About

Hello! We’re Karen Twyman and Rick Boyd, the proud owners of Cedar Cottage. This is the story of how we found "Cedar Cottage" and made it our own.

Karen and Rick were planning a 2 month sabbatical near Marquette for the summer of 2011, so that Rick could write his doctoral thesis while Karen enjoyed tinkering and relaxing in the beautiful UP, close to dear friends. By March we were wondering whether we would ever find a place that would allow us to bring our dogs. Then we found Brian Marietta, the owner of a cottage on Lake Superior.

Karen came up to Marquette to investigate. The cottage needed a bit of work inside…mostly because it had never been finished after being built in the 1970s. It was then part of an estate and had been on the market for over a year. Karen and Rick were not looking for a new home, but when Karen saw the view from the living room windows, she started to imagine the possibilities. With such an idyllic location and an interior that they could refurbish from scratch, they only needed to make sure that the building was structurally sound. It was. It was also a blessing that the extraordinary Brian Lancour and his expert carpenters Jerry and Mike were available to do the renovation!

The interior walls were unfinished, exposing the fiberglass insulation. The kitchen hadn’t been touched since the 1970s, the bathroom was small and dark, and the back deck had no railing and wasn’t structurally sound. The attic was unfinished, and the basement bathroom felt sad and uninviting. With the help of Brian and his crew, we spent months thoughtfully renovating the cottage—redesigning it to be warm, welcoming, and in tune with its beautiful natural surroundings.

Today, Cedar Cottage is a peaceful retreat—a place to soak in the ever-changing lake views, catch the Northern Lights from the deck, and enjoy everything the Marquette area has to offer. Each summer, we return to unwind: walking the beach, hiking to waterfalls, lakes, and ponds, knitting and painting (Karen), reading (Rick), and simply watching Lake Superior in all her moods from the living room and deck. We’re so grateful for the time we get to spend here and love being able to share the cottage with guests, so they too can experience the quiet magic of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

After years of managing the cottage themselves, Karen and Rick brought on Anna Irish Burnett to assist with its management. A longtime friend of the family, Anna was born and raised in the Upper Peninsula and spent several years cleaning the cottage alongside her mother, Nancy. Her deep connection to the area and to our family makes her an invaluable part of the team. We’re thrilled to have her steady support. In addition to her role here, Anna is also a freelance web developer and created this website!

Interested in booking Cedar Cottage? Head over to our Booking page.