Before and After: Storage Spot to Backyard Bungalow for $2,000
Backyard Bungalow at a Glance
Who uses it: Susan Koehn Habermann and her family and friends
Location: Water Mill, New York
Size: 400 square feet (37 square meters)
Designer: Natasha Habermann, creative director and owner of Natasha Habermann Studio
Backstory: Susan Koehn Habermann’s backyard building next to the pool looked cute from the outside but lacked a poolside oasis feel inside. That’s because, over time, it had turned into a storage spot for outdoor furniture and kayaks and a functional bathroom for pool visitors. When designer Natasha Habermann saw her mother-in-law’s space, she knew it could be a much cooler, welcoming place. Natasha started giving Susan ideas, which Susan loved but she wanted to stick to a budget.
Scope: They decided on a budget of $2,500, but ended up finishing the project under that at $2,000 thanks to creative thinking, repurposing and some stellar sales.
Natasha gave Susan lots of suggestions, and they took the interior design style in a tropical beach direction, instead of preppy and nautical. “After cleaning it out and inventorying the furniture and other items stored there, it became clear that some were useable in the new scheme,” Susan says.
Within the space, they wanted to create distinct, useable spaces: a kitchen and dining room, a sitting area, a guest bedroom and an indoor-outdoor bathroom. The whole project took three weeks.
Who uses it: Susan Koehn Habermann and her family and friends
Location: Water Mill, New York
Size: 400 square feet (37 square meters)
Designer: Natasha Habermann, creative director and owner of Natasha Habermann Studio
Backstory: Susan Koehn Habermann’s backyard building next to the pool looked cute from the outside but lacked a poolside oasis feel inside. That’s because, over time, it had turned into a storage spot for outdoor furniture and kayaks and a functional bathroom for pool visitors. When designer Natasha Habermann saw her mother-in-law’s space, she knew it could be a much cooler, welcoming place. Natasha started giving Susan ideas, which Susan loved but she wanted to stick to a budget.
Scope: They decided on a budget of $2,500, but ended up finishing the project under that at $2,000 thanks to creative thinking, repurposing and some stellar sales.
Natasha gave Susan lots of suggestions, and they took the interior design style in a tropical beach direction, instead of preppy and nautical. “After cleaning it out and inventorying the furniture and other items stored there, it became clear that some were useable in the new scheme,” Susan says.
Within the space, they wanted to create distinct, useable spaces: a kitchen and dining room, a sitting area, a guest bedroom and an indoor-outdoor bathroom. The whole project took three weeks.
Before Photo
Kitchen and Dining Area
Before: An all-white space provided guests a place to dine and make a simple meal, but it lacked personality. This is the first space you see when walking into the poolside bungalow.
Before: An all-white space provided guests a place to dine and make a simple meal, but it lacked personality. This is the first space you see when walking into the poolside bungalow.
After: A bright blue rug brings color to the room and defines the kitchen and dining area.
Dining table: Susan already owned the table, but Natasha wanted to surround it with more modern chairs. The plastic chair material also made sense in a building right off the pool. “People can sit in them with their wet bathing suits on, and it’s fine,” Natasha says.
Lighting: An inexpensive Ikea pendant light hangs above the dining table. This light adds to the beach vibe Natasha sought and was fairly easy to install. A can light already existed in the ceiling in the perfect spot, so she had an electrician make the lighting swap.
Chairs: All Modern; table: One Kings Lane; pendant light: Ikea; rug: Burlington Coat Factory
Dining table: Susan already owned the table, but Natasha wanted to surround it with more modern chairs. The plastic chair material also made sense in a building right off the pool. “People can sit in them with their wet bathing suits on, and it’s fine,” Natasha says.
Lighting: An inexpensive Ikea pendant light hangs above the dining table. This light adds to the beach vibe Natasha sought and was fairly easy to install. A can light already existed in the ceiling in the perfect spot, so she had an electrician make the lighting swap.
Chairs: All Modern; table: One Kings Lane; pendant light: Ikea; rug: Burlington Coat Factory
Accessories: Natasha brought color into the space with a few tabletop items. These serving pieces give Susan a space to quickly put out poolside snacks.
Natasha then styled the kitchen countertop with entertainment items, making them easily accessible for everyone.
Vase: Heath Ceramics; tray: Ikea
Natasha then styled the kitchen countertop with entertainment items, making them easily accessible for everyone.
