Budget Breakdown: With Her Marriage Ending, She Built a Cabin for the Next Season of Life

Interior designer Maggie Smith moved from Los Angeles to Seattle at the height of the pandemic. Although she knew the move would be tough, what she didn’t expect was to find herself going through a divorce. Suddenly looking for ways to take space and get out of the city, Maggie discovered nearby Whidbey Island. "It’s such a short trip," says the designer of the short drive and ferry ride over. "I used it as this little escape on the weekends for my daughter and me." Originally from the East Coast, Maggie was also drawn to the quiet, seaside feel of the island. "I grew up on a lake in New Hampshire, so Whidbey reminded me of home."