Rebekah Carey wanted to be closer to her grandmother, so she and her husband, Alex McNall, decided to transform grandma’s garage into a cozy cottage.
Rebekah is the owner of A&B Creative, she is also a stylist — a fun transformation and remodel project was right up her alley. Over a six-month process, Rebekah and Alex would convert the 1905 garage into a tiny retreat for them and their three dogs.
To conquer the project on a budget, the couple scoured their grandma’s town for reclaimed materials. They also took advantage of the Craiglist “Free Stuff” section. The entire transformation was completed for just around $2,000.
Let’s take a look at how Rebekah and her husband were able to create a comfy home in an old garage for less than the cost of a used car.
The couple immediately saw potential when they first took a look at their grandma’s 200-square-foot shed. The structure itself was solid, all it needed was a bit of TLC and some personal touches.
Of course, the couple and their pups would need to stay warm and dry, so insulation would need to be installed. In addition to the insulation, they installed new siding, ceiling panels, and free reclaimed flooring that they found online.
“I love that everything in our home has a story, even if it’s just ‘I found this for free off of Craigslist!'” Rebekah told CountryLiving.com.
Seeing the end result, it’s clear that all of their hard work paid off. You’d never guess it was just a cold, damp, shed before.
The small space might only be 200-square-feet, but the light colors, vintage beams, and uncluttered decor make it feel much larger than it really is.
“The style and look of our ‘Bitty Berkeley Bungalow’ is something like ‘refined rustic eclectic,'” Rebekah says. “I chose to keep the walls and ceilings white because I wanted to maximize the light in the space, anything to make it appear as big as possible. I also wanted to use vertical lines in the siding we added to the ceiling, as well as the floors we installed, to elongate the home. Since every ‘room’ is all in the same small space, little tricks of the eye can go a long way.”
Their personal taste in decor truly makes it feel like their “own.” It’s their very own sanctuary with their three dogs.
“Because there is so much white, layering in textures and colors in the accessories and art was essential to making the space feel ‘lived in’ and not bland,” Rebekah elaborates.
The little cottage has plenty of comfy seating if they’d like to have a few guests over for coffee or wine.
The elongating lines and beams can especially be seen from the view looking toward the front of their cozy cottage.
Their kitchenette consists of a fridge, stovetop, and sink.
“We had the locker in our last house and just painted it to now be our pantry, which also holds pots, spices, food, and a toaster oven. Most of our big meals we cook in the main house because we like to cook and share meals as a family with my Grandma,” Rebekah explains.
Rebekah and Alex’s awesome transformation of her grandma’s garage goes to show that you don’t need to spend a fortune to create your own piece of paradise.
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