Houzz Tour: Vintage Industrial Touches Update a Carriage House
Black accents, period lighting, concrete countertops and dark grout freshen up an antique guesthouse
Bar counter. As soon as you walk through the door, poured concrete countertops and vintage industrial stools clue you in to the overall style. Note the black window frames, the metal chair bases and the support for the countertop, which wraps the wall from the kitchen into the family room.
The open shelves in both rooms are teak and bring in a bit of modern farmhouse style.
Counter stools: Arteriors; browse industrial-style stools
The open shelves in both rooms are teak and bring in a bit of modern farmhouse style.
Counter stools: Arteriors; browse industrial-style stools
Photo by Brooke Garden
Living space. The main living space combines a lounge, a dining area, a workspace and an extension of the kitchen counter that serves as a bar and buffet. Those existing good bones I mentioned earlier include this beautiful coffered ceiling, windows and doors that were in great shape, and hardwood floors, which the duo had stripped, sanded and stained in an updated light gray.
Painting the window sashes and muntins black brought in industrial style throughout the guest quarters. “This also plays off the iron doors,” Brooke says. The windows are dressed in linen Roman shades.
Wall paint: Horizon, Benjamin Moore; sofa and chairs: B&B Italia; Roman shades: The Shade Store; rug: RH
Living space. The main living space combines a lounge, a dining area, a workspace and an extension of the kitchen counter that serves as a bar and buffet. Those existing good bones I mentioned earlier include this beautiful coffered ceiling, windows and doors that were in great shape, and hardwood floors, which the duo had stripped, sanded and stained in an updated light gray.
Painting the window sashes and muntins black brought in industrial style throughout the guest quarters. “This also plays off the iron doors,” Brooke says. The windows are dressed in linen Roman shades.
Wall paint: Horizon, Benjamin Moore; sofa and chairs: B&B Italia; Roman shades: The Shade Store; rug: RH
Photo by Brooke Garden
A stone fireplace and vintage Danish modern dining chairs upholstered in cowhide bring in bits of modern farmhouse style.
Light fixtures: Shine by S.H.O; dining table: YLiving
A stone fireplace and vintage Danish modern dining chairs upholstered in cowhide bring in bits of modern farmhouse style.
Light fixtures: Shine by S.H.O; dining table: YLiving
Photo by Elise Garden
Across from the wrapped kitchen counter is this tucked-in workspace, which also has a poured concrete surface and teak shelves.
8 Kitchen Desk and Nook Designs to Keep Your Family Organized
Across from the wrapped kitchen counter is this tucked-in workspace, which also has a poured concrete surface and teak shelves.
8 Kitchen Desk and Nook Designs to Keep Your Family Organized
Kitchen. The kitchen redo was a full renovation, but they kept the plumbing and placement of appliances the same, which saved money. And the Viking range was already here, which was a huge bonus. They replaced the existing hood with a black one and painted ready-made white cabinets black to match. Along with the teak open shelves, the apron-front sink is a modern farmhouse touch. Because this is a guesthouse kitchen, it doesn’t need as much storage space as a full-time home, so they were able to keep the walls above more open, tile them all the way to the ceiling and add the open shelves.
Concrete countertops, elongated subway tile (with black grout), polished chrome hardware and the light fixtures continue the industrial look. “The subway tiles have a rippled texture that makes them look handmade,” Brooke says. “And we played around with the concrete stain color quite a bit to get it right. We didn’t want them to look too perfect or polished.” They had the painters paint the ceiling light black (originally it was nickel). Edison bulbs lend a period element to the modern fixture.
Ceiling light: RH; sink light: Rejuvenation; range hood: Viking
Concrete countertops, elongated subway tile (with black grout), polished chrome hardware and the light fixtures continue the industrial look. “The subway tiles have a rippled texture that makes them look handmade,” Brooke says. “And we played around with the concrete stain color quite a bit to get it right. We didn’t want them to look too perfect or polished.” They had the painters paint the ceiling light black (originally it was nickel). Edison bulbs lend a period element to the modern fixture.
Ceiling light: RH; sink light: Rejuvenation; range hood: Viking
Master bedroom. This room’s slanted ceiling, which follows the roofline, makes it extra cozy. Black continues up here via a Moroccan wedding blanket, which also brings in a lot of texture. The designers repeated the teak element seen in the kitchen and living room on the nightstands, which are solid wood blocks. The reading lights add another industrial touch. A seascape over the bed lends a sense of calm.
Wall paint: Armory, Pratt & Lambert; Moroccan blanket: RH; browse Moroccan-style blankets
Wall paint: Armory, Pratt & Lambert; Moroccan blanket: RH; browse Moroccan-style blankets
Master bath. A digitally printed porcelain tile that looks like light knotty wood continues across the floor and up the shower walls. The designers found a ready-made vanity (including sinks) that is relatively shallow to keep the space nice and open. Its lacquered finish reflects the light. Polished chrome sconces are mounted on the mirror. Their shape nods to vintage style, but their shiny finish updates them.
Vanity: AllModern; sconces: Rejuvenation
Vanity: AllModern; sconces: Rejuvenation
Second bathroom. Black hexagonal tile and sconces bring in the vintage industrial look. A wall-mounted vanity keeps the view across the floor clear, and its wood veneer warms the room. A tub-shower combo hides behind the door on the left. It is tiled in subway tile with black grout.
Takeaways. Useful tips from this guesthouse renovation include:
Vanity: RH; sconces: Circa Lighting
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Takeaways. Useful tips from this guesthouse renovation include:
- Using ready-made kitchen cabinets and vanities can save time and money.
- Extending a kitchen backsplash to the ceiling brings in texture and pattern.
- Painting window sashes and muntins a dark color makes a big impact.
- Industrial style doesn’t necessarily mean rusty and crusty; shiny chrome and black matte finishes lend a polished yet industrial look.
- If you can’t find the light fixture you want in the right finish, customize it with paint.
Vanity: RH; sconces: Circa Lighting
Find an interior designer on Houzz
More home tours: Apartments | Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | All
Guesthouse at a Glance
Who lives here: The overnight guests of a family of five
Location: Connecticut coast
Size: Three bedrooms, three bathrooms
Designer: Garden Designs
This antique carriage house had great bones under a 1990s renovation. To suit its architecture while giving it a current look, mother-daughter interior design team Brooke and Elise Garden chose a vintage industrial look with midcentury modern and modern farmhouse touches. The result is clean-lined and inviting and looks as though it evolved over time.
Scope of work. A large part of the first floor is a gym that the homeowners use, but the rest of the outbuilding serves as a guesthouse for family and friends. “This remodel was mostly stylistic,” Brooke says. But they completed down-to-the-studs renovations of the kitchen and bathrooms.
Entry. These new iron-and-glass doors mark the threshold from the gym to the private guest quarters and set the vintage industrial tone. They also lend an open feel.