5 Features Every Family Cottage Needs!
Designing your family cottage is about more than building a beautiful retreat - it’s about creating a place where sometimes unbelievable fishing stories are told, laughter echoes across the water, and generations connect.
At CedarCoast, we believe every great family cottage balances thoughtful design, comfort, and timeless wood craftsmanship.
Here are five must-have features that make a family cottage feel like home.
1. A Gathering Space With a View
Central to every cottage plan is a Great Room that draws people together - a space with soaring ceilings, natural wood beams, and wide windows that frame the lake. Whether it’s early morning coffee or late-night board games, this is where it all comes alive. CedarCoast designs each space to capture the natural landscapes at every time of day, as the light alters everything... and to embrace the atmosphere of Muskoka - warm, bright, and unmistakably welcoming.
2. A Kitchen That Brings Everyone Together
The kitchen is the heart of the cottage. It should be open, inviting, and built for togetherness - whether you’re cooking as a family, serving big breakfasts, or hosting weekend guests. CedarCoast’s designs often include large islands, walk-around space, and easy access to decks or screened porches - because every meal tastes better at the lake!
Read our blog,
We designed our cozy cottage kitchen using experience as our guide.
3. Indoor-Outdoor Living
From wide sliding doors to covered decks and Muskoka rooms, seamless indoor-outdoor flow is a hallmark of every CedarCoast home. You will appreciate moving effortlessly from Great Room to shoreline, without losing the connection to nature. Stone patios, lakeside firepits, and docks that invite morning swims are all part of the experience!
4. Beyond Comfortable Spaces for Guests and Extended Families
A true family cottage welcomes everyone - from grandparents to grandkids and friends who arrive “just for the weekend.” That’s why CedarCoast homes are designed with flexibility in mind: main-level suites for ease of access for owners, bunk rooms for the kids, and quiet corners where guests can unwind in privacy. Every room has a purpose, and every visitor feels right at home.
5. Built for the Future
A CedarCoast cottage is built to last — not just structurally, but generationally. We think about accessibility, efficiency, and longevity from the start. Whether it’s wider doorways, elevators, or energy-efficient materials, these are features that ensure your cottage grows gracefully with your family’s needs.
Ongoing support from the builders? Recently, one proud owner said,
"CedarCoast IS our Warranty Program."
If you are planning a new custom cottage, even in the very first stages of your thinking, we would love to speak with you.
Find out why our customers tell us, "You're not like other builders!"
