I just saw that people write a lot more- so here goes. I was thinking about going really dark (darkest grey). Painting the white bits black and then maybe just maybe trying to layer some architectural elements (cordials? Flower boxes? Shutters?). Seeing as the inside will eat my budget alive I’m trying to wave my wand and work miracles. Thanks for your thoughts!

Where is Muskoka?

Your money needs to go to weatherproofing and life safety upgrades before you even start thinking about paint and flower boxes and shutters.

Love your location! My husband’s brother has a home in your vicinity. Love it! You are probably under a few feet of snow at this point and so are dreaming... I suggest that you adopt the mantra “Less is More.” And, seriously, study the cottage charm of Sarah Richardson! Her series on the remodeling of their home on a lake in the North Country is inspirational. What does your interior look like? Is your place winterized, or is it a summer place? Simple is best!

@hot rod- Those are a given. But thanks for the important reminder

Did you just buy it, so it's been inspected and all? The roof is sound? That siding looks a little far gone. The chimney safe and clean? You've tested the water for lead? What about the electric? Has it been jury-rigged? Is there water damage under the bathroom floor? Basic infrastructure things....

Was there a tree or large shrub against the house and now removed? Sure looks like it. check for root damage, mold etc.

Windows will need replacing.

Then worry about cosmetics...

Muskoka = $$.

What is the ratio of land price to house price for your property?

Do you have any pics without snow?

I would redo the roof and windows and check siding. Once it was all good to go I like the idea of a dark grey. Will look stunning.

Now I want to go to a cottage!

@hotrod it’s lake country in Ontario Canada

Take care of the essential function items now, and after the snow melts and the new roof is on, post new pix and we'll help you make good choices.

OK, so I suggested that you revisit Sarah Richardson’s series for inspiration. Check out the re-design (Design 2.0) of her lake cottage....repairing the rotted windows, remodeling her screened porch (using vinyl flooring) into living space. Inspiration! But with a practical eye towards family use. Indoor/outdoor furniture, rugs, etc. Metal clad windows, wood look vinyl.

Aw, it’s so cute! Just needs a little love. Roof first, then tackle projects by “need” to keep out the weather. No shutters. Is the siding in good enough condition that you can just paint it? A new front door, mailbox, light and house numbers!

I want to see INSIDE!!!!! Any photos????

Everyone who is commenting about functional stuff - I appreciate your thoroughness but this is not about function. I’m asking about form. I’ve got function nailed down and I am on it! (Click heels and salute). I am looking for your great design ideas. I appreciate your thoroughness though!

Lots of potential. I second watching Sarah Richardson series on her lake cottage. Then, shamelessly steal the ideas.

They are right about soundness and the mechanicals. Expensive and not glamorous . I remember Norm on This Old House saying years ago that a house was like an old man in winter. He needed a hat (roof), boots (the foundation), a coat (siding) and gloves (windows). Once he was dressed, you could discuss if it all matched.

Sage green or celery green and cream. Like the photo below but greener. Gray is trending out in many areas.

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Light blue gray is pretty for a lake house, too.

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Hi, love your cute looking cottage and we are also Muskoka cottagers. Maybe we're neighbours. Are you on Lake Muskoka? In Spring take a boatride and check out existing cottages for ideas for colours and colour combinations. Another option would be to pick up some magazines - there is a local one called Dockside that has lots of pictures of local places and real estate listings - you might see nice ideas there. Also maybe some landscaping ideas (these may be future improvements but it is nice to have an overall idea of your direction.

We had old siding that we did not care for (it was orangey brown and I will never for the life of me understand how some folks think that orange colour is "natural" in any way.)

We used this Benjamin Moore product: ARBORCOAT® Premium Exterior Stain. They can tint it any of the BM colours.

We used a grey-green which I am struggling to find the name for.

But I love BM Kendall Charcoal and it looks fantastic with white trim.

I know the BM website has it and likely other paint companies on their sites - you can upload your picture and then start playing with colours for body and trim colours. Let your imagination run wild.

