Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

A DIY Couple Turn a Rundown East Hampton Cottage Into a Bright, Beachy Retreat

A DIY Couple Turn a Rundown East Hampton Cottage Into a Bright, Beachy Retreat

Once a dilapidated 1950s dwelling, the newly renovated cabin features airy interiors, a new deck, and breezy, laid-back vibes.

It can be challenging to spot a diamond in the rough, but Sophie-Claire Hoeller and Timothy Holley have a keen eye. "It wasn’t love at first sight by any stretch of the imagination," confesses Sophie, remembering when she and Timothy first saw this 1950s cabin in East Hampton. "But we were somehow both immediately able to see the place’s potential." After scooping up the home, the duo spent the better part of a year doing much of the renovation themselves, ultimately planning to rent it out on Airbnb while they weren’t there.



The couple purchased the home with the intent to rent it out on Airbnb on the weekends, but have spent the past year living there during the pandemic.

However, 2020 had other plans in store: Just as they wrapped up the major stages of the revamp-"We basically gutted the place," explains Sophie-their workplaces, and much of their surroundings in Brooklyn where they live, shuttered in March of 2020. With nowhere to go and nothing to do, the couple went full-time at the Hamptons property, adding finishing touches to the home.



Sophie-Claire Hoeller is an Austrian-born writer and editor, while her husband, Tim Holley, is a UK-born expatriate who works in tech for Etsy. The two met in Germany before coming to New York.

The house is estimated to have been built at some point during the 1950s, and had been remodeled with an addition at some later point. It was a "hoarder’s paradise," says Sophie, half joking. Clutter and dust cramped every corner, and peeling brown linoleum flooring ran throughout.



They gutted the kitchen and went with a bright and fresh palette of all-white walls, floors, ceiling, and cabinetry. The Smeg refrigerator adds subtle color, and the butcher-block countertops bring warmth and texture.

The spatial arrangement of the original home was a little funky; it had a tiny living room and kitchen, but a huge primary bedroom. To introduce a more balanced floor plan, the couple removed nearly all of the interior walls to start anew. The layout now features an open kitchen, dining, and living area, a larger and more functional bathroom, an area for a home office that could later become a second bathroom, and two appropriately proportioned bedrooms. Built-in closets and additional shelving also went in, and the deck outside was replaced.



Surfboards placed above the rafters in the kitchen and living area serve as artwork. Next to the couch are tables that Tim handcrafted from a beam that was part of an old Amish barn.



One of the couple’s favorite moments in the home are the banquettes in the dining area. "We both grew up in Germany," explains Hoeller, "where wraparound seating areas at the dining or kitchen table are common."



Though the couple hired out for electrical work, framing, and drywall, performing the demolition and installations themselves was no small feat. "I have less than no experience doing any sort of renovations or DIY," says Sophie wryly. "I don’t even have the patience to pick up a creative hobby."



A major part of the renovation was reframing and resizing the two bedrooms. Now, they are mirror images of each other in plan, with distinguishing decor and furniture.

Tim was a bit handier-he did everything from installing the toilet and bathroom tiles, to building several pieces of furniture: side tables, built-in benches, the dining room table, the headboards for the bedrooms, shelving, closets, and more.



Artwork, surfboards, patterned bedding, and a textured cane headboard keep the otherwise all-white palette from feeling too clinical.

The couple’s vision for the renovation was to create a space that felt fresh and warm, but still modern and beachy. Although the house isn’t next to the beach, its location in the Hamptons, along with the duo’s love for the water (and Tim’s surfing habit), served as inspiration for the decor and furniture. "We wanted it to feel like you could open the front door and see the ocean," explains Sophie.



The original brown linoleum in the kitchen and living room, the unattractive wood flooring in the main bedroom, and the bright-blue plywood flooring in the guest bedroom were all replaced with whitewashed plywood. Eventually, the floors will be covered with true hardwood flooring.

Artwork thoughtfully placed throughout the rental is another element to appreciate, thanks to Sophie’s mother, who’s a gallery curator. A Vincent Gallo hangs in the reading nook, while a Thomas Locher is in one of the bedrooms. The aerial beach shot in the dining room adds a personal touch: It’s an image of Sophie and Tim’s post-wedding brunch on the beach in nearby Montauk.



The expanded bathroom received a new sink, toilet, flooring, and a washer/dryer. "From demo to installation, we did absolutely everything with our own hands, besides the electrical work and putting up the framing and drywall," says Sophie. The couple was able to keep the existing tub.

Despite the setbacks of the pandemic and unexpectedly spending so much time in the cabin, their shared vision and collaborative spirit made it easy to move forward. They enjoyed spending time working towards a common goal, but they’re still not done: Currently, a 200-square foot shed in the yard is set to become an office and guest room.

The couple also redid the deck, making it an ideal place to lounge and entertain. "From demo to installation, we did absolutely everything with our own hands, besides the electrical work and putting up the framing and drywall," says Sophie.

The yard also features a rustic outdoor shower.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz: “The Current Welfare State Can No Longer Be Financed”
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
Wizz Air passengers screamed as storm-battered flight diverts to Bologna
European postal services halt U.S. deliveries after Trump imposes new tariffs
Urban explorer finds abandoned luxury restaurant left to decay
Fidesz leader labels Péter Magyar a ‘bluffer’ amid escalating political spat
French rope park operator arrested for denying entry to Israeli children
Újpest thrashes Zalaegerszeg 4-1 to secure first win in five matches
Profit-margin cap costs retailers 13 billion forints a month, warns trade group
Curiosity rover finds coral-like rock on Mars hinting at watery past
U.S. green policy rollback drives investors to Europe’s sustainable finance market
Special funerals rise in Hungary: boat, aerial and forest burials gain popularity
Hungary’s Kiskunság region turning into semi-desert after extreme drought
Kopasz Bálint wins world kayak 1000 m title in Milan, making him triple world champion
Budapest’s Keleti railway station to close for four weeks for track overhaul
Balaton could be unfit for swimming by 2035 and dry by 2050, scientists warn
Leaked guidelines show Meta’s AI allowed flirty and racist interactions with children
Filming of ‘Emily in Paris’ halted after assistant director dies on set
Filipino guest workers sue after Hungary moves to deport them for pregnancy
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
A monster hit and a billion-dollar toy empire
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
Canada: Nurse Suspended and Fined 93 Thousand Dollars After Stating the World’s Most Well-Known Fact Since the Creation of Adam and Eve, That There Are Only Two Genders
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
U.S. Treasury Secretary Whitney Bessent Backs Stablecoins to Boost Treasury Demand
Spain to Declare Disaster Zones After Massive Wildfires
Three-Minute Battery Swap Touted as Future of EVs
Beijing Military Parade to Showcase Weapons Advances
×