Cottages
Get Inspired By These Sleek And Modern Canadian Escapes
Updated on July 22, 2024
If you you’re looking for cottage design inspiration, take a peek inside Northern Hideaways: Canadian Cottages and Cabins. The book is a carefully curated compendium of modern cottages, chalets and farmhouses from across the country. “Few experiences are more quintessential for Canadians than spending time at a cottage: a home away from home surrounded by nature,” writes author Julia Jamrozik in the book’s introduction. The hideaways in this book share simple and contemporary architectural aesthetics, allowing the beauty beyond their doors to really shine. Scroll down to get inspired by these Canadian cottages and cabins!
This lakeside cottage in Lac-Brome in Quebec’s Eastern Townships takes full advantage of the sweeping lakeside views and surrounding mountain landscape. The wood interiors convey a cozy atmosphere while blending in with the tree trunks surrounding the house. “The retreat, be it a ski chalet, a boathouse, or a cabin in the woods, takes on an almost mythical significance and provides a cherished escape to be shared with family and friends,” says the author.
This Laurentian ski chalet in Saint-Donat, Quebec, is sited on the steep slope of a former ski hill and commands panoramic views of Lac Archambault. Daylight streams in from windows on three sides of the living room at the south end of the home, and a window seat spanning the length of the kitchen and dining areas contains concealed storage.
Architect Paul Bernier was asked to renovate and expand a Quebec log cabin that had been in the same family for 40 years. From their bed, the owners have a breathtaking view of the point with its beautiful tall pines, as well as the lake and the starry night sky. A floating fireplace cuts the chill.
Located an hour east of Toronto adjacent to a large conservation forest, The Farm serves as a weekend and vacation home for relaxation year-round. The dramatic contemporary hearth draws the eye up to Douglas fir ceiling beams.
This cottage in B.C.’s Okanagan Valley sits on a shallow slope that has become a vineyard while the lower portion drops off into a deep forested gorge where the Naramata Creek runs below.
Ell House in Prince Edward County in Ontario is inspired by PEC’s rural vernacular. While the gable roof is reminiscent of the region’s barns, the L shape references the extensions built on farmhouses over generations.
This cottage on Lake Mississauga in Ontario’s Kawartha’s lake region is a four-season escape with a warm, woodsy character. The L-shaped building has grand social spaces designed to accommodate large gatherings of extended family and friends. A horizontal wing built parallel to the shoreline encompasses an open-concept great room and a spacious kitchen.
This boathouse on Kawagama Lake in Ontario’s Haliburton County was built to replace an older existing structure and is tucked into a heavily forested corner at the water’s edge. It’s not only a place to store boats, but serves as a small dwelling to maximize the lake experience.
Two brothers approached architect Alex Schwimmer to request a new vacation home dubbed “Lakeside Cabin” to be built on the shores of Lac-Brome, in the Eastern Townships. The double-height vertical atrium that looks onto the lake is big and airy enough to provide lots of swing time with a rope structure.
Lakeside Cabin’s exterior cladding is made of larch treated with two methods. Charred planks directly face the elements and natural oil protects the recessed, less exposed planks. This play of dark and light gives this cottage its unique, dramatic look.
Northern Hideaways: Canadian Cottages and Cabins (The Images Publishing Group, 2022)