Furnishing the Cottage on a Shoestring

I always tell Andy, "I want the good stuff. I just don't want to pay the good stuff prices." 

And I don't. Not for vacations, not for shoes, not for this project. If I have to pay more than $20 for a pair of shoes, I get crabby. 

My grandmother, Mae brought me up as a thrifter. I remember going to garage sales with her on the weekends, quite often as a child. She taught me to shop clearance racks and she was a coupon queen. 

Mae wouldn't have it any other way, so almost everything that goes into the cottage will have to fit into one of these categories. 

1) Free, donated or repurposed from something we already have

2) Purchased used, in very good condition, but at a notable discount over new

3) Custom built by Andy, materials only

I also like that this fits into an eco-friendlier plan by reusing and repurposing items and building with lumber that we already have, scraps and all. 

Now I admit, this is going to be a little easier for me than most, as 1) I'm closing a 4BR short term rental and have a pretty good supply of items needed. 2) My husband can build (almost) anything. 

However, I don't want the cottage to look and feel just like The Lady Next Door. This needs to feel new and fresh. Modern farmhouse.

Yes, I know, everything points to farmhouse style being on its way out. I can't be concerned with that. I live in a 100+ year old farmhouse. On a farm. Furnishing it with ultra-modern decor would be as uncomfortable for me as looking at NY apartments with oversized round wall clocks, all-white furniture with black accents and rustic decor. It may be pretty, but it just doesn't "feel" right to me. Context, people. 

This Gorgeous Farmhouse-Inspired Apartment is Hidden in New York City (countryliving.com)

I want it to feel comfortable yet a little luxurious. I'm not sure how it will all unfold, but I came across the perfect plates that I had left from a catering gig a few years ago. Ten of them. In my palette. They went directly into a tub labeled, "Cottage."

I will try to be open to the opportunities and possibilities that present themselves. 

However, I really can't see myself including any antlers. Even if I can get them for free.

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Color is Back IN

This is the color palette for the cottage. It's taken from a quilt I bought at H&M.

I've been reading that grays and whites are on their way out. People are ready to bring color back into their living spaces. 

Color has never left my living space. I can work with color. 

This palette is inspired by a quilted blanket I found at H&M several months ago. I didn't exactly know what I was saving it for, but now it will definitely be appearing as part of the cottage decor. 

I can't wait for the fun stuff to start, but I know there are so many things to get done first. 

For now, I'll just have to daydream in color. 

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Getting Back in the Kitchen

Now that I've decided where I'm putting One Li'l Kitchen, I need to decide what I'm going to stock the kitchen with, in terms of retail food items. I have lots of ideas. We'll see which of them work.

It's going to be a bit more than making food and then packaging it for sale.

I'll have to develop a menu with regularly appearing favorites and a rotation of seasonal items. There will definitely be baked goods and comfort foods, but people really look for other options too.  

I will have to consider ways to include some gluten-friendly, dairy-free, low sugar, etc., items and make sure my customers know I can take special requests. 

I'll have to start with something delicious that I think others will buy and enjoy eating too, and then create a recipe. Historically, I've been really bad at creating an actual recipe.

I wonder if I can find anyone to taste test any of these creations? Maybe I'll have to survey "the neighborhood."  What do you think I should stock in One Li'l Kitchen?

Then some testing, experimenting and more testing and then writing it all down once I think it's just about perfect. Then onto cost analysis to find out what I need to be charging for ingredients and labor. 

It sounds like I'll be doing as much math as cooking. I wasn't really great at math. I've got my work cut out for me, for sure. 

I'll report my progress and share some recipes. Wish me luck. 

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The Next Three Months

Until the contractor can start in June, we have three months to move a small mountain. We have to move out of the addition, tear up carpeting, demo a closet and a lot of junk to clear out of our house. 

We've been accumulating for some time now. 

All of this, while attempting to sell the house we used for The Lady Next Door, in Cherokee. 

