Cottage Reflections

03 Cottage renos all about balance BY GEOFF KIRBYSON THE FAKE WOOD PANELLING ON THE WALLS? GONE. THE KITCHEN THAT EVEN MRS. BRADY WOULD CALL DATED? TEAR IT OUT. THE FURNITURE THAT WOULDN'T SUPPORT YOUR TODDLER'S WEIGHT LET ALONE YOURS? TO THE DUMP. Cottages aren't the one-season retreats they used to be as an increasing number of Manitobans are outfitting them as second homes. That means taking the same amount of care — and sometimes more — as you do with your primary residence. Some people have an eye for restoration and renovation but for those who suffer from decorative blindness, Sheri Henkel-Moore, one of the owners of Cottage Country Interiors in Lac du Bonnet, can help you out. She and fellow owner Lisa Plischke operate a retail store featuring all kinds of furniture, tables and lamps as well as accessories such as accent pillows, linens, dishes, candles, lake signs and assorted knick-knacks. They also offer in-home consultations that can bring your cottage to life without losing the "cottage-y" feel. When people first buy a summer home or decide to modernize what they already have, they're often paralyzed by not knowing where to start. Henkel- Moore said your budget will dictate how far you can take things but a good first move is to flip through a paint wheel. "Sometimes we do the cheap and cheerful. Some new paint can go a long way," she said. For example, many cottage owners went overboard with cedar and pine on their interior walls a couple of decades ago but things can be brightened up considerably by white-washing the walls and ceilings. "It still has a cute cottage-y feel without breaking the bank," she said. If you've got a bigger budget, you can rip the pine and cedar off and replace it with drywall. Henkel-Moore would also rip out the kitchen and bathroom, install new flooring and custom blinds and furnish it "to the nines." To maintain the rustic feel, she's big on having knick-knacks throughout the place, including things such as birchbark candle holders, lanterns, ceramic bears and deer, rustic picture frames as well as blankets, pillows and toss cushions. Cottage Country Interiors doesn't provide building advice on decks or porches but once they're up, Henkel-Moore has plenty of tips. A deck can be beautified with custom planters, big seating sections and even a fire pit so you don't have to walk into the grass and get dive-bombed by mosquitoes. "We can pick beautiful florals to co-ordinate with your fabrics on your furniture and get your whole colour scheme pulled together," she said. Porches can be handled differently, primarily due to the windows. If they are all-season, nicer furniture can be bought but if the porch is just screened in, you should downscale a bit because the entire area will be subjected to the elements. In any porch, however, she recommends hanging a chandelier for accent lighting and even a porch swing. If you've got a bunkhouse, you'll want to give it a little love, too, for when you have guests staying there. Bunk beds are a must, of course, and it's often a good idea to equip it with a mini-kitchen, including a coffee maker, so your company can get up in the morning without having to enter the main cottage. Some cottage owners want to tackle much of the work themselves but the majority prefer to contract it out so they can maximize their enjoyment. And fellas, don't feel bad if your picture of dogs playing poker doesn't make the final cut. "We find that 90 per cent of the time, the woman is making the final decisions on what's going to get done," she said. YOU'VE JUST RECEIVED YOUR KEYS TO COTTAGE COUNTRY BUT BEFORE YOU CAN KICK BACK AND ENJOY THE SUMMER, THERE'S THE SMALL MATTER OF EXTRICATING YOUR LATEST PURCHASE FROM THE 1970S. Your cottage renovation can strike a balance between modern comfort and rustic lake-house style. Submitted photos

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