“It was uninhabitable when we got it.
Along the way, they uncovered the home’s deep history.
The second half of the home was added in the 1940s.
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn
Because of this, they nicknamed it “The Cook House.”
“Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” say both Prentice and Gibson.
Here are their tips for tackling asmall cottage renovation.
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn
Make Your Porch a Priority
“Always make room for porch conversations,” says Gibson.
He widened and deepened the front stoop, turning it into a porch that’s 28 by 8 feet.
Trim applied above the original door aligns the top of the door and the tops of the windows.
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn
This shade is discontinued but can be color-matched by Glidden.
Asian star jasmine is an even lower-maintenance option than grass.
Instead, we ‘sort of’ splurged on shiplap.”
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn
The moldings and baseboards are simple poplar 1 by 4s cut and nailed to the walls.
I also wanted to make this space feel clean by hiding the appliances."
“It was tricky,” Gibson admits.
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn
“But if you stare at anything for three days, you’ll figure it out.”
Gibson wired the pantry (to the right of the dryer) with outlets to power appliances.
In fact, he had the house wired with 27 outlets for convenience.
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn
The bedposts also help hide their cords.
Make Your Own Closets
“Squeeze space out of every inch,” says Gibson.
They had Rye add built-in wardrobes to the two bedrooms to serve as closets.
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn
In this room, the two wardrobes are only 52 inches tall.
“They’re big enough for a coat or dress,” Prentice says.
“Going all the way to the ceiling in here would have made the room seem smaller.”
Sheers on the bed and the windows add privacy without suffocating the space.
The addition of shaker-style pegs is a clever storage solutionfor a home without much closet space.
Know the Numbers
“Do the math first,” says Gibson.
From there, the duo researched the smallest fixtures available.
They built a custom vanity around Kohler’s Caxton sink (which is 14 inches wide).
It hides a garbage can and a hair dryerthings no one wants to see.
Because the rack is only 6 inches deep, the door doesn’t hit it.
Guests are assigned numbered pegs for their towels.
