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 revampข"We basically gutted the place," explains Sophieขtheir 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 handierขhe 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.


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
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
×