Name: A Very Modest Cottage
Location: Elkhorn, Wisconsin, on the grounds of Tereasa and David's summer camp
Size: 10 x 10 square feet
Type: Half-sawn log cabin from a prohibition-era motor cabin court
Years lived in: Guest cottage on our summer camp for 3 years
Tereasa Surratt advises people to "look for the abandoned souls," and once you know the story of this cottage, you'll understand exactly what she means. She and the cottage (which was a run-down shack in a former life) have a relationship that's led them across two states, a long-term renovation project, and—eventually—to a book documenting their story of restoration and renewal.
Tereasa and her husband, David, bought the 1920s shack for $500 in Beardstown, Illinois. It used to be a motor court (aka motel) cabin along Route 125, where Tereasa's grandmother lived. As a kid, Tereasa told her dad that she was going to "move in and make it her house," and he reassured her that nothing—not even a ramshackle wreck—was beyond fixing. She took the message to heart.
As an adult, Tereasa bought a Wisconsin campground with her husband and decided it was the perfect spot for her childhood dream home. She and David had the cabin hoisted onto a trailer and carted it for 10 hours across Illinois and Wisconsin (driving slowly to keep too many roof shingles from flying off). After setting it down in its new home at the Wandawega Lake Resort, Tereasa and David began their labor of love, repairing, restoring, scraping paint, replacing logs, and working very hard to bring the cottage back to life.
Last year, after an article about Tereasa and her cabin appeared in Chicago Home, Country Living and Sterling Publishing approached her about documenting the cabin's story in book form.
This spring, the book came out—it's full of history, personal stories, renovation mishaps and triumphs, and detailed source lists. The title, A Very Modest Cottage, comes from a Thomas Jefferson quote: "I would rather be shut up in a very modest cottage with my books, my family, and a few old friends...than to occupy the most splendid post, which any human power can give."
Apartment Therapy Survey:
Our style: We stayed true to the cabin's 'Bonnie & Clyde' roots with the decor. (Simple, humble, barkcloth and walnut, with a fat little potbelly stove)
Inspiration: Aesthetically, the by-gone era of the motorcabin court. Emotionally, my dad. (See intro and dedication to the book here.)
Favorite Element: The antique typewriter perched on the writer's desk that looks over the lake. And the vacancy sign on the front door. And the antique woods barkcloth we found in an attic and reincarnated into curtains. (Oh, wait—that's three favorites.)
Biggest Challenge: Managing to keep the cabin intact while strapped to the back of a trailer for nearly 300 miles across 2 states. In the rain. Under low bridges. (Picture roof shingles flying off its geriatric roof.)
What Friends Say: "Dibs on the cabin!"
Biggest Embarrassment: Too many to list, but falling off the roof was a high point. Evicting the rodent carcass from the cabin interior was also fun. Failing miserably at the fine art of drywalling (and then having to start over entirely).
Proudest DIY: Mastering the nail gun. (They possess the power of making you feel kinda like a superhero.)
Biggest Indulgence: Sourcing the replacement half-sawn logs at the local Elkhorn lumberyard. (They were a perfect match.)
Best advice: Practical advice: measure twice, cut once. (Or in my case, measure 3 times and write it down on your hand with a Sharpie.) Best advice: Look for the abandoned souls. Next time you drive by a wreck of a shed, look through the mess of the exterior to see the potential it may have.
Dream source: Thrift stores. Junk stores. Barn sales.
Reality source: Thrift stores. Junk stores. Barn sales.
Resources: Every lovely little thrift, junk, and charity store within a 100-mile radius of our summer camp.
(Special thanks to Tereasa and Anwesha at Sterling Publishing!)
Images: Tereasa Surratt
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Recipe: Thai Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry
omg this is soooo cool!
I'm in love. Want one of my very own. Thanks for sharing yours!
A bigger inspiration than restoring this cabin is that you went after a dream and made it come true!
It's so awesome! There are few greater rewards in life than realizing a childhood dream. But, where do you go for your bathroom and shower needs?
beautiful. So wonderful.
What a great story! Love the curtains!
Truly fantastic.
Love the shade of green throughout- and I love lakeside summers in Wisconsin.
Absolutely LOVE it!
Its like a playhouse for adults!
This is awesome. I'll add something like this to my list of "someday... maybe" things when I have a place of my own.
that picture of the desk, skis, wood stove; says it all. Cozy, considered, unfussy, and very pretty. Oh it's such a dreamy place. And the dock!
-anna
chateausavoie.com
Watch out for the pool table with that couch on your way down the stairs. (Snoopy quote, for those too young to recall.)
Every detail of your guest cottage is perfect, right down to the bedspread. I can smell summer within. Fireflies and skinny dipping at night, s'mores at the beach fire. I wanna be a kid in summer forever. This special little place makes it so. What a wonderful labor of love you've created.
The quintessential summer getaway. It's absolute perfection! My blood pressure went down a few points just by going through the tour. How can you not relax there...the simplicity of the cottage (adorable!), the woods setting on a lake with the dock. A lot of great memories will begin there.
I just read the book about this transformation. Lovely story with great photos.
I want one!
This is so stinkin' cute! I love the personalized book at the end of the slideshow. Charming.
After crying for two hours about the poor pelicans cover in oil and facing extinction this tour lifted my spirits some.
What a dream home, great story and I dragged many of your photos into my inspiration folder.
I grew up in a small town along a lake, and with a canal running through the center. We had beautiful little rental cabins just like this one--down to the paint colors--along the canal, though they were out of use and fairly run down even when I was a child.
