A selection of budget-friendly furnishings came from Crate & Barrel, West Elm, and the couple’s personal collection. (Photo by Thibaud Guerin-Williams)
Patricia Holley doesn’t mince words when describing the condition of the garage that used to sit in the backyard of her 1916 Woodland Heights home. “It was the saddest looking structure you’d ever seen,” she says, laughing. “It looked like it would topple over any day. We weren’t sure what its original purpose was, so we just started calling it the carriage house.”
Holley, owner of interior design firm Design Therapy LLC, and her husband, Mark Baker, debated what to do with the dilapidated two-story structure, eventually deciding to restore it and turn it into a guesthouse. Over the course of two years, in partnership with Ricardo Ramirez Renovations, the couple took the project from layout concept to completion, transforming the 20-by-20-foot space into around 800 usable square feet. The open-concept first floor includes a cozy sitting area, full kitchen and dining space. Upstairs, there’s a sizable guest bedroom and full bath.
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Photo by Thibaud Guerin-Williams
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Photo courtesy Patricia Holley
“For the living room, a sofa just wasn’t going to work, so I put in two comfy swivel chairs instead,” Holley says. “I also put a vintage-style propane stove in the corner that adds character and can be used for [additional] heat in the winter.”
On the first floor, the original heart pine wood flooring was replaced with wide-plank white oak. Baker used some of the original flooring to make custom shelves and a bench seat. On the second floor, he was able to reuse the original flooring.
The retrofit included the addition of new electrical wiring, plumbing, siding and a new front door and roof. To honor the carriage house’s historic origins while giving it distinct character, they painted the exterior black accented with white trim and vintage-style light fixtures. “I think we struck the right balance,” Holley says. “We’re really pleased with how it turned out.”
Completed in fall 2022, the carriage house has been used so far by the couple’s visiting friends and family. They also intend to rent out the property for short-term stays on Airbnb. “It was definitely a labor of love but so rewarding in the end,” Holley says.
