Beautiful Lakeside Cottage Farmhouse

A lakeside cottage farmhouse in Ontario, Canada is the foundation for making family memories.

There is a lovely lakeside cottage farmhouse overlooking Lake Muskoka in Ontario, Canada, that was appropriately and affectionately bestowed with the name “Bellamere” by its owners. “Because the cottage is on Lake Muskoka and has a beautiful view of the lake, the cottage is called Bellamere, which means ‘beautiful lake’ in Italian,” explains homeowner Evie, a retired teacher, adding, “Cottages on the Muskoka Lakes were originally named to help captains with navigation.”

The Victorian-style lakeside cottage farmhouse showcases old Muskoka and nautical details. Built circa 2011, it has eight bedrooms and three master bedrooms, one on each floor, to accommodate the three generations of family members who reside there. It was designed by Cory DeFrancisco of Muskoka Living Interiors “to capture the old character of cottages, full of little nooks and crannies where you can go to escape.”

lakeside cottage farmhouse named Bellamere in Lake Muskoka exterior including dock

While the Port Carling home is fully winterized with a generator and can be enjoyed all year round, Evie and her husband, Michael, have designated it as their summer residence. “For us, this is a vacation property. It’s where we spend most of the summer,” Evie says. “However, each season brings its own unique ways to enjoy the house and the Muskoka area.”

Lakeside Cottage Farmhouse, Family Style

“Our cottage was designed to be warm and cozy. I wanted the grandkids to be respectful, but at the same time be able to run and play, and not have to worry if anything broke or got dirty,” Evie says. With the focus on family, it may come as a surprise to learn that most of the soft furnishings are white. “While you might think that this would not be very kid- or pet-friendly, it is quite the opposite,” Evie says. “All the fabrics are machine washable. If something spills or sticky hands end up on the furniture, off come the slipcovers and into the wash they go. A little bleach can do wonders!”

lakeside cottage farmhouse garage with home's name Bellamere on top

The home’s architectural and interior-design team is based in the Muskoka area, so they knew how to build, design and style every aspect to achieve its fullest potential from the ground up. “The house was designed, built and mostly furnished by Muskoka Living Interiors,” Evie explains. “The furnishings were intended to be farmhouse traditional, but light and airy, casual and relaxed. There are window coverings only in the bedrooms and bathrooms to let the view of our beautiful lake shine through the home.”

“Because we are on Lake Muskoka, Muskoka Living designed the cottage with traditional furniture and accessories that capture lazy summer days as seen in the old-fashioned swing bed in the Muskoka Room. Being just steps away from the lake makes it very easy for the adults to supervise our grandkids, now 10, 8 and 3, as they run down the steps to the dock, jump into the lake, play on the water trampoline, go for a paddle board or jet ski.”

front entrance with high contrast dark gray siding with white trim and front door — organic color story. “The windows and accents are a stormy gray (not black) with shades of white, much like what you would find in the forest that surrounds the cottage,” Evie says.

Colors of the Lakeside Cottage Farmhouse

While the interiors are painted predominantly in white, a mix of subtle and contrasting colors were used to complement the neutral background. “The color scheme is white and gray with natural touches throughout, much like what you would find in the forest which surrounds the cottage,” Evie explains. “There are several shades of white paint throughout the house. The windows and accents are a stormy gray. The exterior is a dark black with off-white trim. The large front porch reminds me of an old country farmhouse with its cedar shake exterior and roof, exposed rafter tails and traditional millwork.

exterior patio with dark gray shingle siding white window trim, floor and support

gray mirrored cabinet in entryway with wooden bench and wooden floors in entryway of Bellamere

Family Favorites

The Muskoka room is the favorite room in the house, Evie says. “The screened-in windows provide a lovely breeze off the lake even when it’s really hot. It’s where we serve appetizers from the kitchen window at 5 p.m. nightly and where people come to relax or just hang out. The swing in the Muskoka room is the best place to read a book or just cozy up and take a nap.”

Another highlight of the home is the master bedroom and bathroom on the lower level, which were part of a recent renovation completed in 2020. “It was done to really make the cottage a multigenerational home. We now have three distinct living spaces for each of the three families,” Evie explains. “With the help of The Studio – Alisa x Kailey in Toronto we were able to really mimic the style of the rest of the cottage down to the tiles, doors, trim and hardware so that someone coming in would have no idea that it wasn’t part of the original plan. We opened up a window wall and turned it into a large glass sliding door in the kitchen to make barbecuing and outdoor dining more accessible. We also renovated the lower level and created a third master bedroom by moving a ping pong table and small gym out to the garage.”

living room with built-in shelving with dark gray back and white front in lakeside cottage farmhouse — like a warm hug. “The furnishings in the Great Room were intended to be Farmhouse Traditional, but light and airy, casual and relaxed,” Evie explains. “The large sectional sofa can seat a large group and is stuffed with down so family and friends can just sink into it, creating a relaxed environment.”

Outer Spaces

The exterior is dark black with off-white trim. “The large front porch reminds me of an old country farmhouse with its cedar-shake exterior and roof, exposed rafter tails and traditional millwork,” Evie says. “We often sit in the Muskoka chairs on the porch and watch the grandkids play on the driveway. The cottage was designed to mimic the style of the old Muskoka cottages that were original to the area.”

The landscaping designs have special appeal to the homeowners. “Two of our favorite things about the cottage are its beautiful gardens and granite paths,” Evie says. “The cottage sits above the lake and large Muskoka rocks cascade down toward the water. This gives us the opportunity to view beautiful plantings that flower throughout the summer. Also, the dock and boathouse continue the same color scheme as the interior. The boathouse is black with off-white trim and the name ‘Bellamere’ at the top. White Muskoka chairs and black lounges sit on the dock where we spend many a lazy afternoon soaking in the Southern sun.”

Spending their summers at the cottage farmhouse by the lake sounds like the perfect setting for this multigenerational family to enjoy their time together in the present and dream about their plans for the future.