foundation work was done by hand. “We wanted to keep as many trees as possible,” says Brash, “so we moved the points [location of the supporting stilts] around the tree roots. In fact, the living room, kitchen and deck areas were built around a huge tree.” The resulting layout allows the tree to sweep up from below the building to a space between the deck and the living room where it becomes a feature of the outdoor living area. Inside, small windows placed at the floor level near the base of the central stair case and on the floor of the dining area allows other tree trunks to make an appears, too, thereby continuing the inside/outside connection that is central to the overall design.

Although the building has been greatly enlarged, it still has some notable limitations. As a result, several spaces do double-duty. For example, the powder room off the kitchen doubles as a bathroom for Doug’s downstairs office/studio. Storage for the powder room backs onto the kitchen pantry, and the mechanical room is tucked in behind.

The illusion of a greater space is created in the kitchen where cupboards are free of handles in an effort to keep the space as free from visible clutter as possible. The backsplash mirrors the real inlet view outside, and it is also reflected in the marble countertop. The overall affect gives the illusion of a larger than actual space. The kitchen also houses a computer desk, which turns the room into another multi-purpose space.

Storage space is at a premium, so the area adjacent to the main bathroom on the entry level fills the roll of walk-in closet, laundry centre and storage for larger, seldom-used items. “The great thing about having the closet and laundry in that area is it is close to both the main bathroom and our bedroom,” says Claudette. “So most of the laundry only moves a couple of feet [on laundry day].” So the necessity of a multi-purpose space also became a time-saving addition that area of the house.

Lighting was another big issue. “Dana did a super job of designing the size and shape of the windows and putting them all at just the right angles,” says Claudette. “We really do get the maximum amount of natural light as a result of her efforts.” Given the denseness of the trees, evening and winter lighting requirements meant careful consideration of supplemental lighting. “In hindsight we would have thought more about the use of the rooms, where we would be sitting, and so on,” says Claudette. “For example, if I thought [the room off the main entrance that was designed as a guest room] was going to be used as a craft room, we would have lit it differently.”

“One other thing we would certainly do next time is install in-floor heating,” says Doug. At present, they have floating floors that are glued together. Overall, however, the Williams couldn’t be happier with their renovated space. They’ll be even happier once the outdoor hot tub is installed in the rock outcrop outside of Doug’s studio.

Like their Zen garden, the Williams’ home is all about escaping to a calmer lifestyle that is more connected to the earth, sea and sky — and all the activities associated with those natural elements. The couple’s dream has come true. Their renovated cottage-cum-home truly lets them live the cottage lifestyle everyday.

Written by Janet Collins.