Hotel style: Inn on the Lake

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A 35-minute drive from Whitehorse, Inn on the Lake is situated on Marsh Lake, which over 100 years ago bustled with gold-seekers as they braved the waterways to the Klondike gold fields.

Now the area is known for its spectacular mountains, forests and trails, not to mention stellar views of the Aurora Borealis. Along with Northern Lights seekers, the nine-year-old inn has been visited by Martha Stewart, Jann Arden and Adrienne Clarkson. Though it has only 15 rooms, the inn is constantly changing: "I love painting," says owner Carson Schiffkorn. "We're always changing colours. We're six months in winter here, so when it's white outside you want to come in to colour and a warm feel."

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The look
Homestead meets contemporary in this cottage as traditional elements -- like the wood-burning stove, glass votive chandelier and old-fashioned furnishings such as the Nova Scotia rocker and cribbage-turn-coffee table -- blend seamlessly with a modern Ralph Lauren paint colour, simple white tilework and a sleek pewter dining set.

Large windows on almost all sides of the cottage take advantage of the 22 hours of daylight in the height of summer while making the most of the six hours of daylight come winter. The compact pickled pine staircase leads to a loft bedroom -- "you're tucked away and feel safe when you're up there," says Carson.

The inspiration
Since the rooms are always being updated or renovated, the inspiration comes mainly from Carson himself. He wants the inn to be high-end accommodation in the middle of the wilderness, where visitors can gaze across the lake and not see anyone, but come in after a long day to a four-course meal. Each room reflects this vision, with the ultimate goal for the cottage in particular to be "a truly great room where everyone can gather," says Carson.

Read our advice on decorating on a budget.