Vacation Homes
Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: A 480-Square-Foot Boho Shack Makes the Desert Cool
In Joshua Tree, California, a couple renovate a wrecked structure to create a quiet escape from city life
A lot of people consider the desert a hot, dry place to be avoided at all costs. Not Kathrin and Brian Smirke. The high desert landscape of Joshua Tree, California, about two hours east of Los Angeles, and its hiking, rock climbing, camping, warm climate and vibrant community of interesting people persuaded them to buy a dilapidated shack for $7,000 and turn it into their vacation home.
After. The couple took the house down to the studs and concrete foundation and started fresh, adding new walls, insulation, windows, roof, plumbing and electrical. The house is connected to municipal water and power.
After. The couple had to think small in the kitchen, bringing in a compact Smeg fridge and 24-inch stove. “We got everything except a dishwasher,” Brian says.
The couple designed the cabinets and had them custom made in Los Angeles out of nine-ply pine plywood. They made the shelves out of plywood and clear pine.
The couple designed the cabinets and had them custom made in Los Angeles out of nine-ply pine plywood. They made the shelves out of plywood and clear pine.
Kathrin made the stained-glass piece and the rope fixture surrounding a pendant bulb she bought online.
They stuck to white and beige for most of their colors, creating a palette that plays beautifully with the desert landscape views. “We wanted something very neutral in color to match the exterior and sand and barren desert,” Kathrin says.
And the textiles purposefully skew a bit rugged. You don’t want anything too precious in the desert.
The couple tried to reuse as much of the materials from the original shack as they could. Brian built the platform for the living room sofa from salvaged pieces. “It gives the home a little soul,” he says. “We don’t like to buy everything new. We try to make as much as we can.”
He also built a frame from old wood to hang a vintage leather horse fly blanket above the sofa. Kathrin made the rope lighting and painted the planters, which sit on platforms Brian built.
And the textiles purposefully skew a bit rugged. You don’t want anything too precious in the desert.
The couple tried to reuse as much of the materials from the original shack as they could. Brian built the platform for the living room sofa from salvaged pieces. “It gives the home a little soul,” he says. “We don’t like to buy everything new. We try to make as much as we can.”
He also built a frame from old wood to hang a vintage leather horse fly blanket above the sofa. Kathrin made the rope lighting and painted the planters, which sit on platforms Brian built.
The bedroom sits open to the living room but can be closed off with curtains. Brian built the platform for the bed to create storage space below that’s large enough for suitcases. Kathrin made the fiber art hanging on the walls, as well as the stained-glass piece in the window.
Sliding doors opposite the bed provide desert views. “You get the best views from lying in bed,” Kathrin says. “Usually a pink and purple sky.”
The natural knotty pine ceiling “makes it feel warmer inside,” Brian says. The floor is stained and sealed concrete.
Two large floor cushions and a folding chair to the right of the sofa provide flexible seating during parties.
The natural knotty pine ceiling “makes it feel warmer inside,” Brian says. The floor is stained and sealed concrete.
Two large floor cushions and a folding chair to the right of the sofa provide flexible seating during parties.
A poured concrete slab supports an outdoor bathtub the couple created from a stock tank that Kathrin painted. Brian built the platform and privacy wall, which hides the plumbing. He also built the cactus planter and post for string lights.
There are few things Kathrin likes more than soaking in a hot bath beneath the stars and string lights at night.
There are few things Kathrin likes more than soaking in a hot bath beneath the stars and string lights at night.
After. To create a more open layout in the bathroom, Brian and Kathrin removed a door and wall that used to divide the room between the sink and shower. A 7-foot-long shower with a glass panel further highlights the new openness. Brian built the sink base from salvaged materials and the mirror from new wood.
Large canvas curtains with leather details replace traditional doors throughout the house. “We wanted to have that feeling of being in a tent,” Kathrin says.
The glass door on the right is the entrance to the home. The canvas dropcloth leads to a storage closet.
Brian made the wall piece from wood from the original structure. He jackhammered a section out of the concrete floor to plant a cactus garden in the dirt beneath.
A partially enclosed patio features a bench that Brian built, along with the seemingly infinite views of the desert.
Brian also built the nearby dining table from salvaged wood. The top features a wooden art piece similar to the one on the wall in the entry.
When the Smirkes built their vacation home, they were living in Los Angeles. They have since moved to Northern California but still stay in their desert home frequently.
Wood chairs on a concrete slab patio offer a relaxing spot to sit and view the vast landscape. In nearby towns, there’s always something going on. In Pioneertown, the couple saw The War on Drugs rock band play recently. And Paul McCartney stopped by to play an intimate gig a couple of years ago. The Integratron is close by.
But mostly, the desert is about something that’s hard to come by these days: solitude and quietude. “You really feel like you can disconnect,” Kathrin says. “It’s quiet, there’s no light pollution. You can see millions of stars.”
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Wood chairs on a concrete slab patio offer a relaxing spot to sit and view the vast landscape. In nearby towns, there’s always something going on. In Pioneertown, the couple saw The War on Drugs rock band play recently. And Paul McCartney stopped by to play an intimate gig a couple of years ago. The Integratron is close by.
But mostly, the desert is about something that’s hard to come by these days: solitude and quietude. “You really feel like you can disconnect,” Kathrin says. “It’s quiet, there’s no light pollution. You can see millions of stars.”
More home tours: Apartments | Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | All
House at a Glance
Who lives here: Designer-builders Kathrin and Brian Smirke of We Are in Our Element
Location: Joshua Tree, California
Size: 480 square feet (45 square meters)
Before. Built in 1957, the shack had been abandoned by humans and adopted by desert critters. It was in complete disrepair. Windows were broken out or boarded up. The roof had been partially blown away.