A charming collection of New England summer cottages from the pages of Yankee.
By Aimee Tucker
Apr 26 2023
With its ample natural light and sandy hues, the O’Briens’ living room epitomizes coastal casual.
Photo Credit : Mark FlemingWhether it’s on a lake or by the sea, the relaxed vibe of the classic New England summer cottage is something many of us dream about. Here’s a look at a few of our favorite recent Yankee summer cottage features to help fuel your next daydream – or perhaps more!
A Maine cottage reflects the passion and aesthetic behind the designs of Sara Fitz, where foamy color washes the walls and bleached pine cupboards and tables—antique chunks of them—are strewn about like driftwood.
See more of Sara Fitz’s Maine cottage (and her charming artwork!) in our 2019 feature, “Sea World.”
During a time of great struggle and sorrow in her personal life, author Joyce Maynard took a 3,000-mile leap of faith when she purchased a humble New Hampshire lakeside cottage after seeing it online. She’d been dreaming of an authentic lake escape. One that featured “just an old kitchen table and a screened-in porch, with the breeze passing through.” Built in 1900 with a semi-screened-in wraparound porch, the house and adjacent boathouse sat on a dirt road and overlooked a small, quiet lake. Inside: a living room with a bay window and fireplace, a big old-fashioned kitchen, and two bedrooms. “The shower was just where a shower should be, for an unwinterized summer cottage,” she says, “outside.” We agree that she found the perfect slice of lakeside heaven.
See more of Joyce Maynard’s New Hampshire lake house in our 2018 feature, “A Beacon on the Water.”
A peek inside the iconic Pink House at the Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association, one of the island’s most recognizable summer homes. The cottage that would become known as the Pink House was built in 1870, but nearly three-quarters of a century would go by before it got its eponymous hue. That change was made by New York City artist Lillian Cotton, who bought the rather run-down home for $200 in the aftermath of the Depression. In 2021, the Pink House was once again for sale, and we couldn’t resist taking (and sharing) a peek thanks to then-owner Maureen McDonald. No surprise – it quickly sold.
See more of the Martha’s Vineyard Pink House in our 2021 feature, “House for Sale: In the Pink.”
As Digital Editor of New England.com, Aimee writes, manages, and promotes content for NewEngland.com and its social media channels. Before this role, she served as assistant, then associate, editor for Yankee Magazine and YankeeMagazine.com, where she was nominated for a City and Regional Magazine Association award for Best Blog. A lifelong New Englander, Aimee loves history, the New Hampshire seacoast, and a good Massachusetts South Shore bar pizza.
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