Inside a Teensy Canadian Bungalow That’s Packed With Big Design Ideas

For modern motel owner and Airbnb host April Brown, a big mix of artful accents adds up to one dreamy little bungalow.

By Betsy Goldberg
Photographs by Alpha Smoot

An updated take on traditional subway tile, this larger, four-by-four-inch version has a graphic look, especially with dark gray grout instead of the usual white. The blue cabinets are from the Sarah Sherman Samuel line at Semihandmade, a company that makes custom doors for IKEA cabinets. “I love the color for a lake house, because it’s equally fun and tranquil,” says Brown.

Robin’s-egg blue is a daring color for kitchen cabinets, but Airbnb host April Brown often makes gutsy moves, even in her career. The Calgary native initially left her marketing job to launch an “adult wine camp” in Prince Edward County, Ontario, with a friend, but when the venue they planned to rent (a run-down lodge) turned out to be for sale, they bought it, renovated it, and reopened it as the trendy June Motel. “We started with a palm-leaf wallpaper and added other retro prints and textiles,” she says. The cheery design garnered raves (and a big Instagram ­following) — so when Brown moved into a nearby lakefront bungalow, she decorated the 500-square-foot space with a similar big-­statement strategy.

“With a small home you don’t have much stuff to buy, so you get to spend more on a few things,” says Brown. Her splurge: a cool retro-style refrigerator, because “the kitchen is the focal point of the house.”

Airbnb host April Brown lounges by her Lowe’s fire table. “It’s a quintessential thing to be at a cottage and sit beside a fire,” she says. “This is an easier, more modern way to do it!”

“The trick is that you can’t just take ten things you like and throw them together,” she says. “You need to find one thing you really, really love and build everything around that.” Airbnb guests are drawn to her home’s stylish touches (gold-hued headboards, woven pendants), but to Brown, the best part is that most of the accents are surprisingly affordable. “You just need to be deliberate about the pieces you pick,” she says. “Look for beautiful shapes and comfortable materials, plus a few quirky extras for personality.”

A wine rack serves as a side table. (Guests receive a bottle from a local vineyard when they arrive.)

Boho living room

Anchoring the main hangout area is a leather Sven sofa from Article, Brown’s all-time favorite. “I’ve bought this same couch for three different spaces! It’s sophisticated but comfortable, and the warm camel color is a nice contrast to the blue in the kitchen,” she says. The vintage rug “pulled in all the right colors,” and the West Elm coffee table is adjustable in height, so it doubles as a desk. “I’m a huge from-the-couch worker. Having that functionality in a tight space is key, and the table’s slim legs keep the room from feeling too heavy.”

“You go down a rough gravel road to get here, and the house has lots of windows, so it’s really beautiful. The sun sets right in front of you every night.”

— April Brown, Host

Brown originally placed a chair by the door but realized that a dresser — an unconventional pick for this type of spot — would work better. “I needed the storage space,” she says, “and it gave me room for a record player on top.”

A large mirror bounces light around the home’s other bedroom.

Spa-like bedrooms

To help her tiny white bedroom feel open and airy, Brown mounted an IKEA shelf at the top of the wall and lined it with potted faux plants. “It gives you something up high to focus on, so you’re not just looking at a bed in a very small room,” says the host, who filled the base of the pots with white pebbles to keep the plants sitting straight. A macramé chandelier and metallic vintage headboard glam up the quiet color scheme.

With minimal deck decor, the focus is on the deep hues of the lake and trees.

Location: Consecon, Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada
Host + Home: April Brown

About the author: Betsy Goldberg is the Deputy Editor (Home) of Airbnb Magazine. Previously she was the Deputy Editor of Real Simple and HGTV Magazine, Editorial Content Director at Bed Bath & Beyond, and an editor at UsWeekly, Modern Bride, and New York Magazine. She is co-author of BusinessWeek’s Guide to the Best Business Schools, and her writing has also appeared in Glamour, Health, Martha Stewart Weddings, and Money.