The restoration, while reportedly very successful, was not simple, says Andrew MacPherson, director of Moxon Architects, the firm employed to restore the historic building. This was largely due to the building’s remote location, harsh climate and its role as a tourist attraction. The team used local materials to restore the house, and work included the restoration of the wooden porch, an original feature discovered through historic survey drawings found during the archival research phase of the project.

Inside, Moxon installed wood groundand the existing wooden roof structure was hand sanded and oiled to an exposed dark wood oil finish. The original fireplaces and chimneys have also been restored to working order.

The team’s goal was “to balance preservation and modernization to safeguard the building’s history and ensure its ‘fairytale’ charm remains intact for some years to come”, and the resulting building – a charming granite cottage with cherry red woodwork – is a testament to a job well done.