I'm partial to colours from nature - so the silvery greys and blues always work for me. Mossy greens and dark colours (like Kendall Charcoal) which blends in with the bark on hardwood trees.

Agreed that Sarah Richardson's shows offer lots of guidance for cottage ideas. She has several different seasons of shows that focused on both her cottage and a rental cottage that they bought and fixed up. Enjoyable watching even if you take nothing away from it. She has new videos on Youtube now. Check her website for pictures of past project or HGTV to see older shows.

I like your board and batten siding. Painted white or a soft blue gray. A happy beginning. If new windows are in your future, you might consider ones that are clad in navy blue. Thick trim around your windows and at your roof line. A new roof? How about standing seam metal? The front door could be a bold color. Yellow, bright lime green, red, a color that says fun! Do you like a more modern aesthetic? Windows without muntins. Cozy coastal cottage? Muntins. Consider a door with a half window or all glass. Flys can be a problem at the lake...so a screen door is probably required. Get a wooden one do you get the wonderful sound of a screen door slamming shut....the sound is summer!

If you are doing a whole new exterior I would say the only 'given' you have to work with is your brick chimney. I'd suggest staying with darker windows, otherwise the skies the limit - I love this sage green grey with red accents (the brick chimney counts as a red accent):

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Architectural shingles, but make sure you get great underlayment to prevent ice dams. Maybe no gutters.

Bev, your link seems broken.

As someone who is trying to make my second sad cabin happy, I get it :)

Updating a 100 year old colonial (our regular house) cured me of any romantic ideas of keeping wood siding/trim/windows. When it came time for cabin #1, a 100+ year old logging camp, we went with all maintenance free updates - vinyl siding, replacement windows, composite decking, etc. and it was the best decision we made.

I agree with a bold, dark color with a light trim.

I am a shutter snob, I only want to see them if they are functional and would actually cover the windows when closed.

The flower box idea makes me happy and I would do them in a contrasting color like red on a dark grey and white trim house. Will you be there enough to keep them watered?

Wouldn't go with light blue myself as it would clash with the red brick chimney. But maybe the chimney needs to be deemphasized somehow?

I have cottage envy, or would I need to own one first? haha.

There is something in me that loves a quirky cottage. Looks like the adorable entry door is located in lean-to type addition addition. I googled Muskoka and those lake homes are quite impressive. Are you going for a high-end look, a good old fashioned I'm going to the lake for the weekend place, or somewhere in between?

misecretary There are definitely some impressive lake homes/cottages in the Muskoka area. There is a Lake Muskoka (Bracebridge, Bala, Port Carling, Gravenhurst are communities that are on the shores of the lake.) But the whole area tends to be called "The Muskokas" and that includes the three major lakes, Muskoka, Rosseau and Joe, and several other smaller, less well known lakes. The smaller lakes tend to be a bit more affordable - but we all know that affordable is subjective. If you can imagine your dream cottage being on an island, then those cottages are a LOT more affordable than those on mainland - but that means you need a boat and a marina to park your car at, and leave your boat at during the week when you aren't there. Prices for island cottages can be around the $400K CAD point and go up significantly from there. For every really gorgeous cottage there are just as many fixer uppers that need some TLC. Most cottages come at least partially furnished so you inherit a lot of stuff that may or may not meet your needs.

If you still have cottage envy but don't want to make a long term commitment, then there are many available for rent on a weekly or monthly basis or time share type resorts as well. A bit of something for everyone. I highly recommend the area. About a 2 hour drive from Toronto.

Link on video is not broken.

I love that middle one you posted Bev!

I would paint it a bright color.

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If you find the right shade to complement the chimney, I think a little red cottage would be fun!

love the green with it:

Hi All- Thank you so much for your input. It's all being considered. For now, I am leaning towards the dark and moody because it is a wooded area and I think that would nicely modernize it, but also complement the surroundings. I am also... wait for it.... considering *painting the chimney*. NOW - before anyone falls off their chairs, yes, I know this will require maintenance. Yes, I know that if I just leave it alone it will be fine - but I really feel like it splits the cabin in half. Okay, now that the cat is out of the bag... what do you think?