Vase: Heath Ceramics; tray: Ikea
One big room: With the kitchen at your back, you can see the rest of the bungalow’s interior. On the left, you have the entry. The sitting area is straight ahead, and the guest bed is to the right.
Before Photo
Sitting Area
Before: A couch sits against the wall next to two very low side tables. The back corner is being used for storage, holding tennis rackets and an outdoor chair.
Before: A couch sits against the wall next to two very low side tables. The back corner is being used for storage, holding tennis rackets and an outdoor chair.
After: The same pull-out sleeper couch gets new life when covered with a bright, striped Turkish towel and a handful of pillows. The transformation has made the couch a cozy spot to sit and chat with friends or recline with a good book.
Couch: The limited budget created a challenge for Natasha, especially when it came to the couch. She didn’t love it but knew she would have to make it work. “A new couch would have eaten up our whole budget,” she says. “I was nervous about how I was going to fix up this couch.” In the end, a row of pillows created a daybed look, and the towel gives the base of the couch a bright, clean look.
Couch: The limited budget created a challenge for Natasha, especially when it came to the couch. She didn’t love it but knew she would have to make it work. “A new couch would have eaten up our whole budget,” she says. “I was nervous about how I was going to fix up this couch.” In the end, a row of pillows created a daybed look, and the towel gives the base of the couch a bright, clean look.
Coffee table: “There wasn’t a coffee table here before,” Natasha says, “and the space really needed one.” She stumbled on this little table at a local thrift shop and knew its small size and color would match the other tropical elements in the room.
Rugs: Natasha used two doormats pushed together to create a runner in front of the couch. This option, which was much cheaper than one long runner, also made sense in a space that’s going to get wet, because they will be easier to clean.
Art: Natasha’s mom, Grace B. Keogh, painted the piece hanging behind the couch. Natasha had considered a framed photo of a beach, but it felt out of place in the fun, now whimsical space.
Towel: Fouta Beach Towel, Serena & Lily; pillows: Pier 1, Anthropologie and TJ Maxx; lamp: Target; rugs: TJ Maxx; art: Grace B. Keogh
Rugs: Natasha used two doormats pushed together to create a runner in front of the couch. This option, which was much cheaper than one long runner, also made sense in a space that’s going to get wet, because they will be easier to clean.
Art: Natasha’s mom, Grace B. Keogh, painted the piece hanging behind the couch. Natasha had considered a framed photo of a beach, but it felt out of place in the fun, now whimsical space.
Towel: Fouta Beach Towel, Serena & Lily; pillows: Pier 1, Anthropologie and TJ Maxx; lamp: Target; rugs: TJ Maxx; art: Grace B. Keogh
Before Photo
Guest Bed
Before: A basic bed sat across from the couch and gave guests a place to sleep, but that’s about it, says Natasha, who had slept on this bed in the past. Natasha and Susan also wanted to find a way to hide the electrical box situated right above the bed.
Before: A basic bed sat across from the couch and gave guests a place to sleep, but that’s about it, says Natasha, who had slept on this bed in the past. Natasha and Susan also wanted to find a way to hide the electrical box situated right above the bed.
After: A large fabric wall hanging and new bedding turns the guest bed into a cozy retreat.
Wall covering: Determined to do something dramatic above the bed, Natasha threw out the idea of installing a large piece of fabric from the ceiling beams to the floor. “Susan was hesitant about the fabric behind the bed, but I told her, you just have to trust me on this,” Natasha says.
Reflecting on the project, Susan could not be happier about this design decision. “The best part for me was deciding on the wall coverings,” Susan says. “The hanging wall cover behind the bed eliminated the need for a headboard and covered an ugly electrical box.”
Bedding: A blue chevron duvet cover over the top of white sheets that Susan already owned quickly freshened up the bed. “They were light and bright and the right price,” Natasha says.
Shams: Anthropologie; pink and white pillow: TJ Maxx; bedding: Ikea; sconces: Crate & Barrel
Wall covering: Determined to do something dramatic above the bed, Natasha threw out the idea of installing a large piece of fabric from the ceiling beams to the floor. “Susan was hesitant about the fabric behind the bed, but I told her, you just have to trust me on this,” Natasha says.
Reflecting on the project, Susan could not be happier about this design decision. “The best part for me was deciding on the wall coverings,” Susan says. “The hanging wall cover behind the bed eliminated the need for a headboard and covered an ugly electrical box.”
