I found your house.” That’s what Zoë Gowen’s friend and soon-to-be neighbor said when she called to tell her about a little cottage she’d spotted on a sought-after street in Homewood. Upon seeing the home, Zoë promptly agreed. “It had the intangibles—great neighborhood, wonderful natural light, and lovely proportions,” she says. What the 800-square-foot house didn’t have, however, was character of any sort. From the shabby brown exterior to the drab rooms (all six of them!) and the falling-down back deck and shed, it was depraved of charm. But Zoë Gowen, a veteran homes and gardens magazine editor, saw potential where others saw problems. “I had been writing about renovations and small homes for years, so I was ready to see if I could make it work in my own home,” she says. “The house had been on the market for 250 days. I was the one ready to finally tackle it!”
And tackle it she did. The gung ho first-time homeowner left no surface untouched as she took the cottage from eyesore to eye-pleasing. The first order of business was twirling up the exterior. “I knew that the house was small enough that I could basically do every cutesy cottage thing,” Zoë says. She started by adding a Dutch door and window boxes, as well as giving the exterior a cheerful new green-and-white color scheme.
Inside, painting was the top priority. The formerly beige walls were coated in White Dove by Benjamin Moore. Zoë also put the floors in neutral, so to speak, opting to paint them Shaded White from Farrow & Ball instead of refinishing them with a stain. The economical choice was also a matter of small-space style. “It just made everything feel so open and cohesive,” she says.
With her penchant for exuberant colors and patterns, not to mention a soft spot for estate sales, Zoë then layered in bright textiles, bold artwork, and a hodgepodge of vintage finds to create sophisticated rooms that belie the home’s small footprint.
Once the house was in tip-top shape, Zoë turned her attention to the deck and shed that were both begging for some TLC. She worked with friend and architect Ebee Tullos to replace the rotting decking with a dreamy new screened porch that enhances the home’s available living space and also cleverly conceals a much-needed laundry nook. As for the shed? It became the novice renovator’s masterpiece project. Zoë reimagined the ramshackle outbuilding into a serene studio with the help of a new HVAC, paneled walls, slate flooring, and (surprise!) buckets and buckets of white paint.
From the front door to the back porch, the house now brims with verve and hospitality—just like the spunky magazine editor who calls it home.
Space Savers
1. Paint It White. A neutral-palette backdrop of white walls and floors is a foolproof way to create a larger, more open feel.
2. Opt for Full-Size Furniture. Small spaces do not call for equally tiny furnishings. A few generously proportioned items will keep a room from feeling bitsy in scale.
3. Skirt the Situation. Fabric-covered pieces, such as Zoë’s dining table and washer and dryer, introduce feminine flair and conceal extra storage.
4. Make Way for Mirrors. Large mirrors amplify natural light. They are an easy way to give even the tiniest room a new, airy lease on life.
5. Embrace Outdoor Spaces. Zoë nearly doubled the cottage’s available living space with a new screened porch and shed renovation.
Meet ZOË GOWEN
As the former senior home and garden editor for Southern Living magazine, and now executive editor for Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles, Zoë knows the ins and outs of combining high design and bargain finds.
Personal Style ”I’d describe it as old-lady chic with a big twist of straightforward practicality,” says Zoë.
Design Inspiration ”I’ve been subconsciously re-creating my favorite spot in my childhood home since I left it at age 18,” Zoë says. “It’s a shrimp-colored living room with a big chintz sofa where I read all of my books.”
Best Zero-Dollar Find “The sunny yellow lamp on my screened porch,” says Zoë. “I found sitting it on a curb while on a walk.”
RESOURCES
Interiors: Zoë Gowen Porch addition architecture: Ebee Tullos, 404.931.6889 Styling, plants, floral arrangements, containers: Mark Thompson of Shoppe Birmingham, shoppebham.com, 205.224.4450 Front exterior: Dutch door Jeld-Wen, jeld-wen.com Hardware: Brandino Brass, brandinobrass.com Living room Painting: Hanna Antiques, hannaantiques.com Framed photos: iPhone travel photos blown up via whitewall.com Chest: antique from auction, refinished by Charles Wade, 205. 251.9233 Mirror and pressed-botanical print: Shoppe Birmingham Dining Room table skirt: Citrus Garden in Primary, Schumacher, fschumacher.com Pillows: World Market, worldmarket.com Art: Birmingham Vintage Company through Hanna Antiques Chairs: vintage, Chelsea Antiques, chelseaantiques1.com Screened porch: Sofa and table: chairish.com Chairs: Ikea, ikea.com Outdoor cushion fabric: fabricguru.com Mirror over bar: World Market
