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While the cottage is ideal for long summer weekends, a geothermal system that warms the concrete floors makes it an inviting spot in the winters, too. The sofa and table in the living room came from Gus* Modern, and the armchair is Mitchell Gold. The sideboard against the back wall is a vintage piece from the owner’s collection.

“When you’re doing a second home, a lot of the character of the design is defined by what it isn’t,” says architect Greg Howe, as a way of explaining the minimalistic approach that was taken on this Michigan weekend home. “If you think of it as cold, you have to remember, the setting, and accessing nature, is the point.”

Portland loosened rules for backyard accessory homes, allowing up to two at 800 square feet each. They no longer have to be smaller than the existing home.

The home is clad in galvalume, a low-maintenance, zinc-coated metal, to make upkeep easier. Prefabricated, 10- to 12-inch-thick panels in the roof provide insulation, and the low walls are packed with limestone.