“It’s simply like living on a lake, except we’re about a 45-minute boat trip from the ocean,” says Ginny, who prepared and oversaw the house’s renovation herself. While the outcome is a breezy waterside cottage that’s the ideal size (2,300 square feet) for Ginny, John, and their 3 kids, it can fall brief on space when company arrives.

01
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Before
Cautious to stick within the confines of the existing structure, Ginny came up with a smart strategy: 70% of the garage’s 480 square feet would be utilized as a guesthouse; the remaining 30% would be devoted to storage. Keep reading to see how she turned the constructing around.
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After
Ginny swapped out the initial front door for a set of French doors she restored from the main home. Last but not least, a fresh coat of shiny, gray-green paint (Farrow & Ball’s Down Pipe, No. 26) includes more character to the exterior.
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Kitchen area
” I wanted to have a guesthouse, not simply a guest room,” says Ginny, who was adamant about adding a little however full cooking area. She managed to gather the L-shaped space with a one-piece stove-and-hood set (which was purchased from neighbors who were likewise doing a remodelling) and cabinets purchased right off the floor at The Home Depot. The kitchen area doesn’t get enough usage to validate purchasing costly materials. “The countertop is in fact made of plywood that’s covered with numerous coats of a high-gloss varnish,” she states. “It’s not precisely “correct,” but it works.”
Ginny used light blue epoxy paint (Serene Sea, PPG1158-4 ppgpittsburghpaints.com) to dress up the initial cement flooring without excessive effort.
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Bed room
” Every guest space requires a mattress as good as one you ‘d buy for yourself,” says Ginny, who dressed the bed with a beachy, bohemian mix of all-white linens from Target topped with a selection of blue batik-printed textiles and pillows. “I keep good soaps and razors in the bath, and I stock the refrigerator with fruit, beer, and water. There need to constantly be features in a guesthouse.”
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Closet
A long-term ladder with a handrail, instead of a common pull-down ladder, supplies easy access to a storage loft. “It’s a minimalist touch,” states Ginny. The 2 reclaimed swinging doors (revealed above) were originally intended for the primary home however ended up being too big. Always resourceful, she utilized them here for the closet and dressing room.
