This 740-Square-Foot Bungalow Proves Just The Right Fit For A Family Of Seven

On paper, the rundown old surf shack in Corolla, North Carolina, made no sense for Lauren Liess and her family. It was 740 square feet, with only two bedrooms and one bath—and the Virginia designer and her husband, David, have five children and three dogs. But when they pulled up to the little house a short walk from the beach, the couple’s good-on-paper thinking floated away on the salty breeze. “It was so cute and charming,” remembers Lauren, who writes about the place in her new book, Beach Life: Home, Heart & The Sea. “The yard was covered in vines, pine trees, and live oaks. The location was amazing. We kind of just fell for it.”

Transforming the "Lost Cottage"

Transforming the bungalow, which she dubbed the “Lost Cottage,” into something that suited their crew required imagination and tactical moves. The pair prioritized changes that would make the most of the pint-size footprint, like trading the main living area’s 8-foot ceiling for a vaulted one and replacing the front entry with wall-to-wall sliding glass doors that flood the cottage with light. “Even though it’s tiny, the house doesn’t feel so small when you’re in that room because the ceiling is tall,” says the designer. They also edited the existing shared bath and primary closet, borrowing square footage from those to outfit the second bedroom with snug bunks for all five kids. Other space-maximizing moves, like skipping a formal dining area inside in favor of a 10-foot-long picnic table on the newly built back deck, just made sense for their lifestyle at the beach, where bathing suits and bare feet are givens. In the kitchen, a peninsula with seating on both sides fits the whole family, and windows over the sink swing open for easy counter service at the bar outside. Underneath the house, they poured a concrete pad, creating covered square footage that accommodates hammocks and swings, a laundry room, and an outdoor shower. “Whenever it’s rainy, we love going down there,” says Lauren. “We have hurricane lanterns, and we light those and listen to music.”

Laid-back Living

Nothing in the home is fussy. “I didn’t want this place to be rigid at all,” she says. “I always think of Alice in Wonderland, when the walrus and the carpenter build the little oyster shack. It’s all messed up—they throw it together quickly, and the wood’s not perfect.” Flexible furnishings, like the butterfly chairs in the living room, move around as needed. Vintage kilim rugs from Lauren’s shop add softness. Her collection of seascapes, found over the years at flea markets and antiques stores, brings color to the cypress-paneled walls. With the exception of an old factory cart that corrals keys and the kids’ treasures, there’s no room here for clutter. The Lost Cottage has lovingly cajoled the family into subscribing to what Lauren calls “beach minimalism.” “You realize you need so little to be content,” she says. “When we decided to buy the house, that’s something we were really excited about—to say, ‘Okay...we have to live differently.’ It’s been great for us.”

Revel in the Throwbacks

“I loved the original cabinets when we bought the house, but we rearranged the kitchen so much that we weren’t able to salvage them,” says Lauren. To keep their old-school spirit intact, she selected a vintage-seeming style from her own collection with Unique Kitchens & Baths. “They were inspired by antique cabinets you’ll see in a lot of old farmhouses,” she notes. French crab traps turned pendant lights, Caesarstone countertops, and a Big Chill fridge round out the spot, which has windows that open to the back deck.

Think Big in Small Spaces

In a move that might feel counterintuitive to anyone but a veteran designer, Lauren anchored the living space with an oversize coffee table. “Putting larger furniture in smaller rooms makes them more comfortable,” she says. “It gives that feeling of expansiveness.” They covered the existing brick fireplace in concrete for an updated look and pulled in a slipcovered sofa from the designer’s collection with Taylor King for a durable place to steal a snooze.

Invite the Outdoors In

She tackled the primary bedroom much like she had the main living area, raising the ceiling and installing a sliding glass door. “I got white linen curtains so they would blow in and I could hear the ocean,” says Lauren. “I wanted a peaceful space where I felt like nature was coming in.”

Make Use of Every Inch

Carving out five individual sleep spaces in a small corner called for a little math—and custom beds. “The bunks fit to the inch,” says the designer. “Two of them are not as long as standard ones, and we just shoved the mattresses in.” Exterior sconces cast a glow in all the bunks, and the guardrails are made with fishing nets. To cut down on additional furniture, each child has one drawer for their clothes and a niche in the wall to hold their beach finds. “It rarely feels cramped in there, but it generally feels messy,” says Lauren with a laugh.

Embrace Natural Beauty

Lauren chose pebble tile for the bath, carrying it across the floors and up the shower walls. “You can feel them underfoot,” she says. “They’re very tactile and natural.” A new vanity, which was designed to look antique, plus exterior lights give the renovated room a warm and worn-in appeal.