Cottage #232

Nestled on an acre of well treed land, this gorgeous 2,000 sq. ft. 2 bedroom cottage and 800 sq. ft. garage loft with an additional bedroom, sit on the peaceful shores of Muldrew Lake. The cottage was built by the owners and their 2 sons. (with much appreciated help from friends and family). Many hours were spent raising the cottage with precious time spent in teaching their sons to build a home from the ground up. The build was truly a labour of love for all of them -building their dream home over the course of 6 months in 2013.

The moment you step into the foyer, you will instantly feel lighter, the hectic city pace far behind you, as you take in the stunning lake views from the wall to wall, floor to ceiling windows! The interior of the cottage is very open concept with the living/dining/kitchen and screened-in Muskoka room all facing out the lake and the loft office/sitting room also faces out to the lake. The main living area is warm and inviting and tastefully decorated, with post and beam structure, soaring pine cathedral ceilings and beautiful hand scraped, solid hickory floors. An abundance of windows fills the entire space with soft natural lighting. The stunning floor to ceiling propane fireplace will be the backdrop for many an evening family gathering and the Muskoka room lends to easy indoor/outdoor living, a favourite wind down spot for the owner's family and friends to play cards and sing karaoke, with a walk-out to the deck. The kitchen is a combination of cottage country chic complete with a pantry, contrasted with granite counters, modern stainless steel appliances, a kitchen island with a gas stove and a separate wall oven.

The generous sized master bedroom is on the main floor, facing out to the lake, with a 3-piece semi-ensuite bathroom and a direct walk-out to a deck and hot tub. The upper level has a loft office/sitting room with a queen pullout, a spacious bedroom and a 3-piece bathroom complete with sky lights and a claw foot bathtub.

The entire family can stretch out on the deck, for any or all meals and enjoy the tranquil lake views and stunning landscaping. The large garage loft is just a stones throw away from the cottage. This is a great spot for the teens to settle into for both entertainment and sleeping and is also a perfect set up for parents with small children. There is one bedroom with a queen bed and 4 single beds along the end wall. Having a 3-piece bathroom, coffee maker and a bar fridge makes this comfy hideaway almost completely self-sufficient and it also has a walk-out to its own private deck.

With an eastern exposure, start your days off with an early morning coffee on the dock while watching glorious sunrises and various wildlife (beavers, loons, ducks and mink) playing in the water. Across from the dock take in the magical views of rock cliffs peppered with huge oak, pine and maple trees over a glass bay foreground, mirroring the raw Muskoka beauty. Better yet, take the canoe or kayak out onto the lake, paddling on the tranquil bay, completely feeling one with nature. While away the hours on the large dock, swimming, sunning and playing games - Giant Jenga being a fav of the owners. There is good fishing off the end of the dock for the little ones, bass and sunfish catches will make their day!

Muldrew Lake is a beautiful small Muskoka Lake, compared to the “Big Three”, but is still 16 Kilometers (10 Miles) long so it is great for boating if you bring your own or rent one. Also being a smaller narrow lake the water is warmer than the big lakes and is great for swimming. Mustn’t forget the avid fishermen, the lake is also good for fishing, especially for Bass and Pike. Muldrew Lake is also a part of the original Native Canoe Route from the Trent-Severn River System (Lake Ontario and Georgian Bay) to the Muskoka’s. Dr. Muldrew was the second cottager on the lake, a principal of Gravenhurst High School and a professor at the Ontario Agricultural College.

After a fabulous day in the sun, take a long relaxing walk on the country road, right from your back door, and catch a view of more wildlife, if you are lucky you will see owls swooping from tree to tree. End your days with a BBQ on the deck then gather at the lakeside fire pit, roasting marshmallows, playing guitar and singing and then finally head back to the dock where your day began and lie back on the zero gravity chairs for star gazing. Does it get any better?!