Bijou Cottage

The Bijou Island compound, which includes a historic main cottage, a secondary cottage, a bunkie, and a boathouse, is nestled deep within the archipelago on a tiny island of just 0.6 acres.

The first phase of the project focused on overhauling the main cottage. The new owner wanted to improve the cottage’s layout, make it functional and comfortable for three seasons, align the interior finishes to her taste, and create more cohesion between all structures on the island.

With a focus on hosting and entertaining, the 2,500 sq ft renovation fully rebuilt the interior including a new enlarged chef’s kitchen complete with a large island and walk-in pantry, a new formalized and functional mudroom entry with ample storage, an open plan double-height living area and four new bedrooms. Existing decks were overhauled and extended to blur the lines between interior and exterior living. A new 40’ wall of glazing was added to the front of the building to allow the screened porch to open up completely to the bay. An enlarged dormer was constructed on the front to improve the second-floor usability and flood the main living space with natural light.

The second phase involved replacing the secondary cottage whose new design responds to the distinctive and historic main cottage and whose layout better served the client’s needs. The boathouse was also overhauled and repaired to function as a social space for the dock area.