Rugged New England Cottage Renovation In The Woods

A dilapidated 1970s contemporary upside down cottage underwent a complete transformation by Jill Neubauer Architects, located in Wings Neck, Massachusetts. Wings Neck is a peninsula that juts out into Buzzards Bay on the south side of the Cape Cod Canal. The location of this home was very ideal, steeped in family history of joyful summers spent on the Cape. Extended family lives nearby, with ample opportunities to connect with siblings and cousins.

The problem was the house itself, which the homeowners described as, “Wow! That house is really sad, a dog actually.” The architects helped the owners to transform this “sad” cottage into an ideal version of itself, by breathing new life into the home. Bernice Wahler Landscapes collaborated with the architects to have the landscape transition from nature to usable space for this family with three young sons.

This 1,600 square foot home was designed to be budget-minded and functional, blending modern-transitional styling with rustic details — and a playful vibe in the boy’s bunkroom. The homeowners requested a playful, rugged summer cottage in the woods. Now warm and modern, this home remodel includes a small 12-foot-by-12-foot two-story addition. This entails a bunk bedroom on the lower level and a master suite upstairs, just off the great room.

Aside from the full renovation of the entire house and deck, a multi-function carport–with an outdoor shower and drying yard made of rough-sawn spruce, corrugated metal wall, and a sail cloth roof–was added to the site.

This cottage renovation successfully offers this family a newly designed layout that is modern and warm yet highly functional. Surrounded by woods yet close to the water, there are plenty of activities to enjoy throughout the summer. But with a beautiful new design, it will be hard not to want to spend some time enjoying the new digs. We are especially loving some of the playful new additions, such as the boy’s canvas glamping tent.

The removal of interior partitions on the second level of this cottage completely opens up the living space.

The flooring is composed of character-grade antique heart pine, locally sourced from the Cataumet Sawmill. The wall panelling is made from recycled snow fencing, sourced from Wyoming.

In the boy’s bunkroom, a suspended bookshelf is made of copper pipe and plywood.

The double bunk beds are made with standard two-by-two framing lumber, painted white. The upper bunks feature removable sail cloth, locally fabricated by Squeteague Sailmakers, which acts as a safety rail.

A vintage washbasin was found on EBay and installed in the boy’s bathroom, steps away from the bunkroom.

For the boys, a canvas glamping tent was tucked into the landscape among tall pines for sleepovers and afternoons of reading, playing, and exploring the woods.