Ginger Curtis will never forget where she started. The interior designer launched her studio, Urbanology Designs, in 2015 after surviving cancer. In the ensuing years, she’s grown the firm, now based in North Richland Hills, Texas; fielded projects nationwide; been a finalist on HGTV’s Faces of Design and Design Star; and wrote a book. But it all began with a backyard shed.

Two years before starting her firm, Ginger and her husband set the shed up as her own personal workshop. “I was sketching and designing furniture, and I had started building prototypes,” says Ginger. “I knew carpentry, and I knew how to use a sliding compound-miter saw. I would spend hours in the workshop with my youngest, who’s now nine.”

In 2020, and when Ginger and her family moved to a home that had a standalone guest cottage, naturally that space became Ginger’s new place to experiment with design. “It became my little laboratory,” says Ginger. “It’s where I test anything new that I want to explore.”

Before: Main Room

The 900-square-foot cottage has one bedroom and one bath, with the main living spaces clustered together in a central room with a vaulted wood ceiling. For the most part, Ginger wasn’t a fan of the existing finishes, including a wall of shelves in the living room. “The original built-ins were very ‘Texas rustic,’ which is not my vibe at all,” says the designer.

As a self-proclaimed “hands-on” designer, Ginger started testing ideas. “I have to touch, feel, and see it—working with a material, fabric, or piece of furniture really allows me to experience the design in a very tangible way,” says Ginger. “Then when I put it out there to my firm, and the world, and to my clients, I’m very enthusiastic about it.”

Phase 1: Main Room

In the first phase, Ginger went “moody,” repainting all of the existing built-ins, including the living room and kitchen cabinets, in a deep green color. In the kitchen, she removed all of the upper millwork to lighten the visual load, consolidated storage in a tall pantry cabinet, and replaced the granite counters with a rich, dark wood. Custom Urbanology pieces completed the room, including a bench and dining table of her own design, as well as handy stools that could be moved around easily as needed.

After: Main Room

Then came the vision for a whole new approach to the shelves. “I wanted to go back to my roots, and a very organic vibe,” says Ginger. To achieve a more sculptural look, she carved out arched niches and added an integrated bench. She flew in a craftsperson from New Braunfels, Texas, to have the built-ins finished in microcement, a decorative coating formulated from a mix of cement, minerals, acrylic resins, and coloring that’s applied in a thin layer. “I was testing it, and I was like, ‘These are going to be a massive failure, or the greatest thing I’ve ever done,’” says Ginger.

Before: Kitchen

After: Kitchen and Dining

Since microcement is waterproof, it can be used inside or out. Ginger liked the living room results so much, that she applied it the finish the bathroom as well, coating the vanity, shower, and a built-in bench.

“It was so fun for me, because it’s like a Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde thing: I love a bright and organic modern, but I also love deep, moody, and eclectic,” she says. “So, it was a very fun experience to give myself the freedom and the permission to do one thing, and then change it to another.”

Before: Bedroom

After: Bedroom

So, what’s next? “I love the bones of what I’ve created,” says Ginger. “But I can definitely see myself cycling through different furniture pieces. I have an extreme love for vintage furniture, so I imagine myself weaving that in. In fact, I have some in my garage waiting.”

After: Bathroom

More Before & After stories:

Once a Dingy Garage, This Charming Casita Is a Love Letter to Texas

A Convoluted Midcentury in Texas Gets a Family-Friendly Overhaul

Project Credits:

Builder: MHM Living / @mhmliving

Interior Design: Urbanology Designs / @urbanologydesigns

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Before & After: A Designer Turns Her Tiny Guest Cottage Into a Lab for Big Ideas