One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. This was exactly the case with Dallas designer Paige Morse when it came to creating her 250-square-foot backyard getaway.
Paige wanted to keep things simple when it came to designing and building a guest house in the backyard. For the bones of the structure, she decided to renovate a couple of century-old rundown sheds. Everything else was hand-me-downs or discoveries made during the renovation.
It only took Paige four short months to transform the sheds into a cozy guest house and backyard retreat.
The exterior was kept simple with a bit of landscaping in the front. Large windows welcome you to the tiny home.
Inside, the 250-square-foot space is spacious, comfortable, and elegantly decorated.
Using light and neutral colors helps make the small space feel larger than it actually is. The light colors provide a beautiful contrast with the dark wood floors.
Floor-to-ceiling windows let in an abundance of natural light.
“Having natural elements indoors—herbs, houseplants, even a branch ‘rod’—helps make the yard feel like an extension of the interiors,” Paige told Country Living.
As an interior designer, Paige has a keen eye for detail. She uses stripes to elongate the room and curated art to add a personal touch.
“I tried to use as much vertical space as possible, whether it’s a ladder that displays throws or open shelving to keep things within reach,” says Paige. “Stripes widen and elongate, which is why you see them in the living room (on the rug) in the bathroom (on the sink skirt), and even the plank walls.”
Stepping into the kitchen, Paige keeps things simple with a black-and-white color scheme and dorm-sized appliances.
“Without a dishwasher, you’d think clutter would pile up quickly, but I’ve mastered a few one-dish recipes that come in handy for entertaining,” says Paige.
In the bathroom, the designer got creative with storage and space.
Securing a piece of fabric along the sink with velcro, Paige can easily store bathroom essentials out of view. There is also a shelf near the ceiling for towel storage. Using two mirrors in the small room gives the illusion of more space. Paige used pages from an old book to decorate the wood-planked bathroom.
When it comes to renovating a small space such as this, Paige says to get creative with your materials.
“Almost everything used in the shed was passed down, or found during the renovation. We uncovered the bathroom sink under the floorboards!”
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