Budget Breakdown: Four Minnesota Housemates Turn Their Dingy Garage Into a Workspace for $26K
The friends scoured Facebook Marketplace and local salvage centers—locating such treasures as decades-old Douglas fir flooring from a decommissioned munitions plant—to remake the 600-square-foot space into a homey creative commons.
The friends scoured Facebook Marketplace and local salvage centers—locating such treasures as decades-old Douglas fir flooring from a decommissioned munitions plant—to remake the 600-square-foot space into a homey creative commons.
Kyle Huberty’s enthusiasm is contagious. "He’s really good at making unfun situations fun," says David Rollyn Powell, his closest childhood friend and surf buddy. A people person if ever there was one, Kyle, an architect at Minnesota firm RoehrSchmitt, along with his wife, Elsie, a clothing designer, purchased a 112-year-old Saint Paul duplex in 2017, set on bringing that same energy to communal living.
Fast forward to today and theirs is a full house—and still growing. Best pal David, an illustrator and graphic designer, moved in, along with his wife, Morna, a clothing maker and product designer who also happens to be Elsie’s younger sister, as well as their Australian cattle dog, Trout. In October 2020, the Hubertys welcomed a daughter, Birdie Lou. The Powells are expecting their first child this spring.
Before the pandemic hit, the Powells were often van-living on the West Coast, where David does a lot of his work (and, of course, surfing). But suddenly they were all home full-time, working, and one of them pregnant. So Kyle decided to retrofit the garage behind the house into a "creative escape" that would help the cohabitants set healthier work/life boundaries.
See the full story on Dwell.com: Budget Breakdown: Four Minnesota Housemates Turn Their Dingy Garage Into a Workspace for $26K
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