The Mill Pond Cottage - my heart's happiness

[Peyton]

I am going to try to post a few pictures of a project that has meant the world to me. I work for Gunpowder Falls State Park in Maryland. The park owned a run-down old house, right by an old mill pond - a beautiful, peaceful setting with a house that was once a light-filled cottage but had been neglected and slated for demolition.

In my mind's eye, I could see what this little cottage might be with a little tlc. But if we renovated, we had to do something that would serve the public better. So we created the Mill Pond Cottage. We almost had to gut the old place completely, but we saved the character, and the basic structure, as well as the old Dutch door, and the stone fireplace. Everything that we replaced was chosen to evoke memories of what it may have been when it was previously loved, as well as to foster the making of new memories for new families, for this time around, the Cottage would be available to rent for a week or weekend as a family get-away to the scenic splendor of the Gunpowder River valley.

Decorating was so much fun - tapping into my own collection of fabrics from the 1940's helped to create a feeling of a vintage kitchen, even though the appliances are modern. Beadboard ceilings in the great room, a porch swing on the screen porch and a claw-foot tub in the bath are all part of our grand conspiracy to lull guests into the slower-paced, country feel of the place, so they can truly appreciate the sound of rushing water from the stream that flows right in front of the Cottage before it flows into the Gunpowder.

The Cottage sleeps 6-8, has central air, cable, a full kitchen, wood-burning fireplace, and is less than 100 yards from one of the East Coast's top ten Blue Ribbon trout streams, the Gunpowder River. Families, couples, and groups of old friends gather here to reconnect with nature and with each other, in a setting that is as far from a theme park vacation as you can get. To read the journal entries from guests tells the whole story. The Cottage has come to mean as much to them as it does to me, which is saying a lot.

We had our grand opening in April 2002, and we already have an intensely loyal group of regular guests, who don't tell anyone about "their" place for fear it will be too hard to get areservation in the future.

There is no question, as "general contractor," planner and interior designer of this once-in-a-lifetime project, I have absolutely left a huge part of my heart there. I hope that some of you, if you ever visit Maryland, will think of the Mill Pond Cottage and come stay with us. Even if your home home may not yet have the cottage atmosphere you love, you can always get your Cottage "fix" at the Mill Pond until your own cottage dreams come true.

I can't figure out how to post a picture here, which is a bummer, since I have some beautiful shots of before, during and after the renovation. But you can see some small pictures and get more info by following this link: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/millpond.html

Thanks for letting me share! I know I go on and on when I talk about the Mill Pond, but you might be amused to know that this is the short version!

And dear Administrator, this project is state-run, and non-profit - all the money that is made from the Cottage goes back to support the Cottage itself, so I hope it's okay to brag about it here, and it's not considered advertising. The only benefit to me personally is the pleasure of seeing more people enjoy this place!

Peyton

[ccquiltr]

Peyton,
What a lovely place - I hope you will keep trying to post more pictures here for us. How lucky you were to be involved with a project that brought you so much happiness, and how wonderful and lucky for all of us that you chose share it with the public!
I have a conference coming up in March that will bring me to Baltimore. How far is it to Mill Pond Cottage from there? (And is it heated?)
CC

[Peyton]

Hi CC,

It's not far at all - it's north of Baltimore, in Baltimore County. It's only about 45 minutes from downtown, and about 20 minutes from the beltway. The Cottage is actually only two miles from an interchange with I-83, but you would never know it when you're there - it feels like you're a million miles away from anything. That's one thing people really love about it - it couldn't be easier to access, and yet being there has such a peaceful and natural quality. Call me at the park number on the website if you would like to reserve it! And I could also help you with the distance to your specific conference site.

I will try again to post some pictures later. Glad you like it! And yes, it's heated. It really does have all the comforts of home. It is used year-round. People love the fireplace, but they like the furnace too!

Peyton

[gigiG]

Looks beautiful! Near Balitmore, I am about an hour away...small world. Isn't Maryland a wonderful state? You have the beach, the mountains, & beautiful cottages like this that make it more enchanting to come & visit...

gigi
Our Branches are Growing Beautiful Gifts...
www.underthewillowgifts.com (http://www.underthewillowgifts.com/)

I am going to try to post a few pictures of a project that has meant the world to me. I work for Gunpowder Falls State Park in Maryland. The park owned a run-down old house, right by an old mill pond - a beautiful, peaceful setting with a house that was once a light-filled cottage but had been neglected and slated for demolition.

In my mind's eye, I could see what this little cottage might be with a little tlc. But if we renovated, we had to do something that would serve the public better. So we created the Mill Pond Cottage. We almost had to gut the old place completely, but we saved the character, and the basic structure, as well as the old Dutch door, and the stone fireplace. Everything that we replaced was chosen to evoke memories of what it may have been when it was previously loved, as well as to foster the making of new memories for new families, for this time around, the Cottage would be available to rent for a week or weekend as a family get-away to the scenic splendor of the Gunpowder River valley.

Decorating was so much fun - tapping into my own collection of fabrics from the 1940's helped to create a feeling of a vintage kitchen, even though the appliances are modern. Beadboard ceilings in the great room, a porch swing on the screen porch and a claw-foot tub in the bath are all part of our grand conspiracy to lull guests into the slower-paced, country feel of the place, so they can truly appreciate the sound of rushing water from the stream that flows right in front of the Cottage before it flows into the Gunpowder.

The Cottage sleeps 6-8, has central air, cable, a full kitchen, wood-burning fireplace, and is less than 100 yards from one of the East Coast's top ten Blue Ribbon trout streams, the Gunpowder River. Families, couples, and groups of old friends gather here to reconnect with nature and with each other, in a setting that is as far from a theme park vacation as you can get. To read the journal entries from guests tells the whole story. The Cottage has come to mean as much to them as it does to me, which is saying a lot.

We had our grand opening in April 2002, and we already have an intensely loyal group of regular guests, who don't tell anyone about "their" place for fear it will be too hard to get areservation in the future.

There is no question, as "general contractor," planner and interior designer of this once-in-a-lifetime project, I have absolutely left a huge part of my heart there. I hope that some of you, if you ever visit Maryland, will think of the Mill Pond Cottage and come stay with us. Even if your home home may not yet have the cottage atmosphere you love, you can always get your Cottage "fix" at the Mill Pond until your own cottage dreams come true.

I can't figure out how to post a picture here, which is a bummer, since I have some beautiful shots of before, during and after the renovation. But you can see some small pictures and get more info by following this link: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/millpond.html

Thanks for letting me share! I know I go on and on when I talk about the Mill Pond, but you might be amused to know that this is the short version!

And dear Administrator, this project is state-run, and non-profit - all the money that is made from the Cottage goes back to support the Cottage itself, so I hope it's okay to brag about it here, and it's not considered advertising. The only benefit to me personally is the pleasure of seeing more people enjoy this place!

Peyton