Bedding: A blue chevron duvet cover over the top of white sheets that Susan already owned quickly freshened up the bed. “They were light and bright and the right price,” Natasha says.
Shams: Anthropologie; pink and white pillow: TJ Maxx; bedding: Ikea; sconces: Crate & Barrel
Pillows: A mix of pillows adds to the bed’s overall design and gives guests the option of sitting up in bed in comfort. “You don’t want just two little sad pillows,” says Natasha, as was the case in the before photo.
The stack of regular pillows is hidden by shams and a peppy pink-striped decorative pillow. At night, guests can use the shams as backrests for reading and then set them on the couch or chairs when they are ready to sleep.
The stack of regular pillows is hidden by shams and a peppy pink-striped decorative pillow. At night, guests can use the shams as backrests for reading and then set them on the couch or chairs when they are ready to sleep.
Reading light: On each side of the fabric wall covering, Natasha mounted two plug-in reading lights. The wires are tucked behind the fabric and are plugged in down behind the bed.
“All the light was overhead light before,” Natasha says. “Now the bed actually has its own lights.”
“All the light was overhead light before,” Natasha says. “Now the bed actually has its own lights.”
Side table: To the right of the bed, a small folding tray acts as a nightstand.
Clock: Infinity Instruments
Clock: Infinity Instruments
Bathroom
Access: From inside, the bathroom is accessed through the door to the left of the bed. The bathroom can also be accessed from the outside on the side of the building.
Access: From inside, the bathroom is accessed through the door to the left of the bed. The bathroom can also be accessed from the outside on the side of the building.
Before Photo
Before: Much like the kitchen, the bathroom lacked color, but it was functional.
After: An ocean of wallpaper covers the upper half of the bathroom’s walls, giving it color and a tropical feel to match the rest of the redesign.
Wallpaper: Natasha hung the wallpaper herself, but says, “I’ll probably never wallpaper again. This was supposed to be easy, but it was such a disaster and I almost ran out of paper.” Thankfully, everything did work out in the end, and Susan loves it. But Natasha is still going to avoid hanging wallpaper by herself again.
Wallpaper: Sea Wallpapers, Wallpapers for Beginners
Wallpaper: Natasha hung the wallpaper herself, but says, “I’ll probably never wallpaper again. This was supposed to be easy, but it was such a disaster and I almost ran out of paper.” Thankfully, everything did work out in the end, and Susan loves it. But Natasha is still going to avoid hanging wallpaper by herself again.
Wallpaper: Sea Wallpapers, Wallpapers for Beginners
Mirror: Natasha replaced the mirror with a large round mirror with a wooden edge. Everything else, including the vanity and lighting, stayed the same.
Mirror: CB2; browse round bathroom mirrors
Mirror: CB2; browse round bathroom mirrors
Outdoor access: The doorway, now surrounded with sea wallpaper and draped with a towel, opens to the outdoor shower.
Before Photo
Before: The bench across from the outdoor shower lacked any decoration.
After: Natasha brought in a potted plant and another round mirror. “I really wanted to put a mirror out here,” Natasha says. “It’s perfect to check your face for a sunburn or to just check your hair after you’ve been swimming or showering.”
Shower: In the mirror, you can see the shower, which is just a fixture on the side of the building. This outdoor space didn’t need any major updating. With a few small changes, it now feels more like an extension of the indoor bathroom.
Shower: In the mirror, you can see the shower, which is just a fixture on the side of the building. This outdoor space didn’t need any major updating. With a few small changes, it now feels more like an extension of the indoor bathroom.
Back patio: Straight across from the front door, a set of doors opens up to a little patio with a table and two chairs.
Outdoor seating: Susan already owned this little dining table set, but it was black. Natasha spray painted it white and replaced the chair cushions. The total DIY project cost $10.
Find an outdoor dining set for your patio
Outdoor seating: Susan already owned this little dining table set, but it was black. Natasha spray painted it white and replaced the chair cushions. The total DIY project cost $10.
Find an outdoor dining set for your patio
Outcome: Susan likes how much use this little bungalow now gets thanks to the redesign. “The result was this spectacularly light, airy, beautiful additional living area that was welcoming to all,” she says. “As it is some distance from the main house, it provides a wonderful escape for reading, visiting, listening to music and, in general, relaxing.”