5 tips to create a charming cottage kitchen

Homeowner and marketing executive Justine Melman readily admits she has the best of both worlds at the cottage. “My parents bought their cottage 13 years ago, and they’ve since bought the three neighbouring ones, first for my sister, then for my brother and lastly for me,” she says. “We lucked out getting them all in a row, and it allows us to be all together while each having our own space.”

Justine’s space, a 4,730-square-foot new-build cottage completed in 2011, is a haven for her two children, daughter Chloe, 11, and son Kelly, 9, as well as their three small dogs: Lucky, Slater and Bailey. “The kids find it exciting to be here, and are never bored. We also love having friends up, but entertaining is always informal,” says Justine. It’s the kind of place where everyone pitches in to make meals, which often end with Justine’s crowd-pleasing peach crisp.

“To me, the cottage means having the family together away from the chaos of life in the city and being immersed in nature,” she says. “I love when all I can hear is the soft rustle of leaves and the birds chirping back and forth. It’s a peaceful kind of serenity you can’t replicate at home.” And it’s all the sweeter when savoured with extended family and friends.