Holy moly! We’ve been working or wee socks off, but no worries—all is good. That’s just how we like it. This coming Sunday, on Cottage Life Television, you’ll find us immersed in Colin and Justin’s Cabin Pressure (as indeed you will every week), a half hour roller coaster ride of big plans and big ambition that results in a sweet lil’ bunkie, of which we’re fiercely proud!
Yup, on Sunday’s show, we set to work improving cottage country’s equivalent to curb appeal: lakeside allure. Yup, as viewed from the lake, our formerly slanty shanty’s exterior has been totally updated via auspicious landscaping and the addition of a (small but) perfectly formed guest annex. Dreamy gorgeous? Just wait till you see!
Don’t let the snow fool you. This bunkie is a hot piece of property!
For us, the bunkie is a critical part of cottage life and indeed the perfect overspill point for extra guests. Of the ones we’ve witnessed over the last few years, some have been tiny (and naïve, almost like sheds) whereas others have been self-contained commodious guest suites with every conceivable luxury slung into the mix. Running water, electricity, comfy sofas, inviting beds—the lot.
Colin and Justin’s massive bunkie from Season 1 of Cabin Pressure
And so it came to pass that, as we started dreaming about what we wanted our bunkie to look like, we were absolutely certain who we should call to help us create it: Canada Builds, precisely the same chaps who built the guest annex as featured during Cabin Pressure’s first season. During that season, with a much larger cottage and significantly more convenient road access, we went to town and birthed what was essentially a condo in the forest: a glass-sided monolith with two-bedrooms, a self-contained living room, and a well-appointed shower room. Splish splash!
Colin and Justin’s bunkie just after arriving at the cottage
But OMG—our roads. They’re windier than a helter-skelter and have more ups and downs than Kim Kardashian’s hemlines, so we had to be somewhat more modest as we conspired our drawings for the guest wing. The team at Canada Builds, mindful of our road conditions, built a space with a four-bunk-bedded sleep zone, an indoors/outdoors dining area, and a neat wee shower room sandwiched between them. Last year’s bunkie? Fifty feet long. This years? A modest 20. Modular built off site at the company’s HQ in Lindsay, ON, and delivered on a flatbed truck no less. And we couldn’t be happier.
What’s a bunkie without bunk beds?
We hope you’ll adore the comfy wee sleep zone that we dressed in a woodsy palette, accented with shots of red and white. You can almost hear the joyful strains of a choir singing “O Canada” as you scan its every nook and cranny. Sure, it’s compact, but tune in to see how we made the eight sq. ft. bedroom room accommodate four adult guests.
The bunkie’s shower room and vanity
The shower room, too, is a triumph: we re-versioned an old Singer sewing machine table as a vanity. Topped with a slab of live-edge lumber and a weighty Unikstone basin, it’s the perfect place for guests to freshen up before settling down to dinner in the dinky dining room next door. There, Weather Master Plus doors by Sunspace, installed by Nortech concertina open and closed to embrace the great outdoors as and when required.
The bunkie’s dining room
The hot tub installed between the deck’s two levels
Sided in grey to match the main cottage, the bunkie sits on a higher ground level with Western Red Cedar steps leading to the main decked dining area. Between the upper- and lower-decked platforms sits one of the loveliest products we’ve ever specified: a Canadian Hot Tubs bubbling spa: a welcome change from more traditional boxy plastic affairs, it’s every bit as efficient. This is one of the company’s first TV appearances, and we’re almost certain it’ll be a game changer for them. The beautiful tub is literally like a giant barrel and has already proved an outright winner with friends and family: no matter the climate it’s a joy to immerse in the frothy waters! Tune in to see all the bubbling action. You won’t be disappointed!
Watch the latest episodes of Colin and Justin’s Cabin Pressure below and stay tuned for new episodes, Sunday at 9pm et/pt. Cottage Life television is now in free preview. Find your channel here.