There’s plenty of room for everyone at our 2020 Cottage on the Cape, with distinct outdoor spaces for the main house and the ADU occupants to enjoy.
Welcoming Entry
The core of our Idea House is a simple two-story rectangular box topped with a moderately sloped roof; the addition of a false rake gives it the appearance of a steep-roofed cottage.
Gutter guards: All Weather Armour; Walkway pavers: Belgard; Garage door: Clopay; Roof shingles, underlayment: GAF; Box bay siding, soffits: LIFESPAN Solid Select; Factory-finished cedar shingles (Atlantic Blue): SBC Cedar; Triple-pane windows: Sierra Pacific; Porch flooring and ceiling: Aeratis; Lattice windbreak finish: Watco Teak Oil + Stain; Skylights: VELUX; Window boxes: Walpole Outdoors; Sod: Sodco
Details that include a picket-style fence, a side porch entry, and bountiful window boxes provide classic cottage charm.
Fence, window boxes: Walpole Outdoors; Walkway pavers: Belgard; Box bay siding, soffits: LIFESPAN Solid Select; Factory-finished cedar shingles (Atlantic Blue): SBC Cedar; Triple-pane windows: Sierra Pacific; Sod: Sodco
Comfortable Porch Seating
The built-in bench on the front porch is made from the same durable and long-lasting PVC material used for the floor.
Porch flooring, ceiling, and bench: Aeratis; Lattice windbreak finish: Watco Teak Oil + Stain; Pillows: Annie Selke
The decorative windbreak not only protects porch-sitters from shore breezes, it also creates a delightful pattern with the help of the sun.
Porch flooring and bench: Aeratis; Lattice windbreak finish: Watco Teak Oil + Stain; Pillows, rug: Annie Selke
Smart Garage
Attaching the garage to the side of the house creates a courtyard area around the corner for the mudroom entry. The garage door, like many of the house’s features, can be controlled via smartphone app. And it’s smart in design, too—constructed with steel for strength and durability, the faux wood-look composite cladding and overlay materials are molded from actual wood pieces to reproduce natural texture and grain patterns. Above it, shingles are cut and pieced together to create a compass rose, a nod to the Cape’s nautical heritage.
Garage door: Clopay
Mudroom Access
A sheltered doorway behind the garage/workshop leads to the mudroom. Nearby, a custom sliding barn door on the side of the garage allows workshop projects to continue outside in fair weather.
Siding: Factory-finished white cedar shingles in Atlantic Blue by SBC Cedar; Trim: LIFESPAN Solid Select; Door: Sierra Pacific; Pavers: Belgard; Lighting: Progress Lighting; Steps: Aeratis; Mission Bench Finish: Watco Teak Oil + Stain; Pillow: Annie Selke; Window Box: Walpole Outdoors
A view from the parking area shows the ADU entry on the left, the main house’s mudroom entry, and the custom barn door on the side of the garage. Heat pumps that are the core of the home’s HVAC system are tucked out of view on one side.
HVAC: Mitsubishi Electric
An Inviting Patio
A small patio outside the mudroom door has just enough room for a bench with a light nautical touch.
Pavers: Belgard; Mission Bench Finish: Watco Teak Oil + Stain; Pillows: Annie Selke
Room for Outdoor Entertainment
French-door sliders connect the dining room of the main house to a 12-by-14-foot deck built of durable and slip-resistant PVC. A few steps down, a patio with a kit-built fire pit becomes its own entertaining area. A smaller deck beyond provides outdoor seating for the ADU.
French doors: Sierra Pacific; Pavers and firepit: Belgard; Deck floor and bench: Aeratis; Concrete footings: Sakrete
This tumbled-block fire pit is built from a kit, making it a satisfying DIY project.
Firepit: Belgard; Deck floor and bench: Aeratis; Concrete footings: Sakrete; Pillows, rug: Annie Selke
The generous side yard offers distinct areas for outdoor living that serve both the main house and the ADU, allowing those living there to mingle or socialize separately as they wish. With the garage/workshop and HVAC units relegated to the other side and back of the house, this area is all about relaxing and entertaining.
Roof: GAF; Skylights: VELUX, HVAC: Mitsubishi Electric; Pavers: Belgard; Sod: Sodco
Easy Basement Access
A basement door provides a direct route into the lower storage and mechanical area.
Basement door: The BILCO Company
ADU Private Porch
A sliding French door with a small deck provides the ADU with its own outdoor escape. Both this deck and the main deck are built with weather and slip-resistant PVC planks.
Windows, slider: Sierra Pacific; Decking: Aeratis; Adirondack chair finish: Watco Teak Oil + Stain; Pillows, rug: Annie Selke
A separate entrance provides the ADU with enough privacy to function as a rental unit.
Doors, windows: Sierra Pacific; Decking: Aeratis; Pavers: Belgard
Functional Landscaping
A view from above illustrates how the Cottage’s yard is landscaped for function, with parking and primary entrances on one side, and greener spaces for relaxation on the other.