We also have gardens to maintain, trees to trim, eyesores to remove and things to build and plant. Did I mention the new garage to replace the one we lost in a tornado several years ago and the apartment for Andy's mother? 

If I think about it all, at one time, my head gets a little explodey. So I try not to do that. I try to remember that I'm not doing this alone, and it will take as long as it takes.

Just like everything else in life I've figured out.

Now, if it would get a little warmer so we can get outside more. I'm not usually one to complain about winter. I choose to live here, where we have winter, but this year, I'm over it.

Time to go, Winter. I've had enough of your drama and attention-seeking and snow. Move over, already and let Spring have her shot.

We have a lot to do over the next three months. Here we go.

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Having Some Fun with Design Software

Just a few 3D renderings of the floorplan we have for the kitchen/living area of the cottage. The colors and furniture styles may not be exactly like this in the end, but playing around gives me an idea of what I can get into the space comfortably. 

Could you stay here?

Here are a few of what the cottage bedroom layout will look like with possible furnishings? What do you think?

And a couple of One Li'l Kitchen...

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Daydreaming-Design Inspiration for Fun Stuff to Come

Just a few ideas for the very narrow closet/bedroom conversion. We will widen the doorway significantly to open up that space and add a small window, but it's going to be quite compact. Think tiny house living, but I do love the way they hung the TV screen here!

More inspiration with the banquette seating/dining. It will also have to serve as a storage area with shelves like this one, and probably under-seat storage as well. I can't wait to see what Andy comes up with.

Faux Beamed Ceiling Could really add something to the vaulted space. Andy definitely approves.

I'll be adding more inspiration boards so check back and let me know what you think! 

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Am I Opening a Ghost Kitchen?

Sort of. 

You may have heard of "ghost kitchens" recently when Uber Eats announced it was removing 5,000 of them from its platform. Ghost kitchens are essentially restaurants that have no seating or even a brick and mortar location you can order food from. They are take out or delivery only. 

Ghost kitchens, also known as virtual restaurants, have been around for a while, but they really took off during the pandemic, and they continue to be popular and on the rise.

They have recently received bad press when it was revealed that the gourmet grilled cheese you ordered from the trendy sandwich shop with the cool branding, was actually being made at your local Denny's. Other restaurants were setting up multiple listings with branding and logos, but essentially the food was all coming from the same place. 

Another issue with ghost kitchens has been the quality of food and the question of health inspection and regulation, but not all ghost kitchens are shady. Most of them run in accordance with food safety regulations and simply operate as a take-out or delivery restaurant to keep overhead low. 

Pete's Pizza in New Richmond, Wisconsin was a ghost kitchen back in the day. It was my dad's favorite pizza, and it ran out of a small kitchen in the back of the owner's house. No dining, just take out. We'd call in an order, drive to his house, my dad would run in and get our pizza and off we went!

Even as a kid, I thought it was pure genius! I think I've always wanted a restaurant in my house. 

One Li'l Kitchen will have a grab-and-go menu and frozen take-and-bake options and will also accept custom orders. I will keep regular, but limited business hours for pick-up and I will also offer delivery for a fee in my local area.

On the days I'm not keeping store hours, I'll cook and bake so I can keep the grab-and-go options freshly stocked. 

On the days I am open, you'll find deli salads, soups, sauces, baked goods, side dishes, prepared meals, and frozen items to bake at home like pot pies, calzone and lasagna. I guess whatever else I can come up with, too. There is a bit of a void in terms of fresh, homemade food options in our "neighborhood." 

I won't be making burgers, pizza or fried foods. We have plenty of that nearby. 

I might make fresh spring rolls, however. We'll just see. 

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The New(est) Floor Plan-Cottage Progress

We've come up with a new floor plan for the addition and it incorporates most of the elements I had in the original cottage plan. That was important to me because the illustrations I'm working on for the children's book were drawn from the ideas I had about the cottage and how it would look and feel.

