Cottage expo offers know-how on vacation homes, more

By Eric Czarnik
C & G Staff Writer

» Click on image to view full size « Photo courtesy of Nancy Rosen Photo courtesy of Nancy Rosen

An upcoming expo in Novi is inviting metro Detroiters to get away from it all.

The fifth annual Cottage & Lakefront Living Show will come to the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi Feb. 23-26.

The expo promises numerous showcased exhibits to anyone interested in buying, renting or building a cottage or lakefront home. Exhibits will focus on log cabins, cedar homes, timber frames, furnishings and more.

Mike Wilbraham, the show’s producer, said his expo has brought in around 10,000 visitors in the past. Many of the attendees come from such places as the Irish Hills area, Michigan’s Thumb, Traverse City or Roscommon.

“We do a map every year,” he explained. “People come and stick pins in the map. It’s amazing how diverse the spread is. It’s just all over the place.”

Wilbraham said the interest in cabins and vacation homes is picking up steam as the economy improves, more construction occurs and people adjust to their new realities. Cabins and more compact homes are hot trends, as cottage builders enjoy personalizing their second homes, he added.

“When you’re in town in your traditional home, you’re not always building that yourself,” he said. “People tend not to get as expressive as you can with your cottage. You can really make it your own.”

During the expo, architects, Realtors and builders will share their knowledge with interested visitors.

Angela Mulder of Visbeen Associates Inc. in Grand Rapids said waterfront homes need to consider different materials and attributes that may not be needed in normal homes. She explained that windows should be positioned where the sun comes up in the morning and wherever you can see a good view of the lake.

“You’re going to want them to be large,” she said. “You’re also going to want them to stand up against the harsh winds, the harsh snow and ice. And a lot of times, you can get some really strong winds coming off the lake.”

A lakeside vacation home should also be built with low-maintenance siding and materials, she said. “A lot of times, people’s homes on the lake are their second home,” she said. “Because of that fact, you’re going to want to maximize the fun time at the lake. You’re not going to want to be maintaining the house.”

Eric Render, owner of Render Construction in Lewiston, said his company has built home theater areas and flexible space for games or billiards inside vacation homes and cottages. Buyers are flocking to the trend of outdoor living spaces, such as an alfresco kitchen, hot tub or spa, he said.

“Instead of all their activity being inside the home, they want to bring that outside to enjoy the waterfront,” he said. “We’re doing a lot of built-in fire pits right now.”

The fifth annual Cottage & Lakefront Living Show will come to the Suburban Collection Showplace, 46100 Grand River Ave., in Novi Feb. 23-26. Hours are 2-9:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $10 for adults, $4 for children 6-14 and free for kids 5 and under. On-site parking is available for a fee. To learn more, visit www.NoviCottageShow.com or call (800) 328-6550.
 

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Eric Czarnik at eczarnik@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1058.