After living full time in New York City for five years, Lauren Wesley Spear and her partner, Michael Goesele, were on the hunt for a rural escape that would help them decompress from their fast-paced jobs as a design director and creative director, respectively.

“We’ve had a lot of friends migrate to the Hudson Valley, but instead we chose the Delaware Valley, west of New York,” says Lauren. “We fell in love with a small hamlet called Barryville.”

It was here, in the Sullivan Catskills less than a two-hour car ride from the city, that the couple found a two-bedroom, one-bathroom midcentury cabin, now dubbed the Highland Bungalow. Nestled on three acres of a wooded hillside near a private lake, the property balanced seclusion and accessibility. At just 700 square feet plus a 200-square-foot screened porch, the home felt like it was just the right size. “People looking for second homes usually want something larger, but small spaces speak to us,” says Lauren.

Knowing that the neglected cabin would need some love, Lauren and Michael put in an offer right away. “Whenever you buy something from the ’50s, you’re in for a lot of surprises,” says Lauren. “It really had a life of its own in the need.”

What they imagined to be a quick project evolved into a gut renovation that took six months to complete with the help of friends and subcontractors. One major focus was making the home energy efficient, as it had never been insulated. Aiming to preserve its original charm, Lauren and Michael installed Craftsman doors, well scaled appliances, and tongue-and-groove pine in lieu of drywall.

Before: Living Room

After: Living Room

Before: Kitchen

After: Kitchen

Shop the Look

Before: Dining Area

After: Dining Area

Before: Bathroom

After: Bathroom

After: Main Bedroom

After: Second Bedroom

After: Exterior

The Highland Bungalow is available to rent on Airbnb.

More Before & After:

An Enlivened DC Residence Now Channels California Cool

Two Former Circus Performers Remodel Their Home Like a Refined Big Top

Project Credits:

Builder/General Contractor: Sullivan County Restoration Group

Interior Design: LWS / @_el_wesley_

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Before & After: A Creative Couple Revive a 1950s Cabin in the Catskills