My Houzz: Simply Escapist in Santa Cruz
Artist Michelle Stitz loves “old things that are a little odd, imperfect, sometimes rough and authentic,” she says. After living for seven years in a warehouse space shared by artists, she bought her own house in Santa Cruz, California. The home came with a lush backyard and a compact garden shed.
With help from friends and a little “spit shine,” as she says, Stitz transformed her outdoor space into a creative environment that she can share with like-minded travelers. “I found myself especially drawn to the back corner under the willow tree for solace and inspiration, so my friend Nate and I worked on the garden shed and fixed it up,” says Stitz.
The shed, which was originally just an outdoor “staycation” space for her friends, is now available for rent. Says Stitz, “I’ve since hosted many down-to-earth, vintage-appreciating, international travelers and Bay Area locals.”
“As an artist, I live and work here at the house full-time, so I needed a little escape where I could wake up in a different space sometimes and listen to the birds in the morning,” says Stitz of her backyard hideaway.
The artist added wood paneling to make the interior resemble that of a boat. The brass bed frame is from Craigslist, and Stitz made the curtains by hand. “They roll down like in a fort or vintage camper pop-up tent,” she says.
The weeping willow tree in the corner of the yard became the ideal spot for an outdoor bathing area. A friend found an old claw-foot tub for free on Craigslist and gave it to Stitz as a gift. “He somehow got it into his little vintage BMW,” she says, “drove it down and carried it on his back to my backyard to surprise me for my birthday.”
“I spent a lot of time fixing up the outdoor space and planting unique and drought-resistant plants,” says Stitz. The backyard has a lounge area where she and her guests can enjoy a child’s mid-19th-century bed brought back from a trip to Texas.
“My grandmother taught me to bake, sew and be thrifty, so I have always shopped secondhand,” says Stitz. “This has definitely influenced the way I decorate my home, and the sort of things I appreciate. I buy recycled; I reuse; I make art with salvaged materials.”
Stitz designed the space on a shoestring budget; every secondhand item was found or gifted. She discovered this old patio set and uses it as the private outdoor dining space for her cabin guests.
Stitz constructed a large, banquet-style dining table out of old barn doors. She paired it with mismatched chairs for an eclectic, vintage-inspired look. She uses the table for community dinners for her vacation renters, as well as for dinners for friends.
“Some guests have said they like the authentic, unpretentious quality my [cabin] design has, as if the cabin just grew there or I happened upon it,” she says. The minimalist design includes a small outdoor kitchen with only the bare essentials: a sink, refrigerator and cooktop, and a small surface for preparing food.
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More: Gussy Up Your Garden Shed
