Making an Artist Studio
Just behind our farmhouse sits this adorable little cottage. But, as you’ll see, it wasn’t so cute when we moved in 18 years ago.
When we bought this farm in 2007, this cottage was rented out as a mini apartment or what we’d now call a tiny house. The outside and inside were dingy, off-white, and tan. There was a big, ugly oil tank outside and an even uglier furnace inside. But somehow in this little space, there was an eat-in kitchen with wall-to-wall cabinets, a carpeted floor, a full-size refrigerator, and a big, hideous smoke pipe poking out of the roof.
While it was still in this state, we saved up some money and rented the space to an artist, who used the space to paint a few days a week. Then one day the furnace broke down and leaked all over the carpet. Fortunately for me, we were forced to release the artist, gut the space, and fix the problem. Here is how we did it.
We ripped out a few baseboards to install the electric heat.
We patched walls and vaulted ceilings with drywall in a few places.
We employed our workforce (I mean our kids) to help with cleaning up.
Cottage Renovations
Originally the exterior was painted a dingy off-white and the cottage always looked dirty, so that was one of the first things we addressed. We power-washed the exterior, brightened it with lime paint, and accented it with an eggplant purple front door! It was eye-catching and perfect for an art studio.
On the inside, We added baseboard electric heat so we could remove the old and ugly oil heater sitting right at the front door. With the help of a friend, we tore out all the carpet, laid a subfloor, and installed hardwood throughout the main rooms and beautiful slate tiles in the bathroom and entry. We patched many walls with fresh drywall, cut a hole for a new door and window, installed some light fixtures, and created a wet bar from an antique dresser. We also had to patch the metal roof because, in addition to a skylight, there was a smoke pipe coming out from the oil furnace. When all the construction was complete we painted all the walls and ceilings with several coats of Benjamin Moore Super White to finish things off. We worked every weekend and I’d say the entire renovation took just over a few months.
Fun Side Note: In the photo below you will see the addition of a side door. We found a cement step in that exact spot, leading us to believe there was once a door there. We kept the step and brought the entry way back to life. I planted walking thyme all around the door when we created our courtyard which you can read about in this blog How To Create A Courtyard. And now the thyme nicely covers the old cement and flowers in the spring.
We removed the oil tank, patched the smoke pipe hole in the roof, and installed electric heat.
We installed a side door that leads into the courtyard. My 3 kids goofing around in costumes when we had lots of work to do.
Michael and a friend installed the hardwood floors, and I painted the ladder purple. The simple chandelier is from Ballard.
The Artist Cottage at Windy Hill when it was an Artist Studio. We chose bright lime green with an eggplant purple door for the exterior of the Artist Studio. Tile Artist Khara Flint created the “heirloom” tile that hangs above the doorway. I love how the Iceland Poppies decided this was their spot to shine. (they were not planted by me!)
The photos above show how the art studio remained until 2024. We used this space as a haven for Kim Bensing Design and eventually Studio Sprig, my two small business adventures. My kids also used it as a campaway site whenever they had friends over. It was a fun place and still is. It wasn’t until the summer of 2024 that we decided to turn the art studio into a weekend retreat.
The Artist’s Cottage at Windy Hill today
Creating a Weekend Retreat
The decision to reinvent the space is a direct result of my very 1980s dream of someday owning a bed and breakfast. Fast forward to 2025, and the invention of VRBO.
We knew it would only take a few permits and a couple of updates to turn this Artist’s cottage into a weekend retreat so we came up with a summer plan and ran with it.
Around 2021 two of my Studio Sprig interns and I repainted the cottage exterior with Benjamin Moore’s Van Deusen Blue, so the outside was already freshed up, leaving only the inside to alter.
We started with some interior Super White paint touchups and the we gave the ladder and the front door a new coat of black because they needed to be refreshed as well. We removed the computer desk and replaced it with a comfortable bed and fluffy comforter. We left all the framed news articles about my design business because they add to the appeal. Below them we incorporated a small workstation equipped with a set of watercolor paints, a sketch pad, and drawing pencils. (Guests have been spotted painting in the courtyard and that makes me smile).
So there would be a place to relax, play a game, and eat, we resurrected a small, round yard sale table and paired it with 3 fiberglass spun chairs by mid-century modern artist, Russell Woodward. These were found on Facebook Marketplace. For wall decor, we hung several original paintings, including a watercolor by Bucks County artist, Jane Ramsey, and we also included a few fine art, floral, and photography books from my library, and we displayed them on a recycled children’s wall bookshelf.
In the bath, we refinished the shower with a process called Miracle Method which we learned about on This Old House. This brought it up to date with a beautiful bright white finish. Our electrician installed two new light fixtures, we patched and painted and that was all we needed to do.
The kitchenette is small and not ready to cook full meals, but we added a stainless island with wheels, a retro microwave and toaster by Nostalgia, a coffee maker, and a mini fridge, enough amenities for a weekend retreat.
Thank you for your interest in our labor of love - twice restored. Comment if you have any questions about the renovation, I’d love to hear from you. I’ve included some product links below for your convenience, and f you or someone you know is interested in booking the Artist Cottage at Windy Hill, the next time you visit Bucks County, PA, here is the link.
We had this side door installed so there would be access into the courtyard.
The Nostalgia Microwave adds a touch of retro charm.
Fresh white towels in a pretty seagrass basket awaits guests.
Just a simple setup with all the comforts of home.
The pedestal sink was salvaged at an estate sale. The colorful mirror I found at a craft fair. We included a frilly ruffled shower curtain to add texture.
We repainted the loft ladder black and added a round table with chairs for guests.
This rolling, stainless table becomes a nice little countertop.
This is the fountain view into the courtyard.
I supply a set of traveling watercolor paints,professional drawing pencils and a sketch pad for guests to enjoy.
This sink was created from an antique dresser and the Ecosmart tankless hot water heater and all the plumbing hides inside.
Exterior Paint: Benjamin Moore Van Deusen HC-156 / Interior Paint: Benjamin Moore Super White HC-152
I have included a few links to some of the products we used for your convenience. Thank you for reading about this journey. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. The price for you is the same, whether you choose to use the links or not. Thank you.