This Dreamy 1920s Home’s Best Surprise Lives in the Garden Shed

Credit: Kate Harrison
Once their children flew the coop, Maria and Henry initially downsized into a city apartment. But they found themselves drawn back to the outdoors and purchased this 678-square-foot house with its small garden.
« It’s still only a bike ride from the shops and railway station, and close enough to walk to woodland trails—the perfect middle ground, » says Maria.

Credit: Kate Harrison
They’re only in the house a little over a year. Since it hadn’t been updated in decades, Maria calls it « a complete disaster. » They gutted the whole house themselves for a few months before it was livable.

Credit: Kate Harrison
Each room was renovated. To save space, they put in a small but functional IKEA kitchen—much to the urging of friends and family to do something bigger. They fully re-did the bathroom with huge tile paint and even rebuilt the toilet. « I wanted a toilet that would look really 1920s, » Maria confesses.

Credit: Kate Harrison

Credit: Kate Harrison
« We ended up plastering the bedroom ourselves, which we were rather pleased about—we’d never done it before! » Maria says. « The need to get in pushed us to do all of that ourselves. With no time to wait for building contractors, we did most of it ourselves, though we did have some help from friends and relatives. »

Credit: Kate Harrison