When Jessie Pickren and Tristan Warner purchased land they noticed an old dilapidated shack on the property. Instead of bulldozing it to the ground — they saw major potential.
Sitting on four-acres of land next to the Cumberland River just outside of Nashville, Tennessee is one of the most creative renovations we’ve ever come across. The young couple decided to restore the old shack on their property and transformed it into an adorable cottage retreat.
Warner, who owns Tristan Warner Studios, designed and constructed the cottage. But first, they needed to strip it to the bare bones and reframe the structure.
The couple even added a back deck and cedar stairs down to the river, however, it’s the ingenious and creative storage solutions inside that will have you blown away. Let’s take a look inside.
The interior of the home may be simple, but it’s far from plain or boring.
Pickren happens to be the designer at the well-known stationary brand Hew and Company, so as a team, Warner and Pickren were the perfect couple for this major overhaul. Since the cottage is only 400-square-feet, they painted the walls a stark white and decor to a minimum.
“We wanted to keep it light and without clutter,” Pickren explained to Lonny Magazine.
The main room of the cottage features a Murphy bed that can be hidden away when not in use. Floor-to-ceiling windows and French doors allow lots of natural light to flood into the home.
Pickren and Warner wanted a home that could also double as Pickren’s design studio; so it was important to plan it as such. “I’m a believer in the idea that how you feel in your space affects your creativity,” she said, “we wanted it to, when needed, feel like my workspace — not our bedroom.
When the Murphy bed is stowed away, the faux-wall blends right into the surrounding cabinetry.
The beautiful stark white cabinetry does more than hide the Murphy bed; it also houses their clothes, office supplies, and other necessary household wares. Notice the unfinished cement floors as well, giving the cottage a rustic and rough touch.
The built-in cabinets also feature what Pickren calls the ‘Harry Potter Door.’
The hidden door swings open to reveal a full-length mirror, linen closet, and access to the small home’s walk-in shower. It’s space-saving techniques like this that make a 400-square-foot home feel much larger than it really is.
The couple decided to forego a conventional kitchen and opted for just a simple black countertop.
To cook meals, Pickren and Warner use their woodburning stove (picture above) that also serves as the only heat source for the cottage. There is also a grill on the back deck and a utility sink for post-meal cleanups.
The bathroom is the real gem of the charming cottage retreat.
The bathroom boasts bright emerald green tiles and a baby blue porcelain sink. The gold touches around the sink and mirror give the bathroom an element of elegance and luxury. The tiles were purchased from The Home Depot and the sink was found at a local salvage yard.
Gatherings at the tiny home are usually spent on their large back deck with beautiful cedar stairs that lead down to the river.
It’s pretty incredible what one can do with a little creativity and elbow grease, don’t you think? View more pictures of this shack renovation project at Tristan Warner Studios.
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