Photo by Rick Houchin
Amy and Joe Brisson had been contemplating building rental cabins for nearly six years before they welcomed their first guests to Heavens Edge Cottages in northeast Michigan’s Ossineke, just a short walk from Lake Huron, a year ago.
“We had a piece of property with a pond that definitely lent itself to something that could be just for us or could be for a business,” Amy says. “We’d been flirting with the idea of something in hospitality for a good while.”
In 2020, the couple decided to get serious about building the cottages, which are next door to their home. “We ordered the frames in 2020,” Amy recalls.
“We did it because we’re crazy,” Joe adds with a laugh.
Michigan Blue editor Megan Swoyer recently chatted with the 50-something couple about their experience.
Megan Swoyer: Were you both working when this idea hatched? How did you find the time to design and build the cottages and open a business?
Amy Brisson: Joe works full time, remotely, for a conveyor company and travels a lot. I worked for the health department, and I left my job 10 years ago after Joe was able to work remotely. I could travel with him, and maybe start designing the cottages. We found a company in the middle of Michigan that made large shed framess (Lakeside Cabins and Sheds), and you could design them however you wanted. Then I worked out a design, over a year’s time, for two cottages. Each has one bathroom, two bedrooms, and a blow-up mattress. And each has a heated outdoor shower.
MS: What were your design goals?
AB: I wanted them to be large enough to feel comfortable, but small enough to feel cozy. We went with a loft style. I also wanted them to be rustic and to feel old. Joe did all of the construction; only the frames were ordered and built for us.
Joe Brisson: To get that rustic feel, we left wood on the main wall as wide as we could. It’s rough-sawn with no finish. Then I created all the cabinetry in the kitchens with a rustic feel, and we used live-edge (oak tree) countertops. I was crazy enough to buy a sawmill (ordered online), so I milled most of the wood for the interiors. We had support from an abundance of family and friends. Thunder Bay Electric and Lakeshore Plumbing and Heating, along with Meridian Contracting, also worked on the cabins.
MS: Where did you get your wood?
JB: A neighbor was taking down large pine trees and he gave us the logs. We also used maple and oak from neighbors and friends. One cabin we call The Oak (it has oak floors) and the other is The Pine, with pine floors. (The Oak has a six-person portable hot tub.)
MS: What can guests expect to see as far as artwork?
AB: We have photos by my son-in-law (Rick Houchin), a well-known local photographer. And we have pottery from local potter Rose Lynn Clay.
MS: Joe, how did you learn to do all of this? Does millwork run in your family?
JB: When we got married, we bought a house that needed work and I didn’t know anything. Amy said, Buckle up, pal; we don’t have money to hire someone to do the work (he laughs). So, I went to friends for information and bought the right tools. It worked out well; part of my goal now, in retirement, is to do some professional work in my woodshop for things like countertops and cabinetry.
MS: What can guests do at the cottages and what’s nearby for outings and diversions?
AB: We have horseshoes, cornhole, bicycles, private gas fire pits, and grills. Also, there’s a community wood fire pit. And, of course, people love the pond. If they want to go out they can ride bikes to the beaches (Beebee Beach, Sanbirn County Beach, and Ossineke State Forest Beach), or head to the nearby state parks (Harrisville State Park, with beautiful trails and a lovely swimming beach, and Negwegon State Park, also on Lake Huron and a state-designated dark sky preserve, making it an excellent spot for stargazing and viewing the aurora borealis).
Several lighthouses are located nearby, as well as great fishing spots. I have a book in each cabin that has ideas for the best cinnamon rolls, pizzas, fine dining, and more. Folks can also go morel mushroom-hunting in the spring. We have lots of games and puzzles in the cabins, too. And there’s Dinosaur Gardens just one mile away.
(Editor’s note: Nearby Alpena has great dining, glass-bottom boat tours that cruise over shipwrecks, the Thunder Bay National Marine Museum Sanctuary, a nautical-themed movie theater, and ice cream and coffee shops.)
MS: Visitors to this side of the state find it a little quieter than other areas. Nature is truly at your fingertips, right?
AB: Oh, yes. I said to Joe that this area needs to be shared with others. It’s a sanctuary. You can really feel the universe touching you in this region. People are seeking a literal getaway — to get away from all the noise and confusion and busyness of life. Meanwhile, at the cabins, we see just about every kind of Michigan bird, owls, deer, otters, and turtles (snapping, painted, and blanding). The pond is full of large perch and sunfish, and people like to feed the fish. Ducks nest here every year, including mallards and wood ducks.
MS: Are the cottages handicap-accessible?
AB: Yes. The Oak has a ramp, and both have no-step showers.
MS: I know you want it to feel remote, but is there internet service?
AB: I fought Joe on this topic (she laughs), but he insisted — so, yes, we have Wi-Fi throughout the property, as well as a television in each cabin. 
Plan It!
Heavens Edge Cottages
heavens-edge.com