Fortunately, Andy is a really good designer and builder and when I explained the ideas I have for the new plan, he was very enthusiastic. Some elements just really slid into place. 

Pictured above is what the addition is currently being used for. To be honest, there is a lot of unused space in the house, since we became empty-nesters. It makes sense to use the space to our best advantage. 

This addition comes in at about 100 square feet more than the proposed project in the machine shed and about 200 square feet bigger than the original shed idea, but there is no room to expand. I can work with that. 

The picture below is the proposed use of the addition once we mitigate the issues of the mold and the floors. We are going to have to go to "apartment-sized" appliances and I will not get a full kitchen into this cottage plan, but there will be a very robust "kitchenette." This plan will still sleep five, but with slightly less living area. However, this configuration allows for more of a "great room" v. the other plans, so the better use of space and vaulted ceilings should make it feel more spacious. 

Going this route will also allow us to include a nicer bathroom and direct access to catered meals from the commercial kitchen and also access to the grab-and-go retail that will be offered from the kitchen for quick meals that can be heated up in the cottage.

I'm losing a bit of space for classes in the kitchen but will still be able to accommodate small groups of up to six. 

You might be wondering where we are going to live without the addition? We will be living in the 100+ year old original farmhouse that Andy bought when he was in his early twenties. Currently it's a one bedroom, one bathroom with a large eat-in kitchen, formal dining room, living room, office and laundry with an additional 600+ square feet of finished space upstairs that is currently being used as storage. It won't take much to add a half bath in that space, which is our thought. Overall, we've got more than enough room. It won't hurt us to monetize the addition and turn it into a business. 

Now for months of moving out, tearing out carpet, gutting the current bathroom, demolishing the closet in the second bedroom, running electric, etc., etc., etc. And all that before the contractors show up to deal with the roof and ceiling. Not to mention working on the grounds, planting trees and getting the gardens into shape.

It's been way too long since we focused our time and energy on what is good for us. 

It feels pretty good. 

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Yucky, Unexpected Issues-Cottage Progress

One of the reasons we finally landed on converting the addition to our house into the cottage/kitchen is because we discovered a few problems recently. The most serious is mold in the roof and ceiling due to poor ventilation when the addition was built. Andy refers to the addition as the project where he learned everything "not to do." The mold issue must be addressed regardless of what we choose to do with that part of the house (originally, we were going to convert it to an apartment for Andy's mother.) 

Another issue that came up, is the floor. When the foundation for the addition was put in, the sand underneath was not compacted enough so the floor has sunk and will need to be leveled. These are not necessarily minor concerns. 

After more consideration, using the addition for the cottage/kitchen space made the most sense and seems to be the most cost-effective. We will have to mitigate these problems, but we won't really know the extent of the issues until we get in there. It could be very costly. However, because this part of the house will be used exclusively for business purposes, we may be able to reap some tax benefits from the repairs. Cost-savings will come from the existing building with insulated walls, windows, doors, drywall, HVAC and relatively new plumbing and electric to help offset the cost of the needed repairs. 

This has turned from "build" to a "remodel with issues" overnight. 

I am going to lose room to expand and a little square footage, but we get to start right away. We are already moving out of that part of the house and getting ready for when the contractors start in June. There will be a lot of things Andy and I can do on our own so that will keep us moving forward until then. 

Andy said last night, "I'm going to be really hands-on with this project. I can really see it now."

Music to my ears. No one gets my vision like he does. 

Overall, I'm still getting most of what I hoped for.

I can live joyfully with that. 

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The Contractor-Cottage Progress

Well, the contractor came to scope out the projects we have for him and after assessing things, we realized we are not going about this on the most cost-effective route. We were once again in a situation where we had to rethink everything. So we did.

I will admit I spent some time feeling a bit defeated and discouraged. I just want to start! But I get it. We need to be smart about this and we need to make it legal and sustainable as a business. 

Details. 

