| United
States / New England
Cottage Cravings
  Conjure
up the place in your mind. Is it perched in the dunes or perched on a
dock? Perhaps it's set on a rocky shoreline? Or is it in the woods, beneath
a canopy of trees? Does it have a weather beaten shingle-style? Is it
brightly painted and heavily decorated? Or is it massive stone & wood?
The New England Island cottage takes on many forms. From very small &
modest to very large & grand. What kind do you crave?
You'll find tiny
rose-covered cottages in Nantucket. Sweeter than sweet. Some are the outbuildings
of larger estates. See them in late June when they are festooned in living
color.
Fishermen's cottages,
or shacks, are built right on docks or around the harbor. Decorations
include well-used buoys & nets hung outside. Some are a little too
fishy, or too tiny, for comfortable living. But others have made the grade
as 'home sweet home.' Check out the ones around Menemsha, on Martha's
Vineyard. 
The Victorian cottage
has size & style variations from place to place, island to island.
Some have wooden adornments. Some with lots of them, painted in contrasting
colors to the cottage. Such are Carpenter Gothic Victorians. Like those
in Cottage City on Martha's Vineyard.
Maine islands have
cottages that are oftentimes grand, old family places, with a woodsy character.
They're called 'camps' instead of cottage. No wonder. With a wooded setting,
they have the smell of Christmas trees & a lodge-like ambience. Like
what you'll find in the adirondacks. Northaven and Islesboro Islands in
Maine have grand island cottages. Hopefully you know someone who will
invite you over.
And then there's
the beach cottage, a New England favorite. Weathered from the elements,
some of the best island beach cottages are vintage cape-cod style. Nothing
fancy. The yard is sand & the waterfront location is to die for. Martha's
Vineyard & Nantucket have great ones. So does Block Island.
Go further north
and the beach cottage becomes the cottage on the rocks. Various styles,
but with more of a "campy" character that goes so well with
the rocky waterfront setting. Rugged & wonderful, like on Monhegan
and Deer Isle in Maine.
 Just
because it's called a cottage, if the setting is right, it won't be inexpensive
to rent or own. Even if it's doll-house size. Waterfront, especially on
a beautiful beach, can go for a small fortune. Estate cottages with croquet
lawns and plenty of century-old evergreens can also be very expensive.
If you can find one for sale. Some of the best cottages throughout the
New England Islands have been in the same families for generations. Obviously
these lucky people know exactly how lucky they are!
So, what's the
best way to fill your cottage craving? Rent one on your favorite island,
while you keep an eye on the real estate market. Here are a few rental/sales
websites with something to satisfy your appetite. Remember that the best
cottage rentals on any island go fast, so start looking very early, well
before the summer season begins. Ask lots of questions about location,
amenities and comfort. See interior photos, too, to see if its your kind
of cottage style.
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