This cozy coastal cabin is tucked in the edge of a spruce woods, on a point overlooking mid-coast Maine islands and a hectic lobstering harbor. When the cabin was passed down to the next generation, the new owners, who had loved it for decades (one since she was a little woman ), were anxious to make a few alterations, but they didn’t need to eliminate the rustic charm of the original building. Working with builder John Levenseler, they achieved this aim, boosting the room to make it more family-friendly, maximizing views and bringing the cottage up to its potential.
More: A Postcard from Maine
This is actually the front part of the house. The deck overlooks the lobstering harbor, and it is a favorite spot for family and friends to enjoy coffee in the morning and a glass of wine in the day. If you examine the far right, then a small bump-out was inserted so a back bedroom could enjoy a water view.
The house is covered in weathered shingles also contains an austere, rustic coastal appeal. This facade is considered the back of the house, where one passes from the grassy driveway. Since the house is at the end of a peninsula, there are ocean views from every side of the house.
The back door leads you directly to the kitchen, in which lots of the biggest changes were created. The area manages to maintain the original feel of the cabin, but has fresh beadboard cabinets, Corian countertops and appliances.
Upon entering, a painted country bench provides a spot to eliminate and store mucky shoes. The graph indicates the greater local area of Penobscot Bay, in which the household loves sea kayaking. A pantry is on the best and a hallway leading to the toilet and three cozy bedrooms is on the left.
This reconfigured kitchen space used to house a small old toilet and a hot water heater, both of which have been removed to open up the space. A window has been inserted so that the water view could be appreciated from the exterior walls. If you look carefully, you will notice a pull cable out of an overhead fixture using a wooden wick hanging out of it, a small detail that retains the soul of the original house undamaged.
A peek around the corner indicates the light coming in from the open dining/living space. I included this image because despite the renovation, they retained the oil lamp and the older pencil sharpener on the wall (are you old enough to recall when this pen sharpener placement was common?) Such small details keep memories alive.
A drop-leaf table could be dragged out when extra guests come to dinner. Most of the furniture is original to the home, with a few new additions. They are hard to see the manifestation, however, the frames include classic coastal maps; very suitable, as the husband is an oceanographer for USGS.
One new addition was a switch in the rectangular dining table into a round one, which lets dialog flow easily. The picture window has been enlarged to make the most of harbor view; seals in the harbor are a frequent sight in the dinner table.
This original market holds bedtime reading; household favorites, books by local writers and books about in regards to the area. Additionally, it holds meaningful objects gathered in Maine over many years; the carved seagull was whittled by a family friend many years ago; the sculpture of the seal is Andre the Seal, a famous seal that was able to swim out of Mystic Connecticut to summer in neighboring Rockport Harbor every year.
A couple of summers ago, the owners leant out the cottage to their son’s father-in-law, Vermont artist Eric Tobin. He had been so inspired by the environment that he completed 14 paintings the week he had been there, and he left this one behind as a thank-you gift.
The jar to the right holds seaglass collected through the years, the mussel shells and sea urchins were gathered out front on the rocks, and the lupine pitcher onto the best is by local artist Tony Oliveri.
The husband is a gifted magician who builds boats in his spare time, and he built this couch. The piece ties to the remainder of the home through the wood base and fabric options.
The painting on the wall was a new addition and a very special purchase. It is by local artist Eric Hopkins.
Here is a closer look at the painting.
A hallway wall retains a fun gallery of photos of the cabin that reveal how the house and the woods around it have evolved through the years.
This cozy front bedroom was a porch. A drop ceiling has been eliminated during the renovations to give let the small room feel larger.
The linen shams are Pom Pom At Home.
From bed, an individual can delight in watching the sunrise over the harbor out of windows that wrap around two sides of the room.
I took this picture about two days after Hurricane Irene delivered mucky salty squirt all around the windows; they’re usually clean and crystal clear!
Eric Tobin left another treat behind, this painted shingle, which depicts the cabin and its beautiful setting.
The area has an antique brass bed, a cozy quilt and household antiques that have always been in the cabin. The lamp is a traditional jug that has been wired to provide reading light.
Here is the opinion provided by the bump-out you saw from the first photo. The Lookout Lodge hint is original to the cabin.
The bathroom’s layout was kept clean and simple. Blue seaglass is always a favorite rare discovery along the shore, and the blue glass cupboard knobs recall these precious finds.
Finally, I had to throw in a picture of the garage, since it is one of my favorite vernacular buildings. One change the few made to the structure was replacing the dirt ground with a concrete one. I am sure the husband will probably be finishing many terrific jobs out here in his new workshop.
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