My Houzz: Retro Style in a Detached Garage-Turned-Tiny Home
Groovy wallpaper and jewel-tone accents help transform a Missouri couple’s garage into a bright, inviting guesthouse
Alex Treaster
May 5, 2018
Houzz Contributor. I'm a writer and graphic designer who is passionate about utilizing design to transform spaces. All spaces have a story, and I love learning about and sharing the ideas behind them in order to inspire and spark creativity.
Houzz Contributor. I'm a writer and graphic designer who is passionate about utilizing... More
Photos by Jessica Cain
House at a Glance
Who lives here: Sarah and Nick Pickrell
Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Size: 200 square feet (19 square meters); one main room, one bathroom
Year built: 1931
Sarah and Nick Pickrell bought their Kansas City, Missouri, bungalow with the hope that one day they would be able to transform its dilapidated detached garage into a bright, inviting backyard home to host friends and family. The couple saved up funds to run plumbing and electric lines to the aging 1930s structure. Then, Sarah says, “the stars aligned.”
House at a Glance
Who lives here: Sarah and Nick Pickrell
Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Size: 200 square feet (19 square meters); one main room, one bathroom
Year built: 1931
Sarah and Nick Pickrell bought their Kansas City, Missouri, bungalow with the hope that one day they would be able to transform its dilapidated detached garage into a bright, inviting backyard home to host friends and family. The couple saved up funds to run plumbing and electric lines to the aging 1930s structure. Then, Sarah says, “the stars aligned.”
The television show You Can’t Turn That Into a House happened to find the couple after searching for potential projects in the Kansas City area. Soon the parties reached an agreement and the show worked to completely remodel the space and finish the work that Nick and Sarah, seen here, had set in motion.
When the day finally came and the doors were opened, the Pickrells were excited to see that the show had incorporated several aspects of their preferred midcentury modern style. They’ve added their own personal touches to create a cozy backyard rental home.
When the day finally came and the doors were opened, the Pickrells were excited to see that the show had incorporated several aspects of their preferred midcentury modern style. They’ve added their own personal touches to create a cozy backyard rental home.
One of the couple’s favorite elements is the vintage-inspired wallpaper, Trippy by Graham & Brown, which is a pattern used on the TV show Mad Men. “It’s something I would never have chosen on my own, but it was really fun to design the space around that. You can’t ignore it,” Sarah says.
Sticking with the wallpaper as a central design element, the Pickrells eventually added teal accent chairs that echo the geometric pattern and serve as complementary jewel tones.
Ranarp floor lamp: Ikea; Boomerang lounge chairs: Ink + Ivy; browse more midcentury-style accent chairs
Sticking with the wallpaper as a central design element, the Pickrells eventually added teal accent chairs that echo the geometric pattern and serve as complementary jewel tones.
Ranarp floor lamp: Ikea; Boomerang lounge chairs: Ink + Ivy; browse more midcentury-style accent chairs
The couple preserved some elements introduced by the show but also worked to create a retreat-like atmosphere. “I wanted it to feel soothing in addition to having some retro factor to it,” Sarah says.
Open shelves display and keep kitchen essentials easily accessible.
The Pros and Cons of Upper Kitchen Cabinets and Open Shelves
Open shelves display and keep kitchen essentials easily accessible.
The Pros and Cons of Upper Kitchen Cabinets and Open Shelves
The couple figured that most guests wouldn’t be cooking elaborate meals, so they decided to forgo a traditional backsplash. Instead, a circular mirror reflects the room’s natural light and pairs nicely with the hanging cutting board.
Mira wall mirror: Umbra
Mira wall mirror: Umbra
A second circular mirror is included in the tiny, 3-foot-wide bathroom. The compact sink and sliding door provide just enough room for guests to comfortably maneuver, Nick says.
Godmorgon vanity: Ikea
Godmorgon vanity: Ikea
Throughout the space, other objects provide glimpses of the couple’s personality. Spherical air plant holders, which Sarah inherited from a camp she worked for, help to catch the light and incorporate the ceiling as part of the design space.
Geometric shapes are seen in a handcrafted wooden bookshelf, built by a friend, that sits atop a Murphy bed. The shelves are decorated with a minimal yet eclectic selection of books and pottery found at thrift stores.
Horizontal urban Murphy bed: Breda Beds
Horizontal urban Murphy bed: Breda Beds
Overall, the space offers much of the appeal of other tiny homes, but with ample room to give guests space to relax and unwind. “It’s been nice that we were able to lay it out in such a way that things didn’t have to be multifunctional and you still have space to walk around,” Nick says.
How to Add a Murphy Bed
How to Add a Murphy Bed
Before Photo
Photo by Nick Pickrell
Before. The show’s design team consulted with Sarah and Nick initially, then took creative control to realize the new vision. Suspense built over a period of weeks while the Pickrells watched from afar and anticipated the big reveal.
Before. The show’s design team consulted with Sarah and Nick initially, then took creative control to realize the new vision. Suspense built over a period of weeks while the Pickrells watched from afar and anticipated the big reveal.
With a combination of good fortune and dedication, the Pickrells have seen their vision come to fruition. “It feels like our style, like our house,” Sarah says. “And so for us, when we come out here, it just feels like a second living room. It feels really cozy, but it’s still really bright. I love it.”
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
More home tours: Apartments | Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | All
More
Houzz TV: A Couple’s Garage Becomes Their Chic New Home
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Find a general contractor near you
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
More home tours: Apartments | Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | All
More
Houzz TV: A Couple’s Garage Becomes Their Chic New Home
Houzz TV: You Won’t Believe Everything This Tiny Loft Can Do
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I really like showcased homes with people in it, it shows more character, depth, and realism. That couple looks so happy together.
We rent our 250 Sq. ft casita out on airbnb. And yes, it helped pay our house off in 7 years instead of 15. Gotta love it.
Is that an induction cooktop on the far right end of the counter? With no ventilation hood or pop-up extraction fan? Not good, if so.
I aways wonder how those remodeling shows “find” their subjects. Do people apply to the network?