I'd have to come up from Toronto some beautiful summer weekend to see it in person. I don't eat much.

Maybe because it's pictured in the snow, but I think the red idea would be smashing. The area doesn't have bright light. I live in the deep south and we are always trying to reflect the light and heat. You don't have to do that. I like the idea of a Swedish look, bright yellow, navy blue or barn red. Something with pop. I would paint the fireplace the same color so it blends.

I just stumbled upon your little cabin. My first impression is that it is smallish and may feel so inside. You say the windows will be replaced. Consider replacing with larger windows as part of your overall design upgrade. That, I expect, would have a beneficial effect on alleviating the closed in feeling. Just my first thought.

Which way is the southern exposure? And is the inside open up to the roof?—I’m assuming not. But if so, I’d consider a shed dormer/clerestory for more natural light.

Update! Hi everyone! Well, the world sure did change while I was scratching my head about this little place.
I have some updated pics and a question. What do you all think about dark blue with white trim? The homes close by are all either grey or grey brown so I don’t want to follow along. This little area is not on the water but close by- it appears to be a street that has old homes from when the railway first came through. So small and cute. I wanted a colour that was happy - and next door is an old rusty red.
First pics are progress (trim has now been painted). Next two are inspiro. I’m thinking about a farm house light fixture and maybe painting the chimney.
What do you think?

And thank you everyone for all your thoughts. I’ve read them and re-read them. I really appreciate your time. Take care everyone

I am a HUGE fan of dark blue with light trim. I think it will look great.

I really like this dark blue and the dark green is not common. Both would look good with a bright yellow, orange or red front door!

I think the dark blue with your white trim would look good along with you plan for a farm house light fixture. Since you are going for the blue with white trim cottagey contrast look, consider adding a bit more trim around your door and at least the window next to it. Will help I think with your cottage look. Also, I think I’d put at least a large (maybe 4x4) wood door step if not a sitting deck out there. I’d see what the chimney (unpainted) looked like after all that.

Thank you Dan!

I think the dark blue with white trim will look lovely. I recommend waiting on the chimney until other things are done. I think it will live well as is with the color direction you’ve chosen, and is certainly more maintenance free as is. You can always decide to paint it later if you decide a change is needed.

https://www.houzz.com/hznb/photos/shore-home-chimney-foundation-and-concrete-work-traditional-exterior-philadelphia-phvw-vp~51214942

Thank you PDS290! Love that blue colour with the chimney.

Agree with the blue, and leave the chimney. The brick is an attractive colour. You could consider a fun colour for the door - bright yellow? And repeat the colour with some yellow perennials or add bright yellow pots. Choose plants that don't need extra watering, especially if this is a weekend place.

The first 2 in this link would be great for summer and fall blooms. The coreopsis (also called tickseed) has the added advantage that the seeds attracts birds. https://www.bhg.com/gardening/flowers/perennials/long-blooming-perennials/

Here's one. yellow ice plant, that blooms earlier in the summer, or late spring. Very hardy and low care, attracts butterflies. http://www.perennials.com/plants/delosperma-nubigenum.html

I love the idea of dark blue with white trim. Instead of a farmhouse fixture, would you consider more of a nautical fixture? This is available in either chrome or white.

https://www.build.com/kichler-9022/s376025?uid=844976

A wrap around porch would look lovely. If the budget is tight, a wrap around decking/patio would also dress up the place. To save more money you could make a crushed stone patio wrap around the house in french country cottage style:

https://www.frenchcountrycottage.net/2017/03/for-love-ofpea-gravel-patio-inspiration.html

Like the idea of blue with white trim and looking forward to seeing the continued changes. The cottage has got quite a bit of charm.