Stealing a look at charming classic and contemporary boathouses

Award-winning photographer John de Visser and lifelong cottager Judy Ross take readers inside 45 of the North Country's most enticing boathouses -- the rustic, the charming, the grand, the glamorous. Some date back to the 1800s and have changed little over the past century; others are recent eye-catching additions to the water's edge. Styles range from Victorian lavish to Shaker simplicity to Adirondack modern. Inside are inspired sitting rooms, bedrooms, baths, kitchens, and cherished collections of antiques and memorabilia.

Lush color photographs reveal how owners, architects, and designers have made each working boathouse an exceptional place to live as well as a perfect home for prized canoes, sleek motorboats, vintage mahogany launches and, in one case, a day-sailer with a 35-foot mast.

Boathouses is brimming with design ideas for cottagers, decorators, builders, architects -- even landlocked homeowners.

 

John de Visser, R.C.A. and the Grand River Conservation Foundation

John Visser's profile page

Judy Ross' profile page

Each boathouse is featured over several pages, with luminous interior and exterior photos... plenty of stories and anecdotes... All together, the boats, the boathouses and the many beautiful vistas combine to create a pleasant diversion for readers who want to immerse themselves in Muskoka's distinct culture.

Globe and Mail

Brimming with design ideas and practical advice, this book offers inspiration for cottagers, decorators -- even landlocked homeowners.

Doctor's Review

Filled with history and photographs... that will leave you dreaming of owning one of these lovely boathouses someday.

The Cottager

The strength of Boathouses is in its photography... a good addition to any cottage, or boathouse, table.

Muskoka Magazine

This [book] offers inspiration and insight for any designer whether working at the cottage level all the way up to full-sized Victorian representations.... A popular pick.

The Midwest Book Review: California Bookwatch

Boathouses would be a good addition to any cottage, or boathouse, table.

Muskoka Magazine

Brimming with rich, detailed photographs, design ideas and practical advice, this book is essential for cottagers, decorators, architects -- even landlocked homeowners.

Great Lakes Boating Magazine

[Ross]' passion for the region and its beauty if hard to resist.

FYI (Oakville)

The beautifully illustrated tome walks you through 45 fantastic boathouses in Muskoka... An excellent gift for anyone with a retreat in the Muskoka area, this book might snag you a weekend invite.

Style at Home

A lovely album of high-end boat shelters and their associated residences.

Woodenboat Review

The rustic, the charming, the glamorous and the grand!... The inspiring sitting rooms, kitchens, beds and baths are filled with decorating ideas galore.

Cottage Style