This tiny nook addition was drafty and dated.

When Toronto designer Barbara Purdy bought this Georgian Bay retreat, she was excited to put some work into it, despite a slim budget. The previous homeowners added this addition and lined the uninsulated walls with fake-wood panelling.

For more cottage makeovers, see our photo gallery.

Mismatched furniture adds to the rustic style.

Unfinished tongue-in-groove pine walls give this cottage’s dining area a natural look. A twig-wrapped chandelier is a playful nod to the outdoors.

See more great cottage and country rooms in our Cottages & Country Houses gallery, Traditional Cottages gallery, plus see more Cottage Makeovers.

Dark wood panelling needed a fresh look.

The modest 900-square-foot cottage seemed even smaller with unstained ceilings and walls. Purdy wanted to add character to the main bedroom with eclectic, vintage finds.

A few coats of paint instantly update the room.

An old coat rack that resembles the shape of a headboard makes a charming addition to this bedroom. Mismatched side tables enhance the casual aesthetic of the space.

For more cottage makeovers, see our photo gallery.

A tiny, unfinished space.

Unsightly wood panelling, exposed piping and a boxed-in shower made the bathroom feel more like an outhouse.

A glass shower makes this space seem larger.

Toronto designer Barbara Purdy gutted the entire bathroom — except the original ’50s-style hanging globe lights — to achieve the fresh, bright look she wanted in her cottage. An open-storage washstand was custom built to hold an affordable Ikea sink, keeping the space open and airy. White walls and faux marble porcelain shower tiles also brighten the once-dark room. Teak slats and a rain showerhead lend a high-end look.

See more Cottage Makeovers and Spa-Like Bathrooms.

Too much natural wood made this space seem small and dark.

Stacy Begg's family cottage near Keswick, Ontario was built from a prefab kit in the 1960s and purchased by her parents in the early 1970s.

Untouched cedar ceiling beams offer contrast.

More than 60 gallons of white primer and paint later, Stacy Begg and her siblings transformed their dreary Lake Simcoe cottage into a bright and cheerful family retreat. New engineered hardwood oak floors won’t shrink and expand with fluctuations in temperature — a perfect material for cottages. They’re finished in a semi-gloss that reflects light and brightens the room. Sage-green ceramic tiles and a parade of sentimental champagne bottles (dusted off and redisplayed) add hits of subtle colour.

For more cottage makeovers, see our photo gallery.

Hunter green carpet and outdated furniture were competing with the views.

The family room was also dated and in need of a decorating overhaul. Meaningful pieces, like a vintage airplane propeller and antique tables, had timeless appeal but needed to be incorporated into a more contemporary theme.

A seagrass rug layered over new hardwood adds warmth underfoot.

In her family’s Lake Simcoe cottage, Stacy Begg rehung a vintage airplane propeller from handsome leather straps, slipcovered the sofa in a durable cotton and refreshed an old lamp with a new burlap drum shade. Mixed fabrics on the wingback chairs, ottoman, throw pillows and drapes offer charm and visual interest.

For more cottage makeovers, see our photo gallery.

Drafty sliding doors needed to be replaced.

This room was dark and dim. Plus, improper insulation made this bedroom especially cold during winter visits.

A soft palette and cosy patterns add warmth.

In the principal bedroom of her family’s Lake Simcoe cottage, Stacy Begg painted the ceiling a pale blue-green to break up the white throughout. Classic french doors replace the original sliding ones, conserving energy in colder months and letting the lake breeze in come summer. Begg also splurged on radiant heating below the new hardwood, since this room is especially cold during winter visits. A multihued Tibetan rug layered over woven seagrass injects texture into the room.

For more cottage makeovers, see our photo gallery.

Thin walls and a shaky roof needed restabilization.

Architect Shari Orenstein envisioned a rustic retreat with original frame and beams when she purchased this 1960s cottage. Despite a few obstacles along the way, engineers were able to save the existing roof, foundation and deck while opening up the interior floor plan.

For more cottage makeovers, see our photo gallery.

Crisp white paint lends a beachy vibe.

Architect Shari Orenstein opened up this 1,000-square-foot cottage’s divided rooms into one large living room, dining area and kitchen (beyond the island). A soaring ceiling with exposed rafters meant there would be tall expanses of drywall, so Orenstein wrapped the lower walls in beadboard wainscotting topped with a chair rail to add texture and interest. Blue dining chairs and stately leather armchairs break up the all-white scheme.

For more cottage makeovers, see our photo gallery.