It's wonderful to see what you've done with this place! The interior perfectly captures the aesthetic of many of the gorgeous lake houses owned by my childhood friends' grandparents.
I adore this place! Is this a re-post? I know I've seen it before.
We have the same desk (I inherited mine from my mother). Mine has a drawer in the center though.
This cottage is so adorable. I love it.
It's funny, I live not too far from this part of Wisconsin. I've visited this area before and this lake (Wandawega) and it seemed really swampy and extremely shallow--but after looking at these images, I'd like to go back and check it out again. Maybe I missed something--maybe it's just excellent styling.
Either way, it looks just darling in these images.
Wonderful story... made me feel better about my 1920's labor of love... our house... which needs A LOT of love. Thanks for the inspiration and for believing in old things.
Oh, how lovely! Brings back my own memories of Wisconsin summers. Thanks!
Wow. I want one!! With that woodstove, I'd spend the entire Fall there with some books.
I am always impressed by how wonderfully so many DIYs come out. I'm starting small...about to try my hand at making a salvaged wood console table - and your hard work is major inspiration! (especially knowing you had a few failures here and there but in the end, finished such a great place!)
Heres to MANY years of enjoyment in your very modest cottage,
Amanda
http://justanothertreehugger.wordpress.com/
This is almost unbearably charming. This is the type of place I want to go for a getaway with my partner, where we can relax and get away from all the stresses of modern life. I love how it has been documented and would really like to read this book....
This reminds me of these amazing cottages we stayed in in Sorrento, Louisiana (just outside of New Orleans), the Cajun Village Cottages. The owner and her husband had hauled in these little Cajun cottages from all over and carefully restored them by hand and furnished them with amazing period pieces. And set it all on the edge of the bayou. It was one of the coolest places we've ever stayed.
Anyway, not to take away from this post. This is TOTALLY inspirational. I want to do this.
wow, what a tremendous pleasure it is to read comments on a blog that are positive. Too many time you read a blog that contains some offensive/negative comments. I had come to the realization that there was always going to be someone with something to say that was not pleasant. So, thanks everyone for restoring my faith in humanity.
Now, as to this cabin - what a GREAT story. You are an inspiration!!
Wasn't this in Country Living or another print magazine?
This is the best house tour AT has ever done. Period.
The largest tchotchke ever. Good for you for doing it, but since this is such a toy, I'd've appreciated knowing what else is there. Where do the friends who don't get the the cabin sleep, and where is all that Fiestaware stored? It doesn't take away from the lovely job you've done, but not seeing it feels like you'er pulling a fast one, even though I don't really think you are.
Sheer adorable perfection! All of that hard work definitely paid off.
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Hello :)
I love your little cottage, ohmygod !!!!! i love the mirror above the dresser and the fabric over the windows, it looks absolutely amazing !!!! it is just the perfect place and I envy you ***a lot***
Alice in Wonderland would be so happy to stop by for tea there !!!!
Congratulations on an amazing place that must be cherished by both of you :)
Mario in Ottawa !!!
There's no reason ton's of us couldn't live in comfort (and harmony with out of doors). Should remind us that we dont need all the trappings.
A house that wraps itself around you :)
My absolutely favorite look and it reminds me of wonderful days spent inside the childhood playhouse my father built.
thanks everyone for leaving such wonderfully sweet supportive feedback!! we are so touched & humbled.
and to help answer some of your Q's: (kushkush / msDonnagirl: the cabin rests on the summercamp we're rehabbing, which has the baths, storage, etc.: wandawega.com)
ArtWallKatie: hi neighbor:) you're right! the lake used to be shallow & weedy, but a couple years ago it rained so much it raised a few feet and (thankfully) its all cleared up by our peir- not lake michigan, but we def. better :)
So pretty and exactly the right size.
If this doesn't prove that bigger isn't always better, I don't know what would! Amazingly cute.
The green trim is so sharp and a refreshing departure from white siding with black or red trim and a perfect match with the lush green surroundings.
Looks like a million bucks.
This house is über cute I want to eat it!
The spirit of this cottage reminds me of the summers spent at my grandma's house in NW Iowa where I grew up. The linens, outdoor dining, re-purposed containers and the like. As soon as I saw the first picture I was 10 yrs old again. Luckily I have inherited a few of those pieces and re-create my version in my own backyard.
Very cute but it looks rectangular so how can it be 10x10?
Can't get over how perfect those tree print curtains are!
The exterior paint colors remind me of my grandmothers home, very well done!
Sometimes bigger isn't better. I love small places, they're always charming. I love this place!
Goodness, there's one of these behind an antique shop in Avon, OH. 100% exactly the same layout and exterior. I always wondered about it - it's nice to know it has 'siblings.'
This is wnderful - just like everyone else has said. And these cabins never looked this good when they were new! My mother wouldn't stay in them on our car trips around and across the US - much to my disappointment. Now all I can think of is a room of my own...
The cottage is an amazing transformation. It's perfectly charming.
I simply adore this little place. I've always wanted to live in a cottage/cabin by a lake. It must be so quiet and peaceful.
Love...And love the Jefferson quote...So true...
My mom lives on a farm and has an old chicken coop building. I always imagine what it could be turned into ... seeing something like this gives you an idea.
Thank you Theresa,your cabin is beautiful and your story is such an inspiration!
You have captured and revived a feeling in my heart that has been dormant for a bit. I'm now ready to move forward to some "vintage" salvaging of my own. Thank you! Can't wait to buy your book! I'm so happy for you... you can be proud. ;-)
charming! and Tereasa is lovely.