With the Sea as a Neighbor

How a dilapidated cottage becomes a sweet summer home

- PRODUCED AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY GAP INTERIORS

INGER MARIE GARDER WANTED a child-friendly cottage by the sea and had fallen in love with a very special waterfront area in the same city she lived, and thankfully, everything went according to plan. “This inlet is sheltered from the wind and is simply idyllic for our family,” says Inger Marie.

The Garder family loves to spend time together in front of the cottage enjoying the view of the seaside. They often lounge on the patio furniture, soak in the hot tub, or swim down by the beach if the temperatures are warm enough. Little Nora’s swim season begins in early May, while Inger Marie prefers to wait until temperatures warm up a bit.

DILAPIDATED WITH POTENTIAL

The building was previously a guest house, and the previous owners had not renovated it. The cottage was quite dilapidated when they got the keys, but Inger Marie only saw the potential. “When you buy a cottage like this, you are left with a blank slate, and can put your own stamp on it,” she says.