Extending the Season

There are only two rules at Don and Trudie’s cottage. Relax and enjoy. It’s the theme of their beautiful place named “Pilgrims’ Cottage” located just outside Huntsville, Ontario. One cannot forget these two commands thanks to the gorgeous grounds, and incidentally, the signs hanging inside as a reminder. Enjoying their time at the cottage was top priority for Don and Trudie. With busy schedules from work and family commitments, they needed a haven from pressures and hassles at home, just two and a half hours away.

Because Don and Trudie met in Muskoka as teenagers, it holds a special history for them. So while raising their seven children, they wanted to give their children the same love of Muskoka they had. “We rented cottages with our kids and stayed in lodges for many years. We felt so lucky to bring our children here to play and explore,” remembers Trudie. But it wasn’t until seven years ago, long after all their children were grown, that they found the cottage of their dreams.

Beautifully situated on Muskoka River, just 50 yards from the water’s edge, this 3,000-square-foot, two-level bungalow with a walkout basement was everything they wanted. With so many children, and now grandchildren, they needed space to entertain and accommodate as many as possible. Each level comes equipped with a kitchen, two bathrooms, three bedrooms, a spacious living area adorned with expansive windows and a washer and dryer. The couple enjoys the river’s peaceful pace instead of the roar and activity of the lake. They love watching the boats go (slowly) by while sitting on their dock and looking out the windows of the ground level nuzzled in the “red chairs”. “Whenever we have people over for the first time, we always sit them down in these chairs to take in the view,” says Trudie. But it was the view off of this living space’s deck that prompted the desire for a covered porch.


The idea came to Trudie when she realized no one was using the huge deck off of the ground level. Pine tree branches encroached on the space, whacking people in the face. And the infamous black flies were always buzzing around. “It was so bad, no one even used that exit out to the water,” said Trudie. “Everyone took the long way around just to avoid it!

I dreamed of making it something we could actually use.” But it was Don who finally turned this dream into a realization when he gave Trudie the green light for their 39th anniversary.


Brainstorming about the space with their contractor, Dan Willows of Breezy Point Contracting in Huntsville, quickly turned this covered porch into so much more. Keeping the big trees as privacy and as atmospheric scenery, Don and Trudie saw that completely closing in the porch suited them better.

Trudie, who has redesigned numerous kitchens and bathrooms in their former houses, knew exactly what she wanted and designed the plans herself. There were a few things she knew she had to have going into the project: a window seat, a fireplace and heated floors to make it a four-seasons room, a games table area, glass from floor to ceiling, and naturally, lots of seating for this huge family. The post and beam construction was also necessary to the design of the room. The 18-foot ceilings are visually appealing because of the intricate timber framing by Josh Laverty of Breezy Point Contracting, especially above the window seat. And Trudie’s antique Irish hutch was not only incorporated into the design of the room, but also was the inspiration piece for the decorating plans.


Now dubbed “the Beautiful Room” or the “Muskoka Room”, Trudie made all of the decorating decisions as well. By creating a look that was “really sunny and cheerful”, Trudie made the space an extension of the rustic outside. Classic sunny yellows and periwinkle blues keep this windowed room bright. The rattan and sea-grass furniture retains the feel of an outdoor room rather than turning it into another living room. “I wanted it to look great, but feel really comfortable,” says Trudie. “Like you could just come in and put up your feet.”

The Town & Country Fireplace, with a manufactured river-rock facade, is an impressive focal point in the room. This new concept in gas-fireplace design and technology, called Decorative Direct Vent Technology, allows the fireplace to create higher internal temperatures for better draft and air circulation in the firebox. A luxury gas fireplace like this is perfect for the 500-square-foot room with lots of windows, allowing the family to be cozy and warm all year round.


Another great hidden feature in the room is the fold-out Boca Rattan couch. The continual need for beds for extended family made finding a fold-out couch a necessity, but to keep it relaxed and casual, Trudie didn’t want a formal-looking couch. With this new addition, they can now sleep 17 people in beds—quite an accomplishment for any cottage.

Construction started in January 2006 in the hopes that it would be ready by summer. But while working on the room, the contractors also had to work on another major addition to the roof of the cottage. Creating the high ceilings for the Muskoka Room meant the roof of the cottage needed to be raised 12 feet so it and the room would join correctly and cohesively. With the high roof, Laverty then added the beam work in the peak for a striking architectural detail. Don and Trudie kept everything a secret from their family to surprise them for the Victoria Day long weekend. But in just five short months, all their plans couldn’t be finished on time. The heating unit for the floors was added later on that summer, accessible from the walkout basement underneath the Muskoka Room from the bottom level.

Even though they have had continual updates to the original design, such as new lighting and the floors, Don and Trudie can’t describe how happy they are with the room. “As we were watching those huge beams dragged through the snow, we couldn’t picture that it would turn out the way it has. I can’t imagine this cottage without it now!” gushes Trudie.•

The homeowners’ last name was omitted for privacy reasons.

Originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, Andrea Reynolds moved to Burlington, Ontario in 2002 after marrying Canadian Joel Reynolds. She has worked for Weddingbells, Living Spree, and Style at Home. Andrea and Joel have a beautiful nine-month-old boy named Isaac Luke. She adheres to the three R’s philosophy: running, reading and relaxing.