The park across the river from my cottage

 

Childhood memories find a new home

One of my fondest childhood memories goes “up north” to a cottage my parents would rent for two weeks. I loved having the water a few steps from the door, the serenity of quiet nights and star gazing and awaking to chirping birds and crickets instead of car engines on the road. So when I recently became an empty nester and retired, I decided to see if I could extend those two blissful weeks into a new lifestyle. Could I actually find the cottage life in a large city? I knew it wouldn’t be easy on a decidedly limited budget, because being near water was my number-one priority.

My real estate agent and I took more than a few field trips to places that had water access but needed way too much work. We toured some nicer homes with no water nearby just to make sure I would not settle for the more urban living experience again.

Then a little yellow house popped up on a real estate website. It was cute, decidedly “cottagey” and, best of all, was across the street from a bucolic public access to a river. I remember cautiously sending the listing to my real estate agent, because the 70+ year-old cottage was 1,300 square feet with a crawl space instead of a basement. I would be moving from a 2,600-square-foot house with a large basement and lots of storage. Still, I had to see it, so off we went.

The cottage was definitely way cute, with 17 newer windows and several river views, along with a tree lined, fenced backyard. It was air conditioned, freshly painted, newly carpeted and the bathroom had been updated as well.

But the kitchen and one of the bedrooms retained the original knotty pine and several of the rooms had been painted barn red. The washer and dryer hookup were located in a narrow area that presented challenges. And then there was that crawl space – accessible only through a belly-flopping entrance outside and offering an uncomfortable, sandy environment for pipes and wiring inside.

Complicating matters was the fact that I needed to find a place for my three cats’ litter boxes. It could have been a deal breaker, but I decided then and there that I could make this cottage work for me.

My real estate agent made me wait awhile before making an offer, assuming that I had temporarily lost my mind, I guess. But after almost daily drive-bys to the house and its woodsy, “up north” neighborhood, I knew it was the perfect fit.

I didn’t exactly relish the idea of taking out a 30-year mortgage. So, with the blessing of my investment advisor, I decided to make a cash offer that shaved thousands of dollars off the asking price. Surprisingly, the young owner accepted it. He had been out of the house for about 18 months and apparently wanted out financially as quickly as possible.

In the weeks that followed, a measuring tape and Goodwill became my closest allies in finding the perfect fit for possessions to keep or donate. I spent considerable time drawing diagrams with dimensions for each of the cottage’s rooms and figuring out how to make them cozy and not cluttered. Anything remotely beachy, nautical or water-inspired was retained.

Somehow, everything fell into place. I carved a dining area out of the living room and discovered that my electric fireplace fit perfectly in a nearby nook. I angled furniture, when possible, to maximize storage space behind. The litter box issue was solved in the sunroom with three plastic storage cabinets covered with a tablecloth that hid them perfectly.

More neutral paint, including a favorite blue from my previous home’s kitchen, took away the barn and added the beach. My biggest cosmetic splurge was in the kitchen, where the knotty pine was refaced with white beadboard cabinetry. I also added a stacked washer and dryer and upgraded the electrical wiring in the process.

Gradually, I incorporated some waterside accessories. I scoured thrift and discount stores for bargain fabrics, pillows, pictures. Florida shells I’d collected over the years finally found a more visible home, even hot glued to picture frames. I deviated slightly from my theme when I found two beautiful giraffe paintings at Goodwill on sale for $15. Had to have them! Maybe the sunroom will someday become a safari retreat.

And now I never have to leave my “up north” vacation. My dog and I visit the river on a daily basis and it’s fun to chat with local fisherman, one who’s been angling here for 30 years. My neighbors share the love of all things waterside, with boats galore. Across the river, there’s a lovely park with more fishing and picnic spots and two ice cream parlors just beyond (and maybe too easily walkable for my waistline).

The view across the street from my cottage

I’ve still got a list of things to do to shore up my cottage. But I only have to look across the street to capture those childhood memories. One of my newest wall accessories says it best – “sail the seas to parts unknown with me.” I’m very glad I leaped into the deep end and resurfaced with my new cottage life.