Tiny Cape Cod cottage | Christopher Budd

This tiny 1940s summer cottage on Cape Cod was renovated into a year-round retreat with one bedroom in 350 sq ft. | www.facebook.com/SmallHouseBliss

A lot of us dream of someday building our own small house from the ground up. Unfortunately there are often various obstacles on that path. Limited finances and skeptical lenders, lack of suitable land, and oppressive minimum size regulations can all get in the way. An alternative is to buy an older small house and remodel it to suit your needs. Interior designer Christopher Budd and his partner did that, purchasing a 1940s summer cottage in Provincetown, at the tip of Cape Cod. He then rearranged the 350 ft2 (32.5 m2) floor plan with the help of custom homebuilder Cape Associates, creating a functional and comfortable vacation home that can be enjoyed year-round.

This tiny 1940s summer cottage on Cape Cod was renovated into a year-round retreat with one bedroom in 350 sq ft. | www.facebook.com/SmallHouseBliss

The owners wanted to have distinct spaces within the downstairs living area, versus one wide-open room. An island was chosen to define the kitchen and sitting areas while keeping them open to one another, and also providing a place to eat. To keep it from consuming too much valuable floor space, the island was kept very narrow using 21″ deep cabinets instead of the standard 24″.

The living room ceiling is vaulted up to the roof, increasing the perceived size of the small room by the added volume and by the long sightlines up to the loft.

This tiny 1940s summer cottage on Cape Cod was renovated into a year-round retreat with one bedroom in 350 sq ft. | www.facebook.com/SmallHouseBliss

The kitchen is tiny but fully functional, utilizing the most compact appliances the owners could find. It’s a bit hard to believe but they managed to squeeze in a fridge, a two-burner cooktop, a wall oven, a microwave oven, a dishwasher drawer and even a clothes washer.

This tiny 1940s summer cottage on Cape Cod was renovated into a year-round retreat with one bedroom in 350 sq ft. | www.facebook.com/SmallHouseBliss

The bathroom is even tinier at under 23 ft2 (2.1 m2), about half the size of a typical full bathroom with bathtub. The toilet and vanity were squeezed in on one side, leaving the other side free for a full-size shower.

A narrow stair winds up to the bedroom loft. Storage is accommodated by drawers under the bed and low cabinets, keeping the space open.

Have a great weekend!

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Photographs by Dan Cutrona Photography. Via Houzz.

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