You know those little buildings in the woods that make you wonder, “do I really want to open that door?”

This was one of those. Truth be told, we didn’t know for sure if it was on our property until then, so we decided to break the lock and peek inside.

Perhaps it once served as a bona fide outhouse, but when we peeked inside at the end of last summer we discovered it had become… a closet for cobwebs and junk. The exterior was an awful, flat brown; the roof was shagged with moss (but I actually like the moss); and the whole thing just felt tired.

This summer I decided to give it a second life—coastal-cabin style.

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The Vision: Make It Playful + Practical

We didn’t need another bathroom, but we did need a spot for lake gear. My goal: keep the footprint, give it personality, and turn the inside into clean, grab-and-go storage for life vests, fishing poles, and canoe paddles.

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Before

Cobwebs, peeling wood at the base, and a faded, frowny vibe. It blended into the trees in the saddest way. In fact, many small tree limbs and debris were piling up on the roof!

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Paint + Shutter Refresh

We matched it to our cabin with Sherwin-Williams Salty Dog—a deep, happy navy that makes greenery pop and feels perfectly nautical in the woods. After a good sweep and scrape, I rolled on two coats. Already… swoon.

To complement the navy, I gave the old green shutters a fresh coat of paint, brightening them up for a crisp, cheerful pop. That little touch helped the window feel alive and polished.

Then, I got rid of that nasty fabric  hanging in the window!  I replaced it with a cotton stripe fabric I found at Hobby Lobby.

Tip: Navy is magic outdoors. It hides grime, makes bright accents sing, and works with any season.  If you have an old building, eveni if it’s rotting in places, paint it dark…it will hide those imperfections.

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Buoy Makeover

Last summer I scored a bunch of buoys—some destined for our lobster-trap coffee table—but many were bleached by the sun and water. I gave them a color refresh with spray paint in bold stripes and solids (think tomato red, tangerine, lifeguard yellow, lime, aqua, and candy pink). Then I staggered them along the sides and back of the building with nails and rope loops

The result? A wall of color that looks like a cheerful harbor scene.

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A Cape Cod Surprise (The Wreath!)

On a quick Cape Cod trip this summer, I found the most perfect door topper: a wreath made from lobster netting and old ropes at a local gift shop, Wellfleet Marine Retail, made by Lobster Loot Cape Cod. It feels like it washed ashore just for us—sun-faded, textural, and perfectly scrappy.

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The Finishing Touch: A Fisherman in the Window

While I was at the shop, I spotted the cutest fisherman made of driftwood. I reached out to the artist, Heather of Sea Hags Studios, and she created one in yellow for me.

He now “stands” in the window between the freshly painted green shutters, keeping watch over the lake like a salty little captain. It’s whimsical and just the right wink for a once-utilitarian building.

You can follow Heather on Instagram here and get a custom order or see what she has in her Etsy shop.

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Inside: Lake Gear

We cleared the junk and designated the outhouse as our small-but-mighty lake locker. Inside you’ll find:

• Extra life vests

• Fishing poles

• More canoe paddles

• Fishing tackle

Everything’s easy to grab on the way to the water, and just as easy to put back.

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After

   
Salty Dog blue, refreshed green shutters, bright buoys, net-and-rope wreath, driftwood fisherman, and a tidy interior—she’s gone from “don’t open that” to “come take a peek!”

Want more cabin projects?

I’m sharing new updates all summer (and yes—my shed mural is happening and I’ll be revealing it soon!). Come hang out on Instagram for behind-the-scenes and daily color joy.