The Bouji Bolthole - From dusty storeroom to boutique tiny house stay
- Olive & Wilde
- Jul 10, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: May 7
The Bouji Bolthole
Tiny House by the sea used as a holiday let
Location – Weymouth, Dorset
The Project
Olive & Wilde transformed this rundown outbuilding into a unique tiny guest house. The space used to be an old bakehouse dating back to the Victorian era but had been used as a dumping ground by the previous owners and was very much unloved and in need of attention. The brief was to turn this space into a boutique holiday let property that would make guests feel like they were somewhere in the Mediterranean, not in a traditional British seaside town.
The Budget ££
The budget for this renovation was relatively small at £20k, so we had to be creative and ensure we were maximising the budget throughout the process. The space was also very small, under 50sqm, so the layout was crucial to ensure optimal comfort for guests.
The budget included, but was not limited to the following
- all labour costs
- light fittings
- furnishings
- flooring
- kitchen
- refurbished stairs
- bespoke window
- installation of new bathroom
The Before
The space had lots of doors and an awkward layout. It was decided to block in the main entrance door, which used to be at the foot of the stairs, so that a stair return could be added to make the steps up to the loft room less steep and more accessible. The internal window was knocked through, to open up the space, and rejigged the layout to make the old store room the new walk-in shower room. This enabled us to create a small kitchenette space in the main living space. The double doors onto the alley way were also blocked in and a long narrow, high level window was built in that opening instead to allow morning light to flood in, and to allow for privacy.
The Design Stages
After the initial consultation and site visit, a Design Concept was created. This contained a sketch of the new layout, including the new shower room, an optimised furniture layout in the living space, an electrical plan, a colour scheme, moodboard and a lighting and furniture shopping list.
The Results
The Bouji Bolthole was completed with a fast turnaround of 12 weeks, as it had to be live and ready for the start of the spring season in Weymouth, so that the client could maximise their occupancy. As it happened this property was completed in February 2020, so sadly sat empty for the first few months, but is now a top performing property and has over 120 reviews.
The Reviews
“To begin, not only was this place beautiful and the interior was phenomenal and made it a cozy get away. Laura’s communication was fantastic and helped me with all my questions. The place was in an ideal location next to the train station and a short stroll into town, fantastic! It had everything we needed!” Hope – AirBnB
“The Bouji Bolthole is a must stay! More akin to a Beach House, Laura has beautifully furnished this fab spot which is a less than 5 min walk from the beach. The bed is super comfy, living space is ideal for two and the shower and yummy toiletries provided is excellent! The location couldn’t be more perfect and as a host, nothing was too much trouble for Laura! Will be recommending it to anyone I know who wants to visit Weymouth and can’t wait to visit again! 10/10” Alissa - AirBnB
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