My Houzz: Cozy Seaside Cabins Welcome Friends and Family

If you build it, they will come. “It” in this case is a picturesque seaside home; ''they” are all your friends and family jockeying for a place to stay while conveniently vacationing near you. That's what retired psychologist and vacation rental business owner Brenda McIntyre experienced when she designed and built a 435-square-foot hilltop home, dubbed The Crow's Nest, which overlooks the beautiful bay and seaside town of Trinity in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

Living in such a beautiful place soon led to friends and family flocking to visit, and McIntyre was left scrounging for more room. So she built an additional 465-square-foot home, called The Boathouse, a short walk down the hill from her main house. But even that wasn’t enough extra sleeping space. So she built a compact shack, called Bunkie, big enough for one more single bed.

Here’s a look at all three spaces.

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Brenda McIntyre
Location: Port Rexton, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Size: The Crow's Nest is 435 square feet; The Boathouse is 465 square feet; Bunkie is 120 square feet.

The Crow's Nest

The desire to have as many windows as possible inspired McIntyre's main house. "By echoing the architecture of the early schoolhouses in Newfoundland outports, I could capture maximum light from oversized windows but in a style that didn’t depart from community tradition." she says. "My neighborhood, a Newfoundland outport, has a quiet, slower pace with an emphasis on community and creativity."

Exterior paint: Timothy Straw, Benjamin Moore; trim and deck paint: Polar Jade, Benjamin Moore


McIntyre paired marine blues with creams and used artist's canvas as couch slipcovers and drapes for the large windows. "My favorite part of my house is anywhere I can look out over the harbor, across at the town of Trinity, the lighthouse and the ocean beyond," she says. "Fortunately, this view is visible everywhere except from the bathroom."


One of her biggest challenges was fitting a living room, a dining room, a kitchen, a bedroom and an office into 435 square feet. McIntyre designed Murphy beds to allow for a multifunctional space and a focal point for art. "Given my love of art, I need as much wall space as possible," she says.

To achieve an aged look on the plank floors, McIntyre had a mill remove ⅜ inch off 2-by-6 spruce boards that she then lightly sanded and painted a deep marine blue.

Floor paint: Marine Blue, Benjamin Moore





When the bed is flipped down for sleeping, McIntyre wakes up to a panoramic view of the ocean. "I experience sheer delight each day looking out at the spectacular view I have," she says.


Her home office is tucked in a corner nook in the kitchen, which, though small, has a beautiful view of the water.


The Boathouse

McIntyre built this when she needed more space for guests. The exterior is based on old structures in the area where upper stories were used as lofts and the lower for boat and fishing gear.

Trim paint: Polar Jade, Benjamin Moore; door paint: Cottage Red, Benjamin Moore


In a funny twist, McIntyre sold her boat before the space was complete. She now uses the boat space — with its 12-foot ceilings — as a workshop.


A large Louis Vuitton poster McIntyre found in New York, which she now displays on the closed Murphy bed, inspired the interior.





To make the space feel larger, McIntyre capitalized on the magnificent vista that draws your eye out over the water. The raised kitchen, with its checkerboard floors, feels like a distinct room. "Clearly defining each of the living areas of the homes allows one to see each area as separate and tricks the mind to create the illusion of a larger space," she says.


The kitchen cupboards were custom built. McIntyre then had the doors sprayed and given a clear coat at an autobody shop.

Cabinet paint: Asphalt, Benjamin Moore


She capitalized on the view in the kitchen with a long horizontal window framed by classic white subway tiles.


Creating a living room, dining room and kitchen in this space was a challenge due to its narrowness. A long couch along one wall allows for ample seating but keeps the space open.


Because the colors of the posters and furniture are so intense, she painted the walls and ceiling a neutral color.

Paint: Muslin, Benjamin Moore; living room furniture: Art Shoppe, Toronto


A small corner dining area overlooks Trinity Bay. The flooring throughout, made for garage floors, is durable and easy to clean.


The bathroom's shower floor is tiled in a dark pebble tile. A narrow vanity and white wall tiles make the space feel larger.


The porthole mirror is a creative touch in a space without much room for art or storage.


Bunkie

McIntyre built this third 10- by 12-foot structure close to The Boathouse. It's large enough for a bed and some storage. It has its own little patio that looks to the water but doesn't have a kitchen or bathroom.


Bunkie feels almost like a second bedroom for the other homes, but also like a detached hideaway.

More: Saltbox Charm in a Heritage Fishing Community

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