So once again, everything on this project has changed. I'd probably be more frustrated and discouraged by it, but then I was reminded of something my brother, Brady, has told me several times over the years, "When you have a goal, get on a path and start moving in that direction. It doesn't really matter where you are on the path when you begin, just get on one and start moving. In the end, you may not reach the goal you originally set for yourself because that path will twist and curve and take you places and present opportunities. Where you end up might be somewhat or even very different than where you planned to go, but so what?  You got somewhere. You just have to get on a path."

So here we go, revising the entire plan again, but hopefully in the end it will be even better for us. 

Things that aren't changing: 

1. There will still be a cottage and a commercial kitchen.

2, We will still be able to offer all of the extra amenities and services we originally planned

Things that are changing: 

1. We will be able to start immediately on the project and opening up for business should happen earlier than expected.

2. I will lose some square footage and room to expand, but I will get better appliances, and finishes to the overall project.

3. There will be big cost savings and better use of current resources. 

How are we going to accomplish this? It involves taking a part of our house that we had originally planned to use for the apartment for Andy's mother and utilizing that for the cottage/kitchen space. It took me a minute to get my head around it, but I'll be laying it out here this week so come back and check it out! 

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 My Kind of People

Recently we visited Big Island, Hawaii and did a homestead tour with a couple who has undertaken a rather ambitious project. These are my kind of people. 

Both transplants to Hawaii, Rachel is a CIA (Culinary Institute of America) trained chef and her husband, Daniel, is a former Industrial Engineer. Together they've turned into off-grid homesteaders, builders and farmers. What they've managed to accomplish, nearly entirely on their own, over the past three years on a shoestring budget, is rather amazing. 

Growing and raising their own food has been a great way for Rachel to have access to fresh and interesting ingredients in their remote location. They raise chickens and quail and there is a wide variety of fruit and other edible plants growing in their gardens and on the property. Everything from coffee, vanilla, chocolate, bananas, pineapple, papayas, beans, herbs, potatoes, spinach and so many others!

They started with an uncleared lot, made out of lava rock a very thin layer of soil and a bunch of overgrown vegetation. Now they have structures, solar powered electric, a composting toilet, bathtub and an open-air chef's kitchen in the rain forest. They collect their own water and Rachel makes her own soil. You read that correctly. Soil. 

Now Rachel gives tours of their property and takes guests back to her kitchen with items she's foraged from the gardens and prepares a delicious and interesting brunch with thoughtful conversation.

Be prepared for a taste sensation of dried white pineapple, ruby banana bread, potato latkes topped with duck, hash made with sword beans and spinach and pickled quail's eggs, just to name a few of the items she used from the farm. 

They are both PADI certified divers/instructors and their long-term plan involves a finished house of their own, guest accommodations to rent out and dive packages for people visiting the island, complete with a personal chef for hire. 

Both Daniel and Rachel captivate with their storytelling and acquired knowledge of the environment around them. They are passionate about what they are doing. Being around that energy always gives me a buzz. 

They have big plans and dreams, and they are making them come true, one step at a time. Does it sound crazy to you? It might. Their adventure is not for everyone, but it speaks to me. I'm sure there are a lot of people who don't see the point of putting a cottage and a commercial kitchen in a machine shed, either. 

It's a good thing I don't mind what they think.

Imagine all the things that would never have been attempted out of concern of what others might think. Maybe I won't succeed. Like that would be a first.

As if failure is some sort of...failure. 

Find Rachels Airbnb Experience Listing here: https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/3036028

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 New Floor Plan-Cottage Progress

After a week of changes and rearranging, I think we got it all in. I'm sure there will be other changes along the way, but here is the current plan. 

In phase 1, we have a fully functional suite above the commercial kitchen and classroom. This gives us two income properties with the option to finish phase 2 and add another suite. 

In the finished, phase 2 version, we now have two seperate cottages that can be joined by a staircase for one large accommodation. This gives us more flexibility when renting them out. 

