“Dream Catcher Cottage” in Seaside, Florida

This classic Florida cottage is in the master-planned resort community of Seaside, Florida. Named Dream Catcher, the small cottage has two bedrooms and a sleeping loft in 1,035 ft² (96.2 m²). It is topped by a Dutch gable roof, similar to a hip roof but with a small gable at the peak. Hip and Dutch gable roofs are common in hurricane-prone areas of the coast as both keep the roof line low on all four sides, providing greater resistance to hurricane force winds than a gable roof does.

Entry to the home is through the screened porch running across the front of the cottage. The porch is generously sized with room for a table and chairs plus a hammock, providing a shady retreat from the hot Florida sun. If you are planning a screened porch for your own small house, consider making it at least seven feet wide to have enough space to comfortably move around. Less than that and everyone pretty well has to sit with their backs to the wall.

A set of French doors takes you from the porch straight into the living area with its vaulted ceiling. The living room, dining area and kitchen are lined up on the left side of the house, while the two bedrooms and two bathrooms are on the right. Another set of doors at the far end of the living space leads out to a second outdoor room, this one an uncovered deck. The two bedrooms also have their own doors leading out to the screen porch and deck respectively. One of the bathrooms has access to an outdoor shower at the side of the cottage.

A large loft over the bedroom half of the house provides sleeping space for several more people. With two ladders giving access to the loft, everyone can get to their own bed without having to step or trip over their sleeping loft-mates. The walls of the cottage are finished with painted pine boards throughout, while the floors are pine with a natural finish.

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Photographs courtesy of Seaside Community Realty.

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