You can see the new floor plan here.

Pictured: The proposed exterior view of the entrance to the kitchen and the cottage.

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 Back to the Drawing Board-Cottage Progress

 

That's what it's felt like for the past week. We had the plumber come out and take a look at our plan. What we quickly realized is that the entire plan (that worked great as a shed in the grove) was going to have to be completely reworked. Ugh. 

For me, it's more than reworking a plan. It's reworking a vision I've had in my head for over a year. Now I have to see it in a different way. 

Okay. 

So that's what I've been working on through a brief break from the cold in a warmer climate, two weeks of a respiratory illness that was not Covid, and with lots of input from Andy. We have a solid idea now of how we need to proceed, but there have been many compromises. I have been able to maintain most of the vision I had for the cottages(s) so I can work with it. Andy is really happy with the new plan. I don't mind that at all. 

Some positives have come from the reworked plan too. It's been a matter of give and take and being realistic about our limitations. We've got it laid out in two phases so that feels a little more manageable, especially given the current situation with Andy's dad, who is on hospice. 

Balance. It's a daily undertaking. 

We are definitely going to spend the money to do the plumbing and septic right on this one. We'll have to make up for that with more DIY work on the build, but we figured that would happen. 

I'll post updates and reworked floor plans in the upcoming days so you can see what's new! The lumber order is in, we're getting a quote on the plumbing and septic. We're clearing hurdles as they pop up. It's starting to feel a little more real.

It's a strange and hectic time. I think we're up for it. 

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There is no Shame in Regifting

If you give me a gift that I can't use or don't want or need, I'm giving it to someone else.

Unapologetically.

To me, regifting something just means I didn't have to go out and buy a gift, so that becomes a gift in itself. 

I have regifted lots of things to my guests over the years. We don't drink wine. I have received more bottles of wine than I can remember, as gifts. Every one of those bottles was regifted to a guest or a friend. It went to someone who enjoyed it, and it saved me the time, effort and expense of having to buy something. That is a gift! Besides, what am I going to do with it? 

I don't regift everything. Handmade items always remain with me because of the time, talent and energy put into them. On the flip side, I give lots of gifts. I love giving gifts. If people regift them, I'm fine with that. 

It's also better for your wallet and the environment. Less waste, less stuff. 

Don't get me wrong. I appreciate gifts very much. If I'm given a gift, it's rarely the "thing" given that touches my heart. It might sound corny, I'm sure it does, but if someone thinks enough of me to give me anything at all, that's enough for me. 

It's not about the things given, it's about the love the things are given with. So, give with love and regift with love because either way, it just keeps the love flowing.

There is no shame in that. 

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I Don't Know if I Can Do This

We are heading out for another one of our 2023 vacation adventures and this one involves a green sand beach. There are only four green sand beaches in the world. We will be a 2.5-mile hike away from one of them on this trip.

This may not sound huge to you, but it's pretty huge for me. My weight is still an issue for me, even after significant loss. (140+) I haven't been a walker. I haven't been in very good shape the past several years and this five-mile hike along the shoreline sounds like a lot for me. Like a LOT. 

I've been on the elliptical, trying to build endurance and strength for this challenge. I'll be with Andy and other very supportive people. It's just walking.

Just walking to something that there are only four of on the planet. 

I want to do it. I feel like this would be a huge, missed opportunity. 

I just don't know if I can do it. What if I get halfway to the beach and I'm like, "Nope. I'm done." What if I twist my ankle? What if emergency services have to be involved? 

There are no services along this route. I hear airlifts are costly. My mind reels. 

Something tells me this will be one of those "memories of a lifetime" sort of adventures for me. A hike to something amazing and rare, a helicopter ride to a hospital landing pad, either way, I'll never forget it. 

I don't know if I can do this.

I guess I will find out when I try. 

PS - I will not be bringing back any sand from the beach if I make it. There is a fine of up to $100K for doing so. Definitely sounds like something I should not miss.

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