When Tiffany Jen found this Catskills home on Zillow, it had been listed for some 350 days. “That was not a great sign,” admits Tiffany, a Brooklyn-based designer and motion graphics artist. But she and her then-partner had been house hunting for over a year, endured three failed offers, and gone on more than 100 tours in search of that “dream cabin in the woods,” so they still went to see it. And despite being rundown, it held more promise than a long sit on the market might imply.

Before: Exterior

The designer had been visiting the area for years—spending “all our weekends,” she says—and liked that her very first home purchase could be one that she also rented for income. The problem came during the closing process, when Tiffany and her partner broke up unexpectedly, turning the shared dream and investment into a solo endeavor for Tiffany. She tried not to be overwhelmed by the new challenge of remodeling the house alone, without any previous experience, and two hours north of her base in New York City.

After: Exterior

Luckily, Tiffany was able to lean on loved ones for support and guidance. Her father, an architect, helped her draft plans, recommended fixes, and advised on how to stick to a budget. An interior designer friend came through with renderings of interior concepts. Another pal, a designer and woodworker, constructed the new stairs and all of the built-in furniture, from the couch beds in the loft to the table in the breakfast nook. “I just felt really fortunate to have all of this support and help from my friends in the architecture world,” says Tiffany.

Before: Kitchen

After: Kitchen

Still, there were many challenges and lessons learned. One contractor she hired was dishonest and unreliable. When the septic tank needed maintenance, finding someone to work on it in the remote area was not as easy as a Google search in the city. The contractor gutting the kitchen found wasps in the walls. “Renovating a home is quite a journey. I had no idea what I was getting myself into,” remembers Tiffany. “As a designer in the 2D world, I live with a fast pace and instant finishes.”

Tasks like repainting all of the walls and ceilings white were daunting, thanks to double-height ceilings in the living room. “I had to rent scaffolding, and that was really challenging—I have this fear of heights,” says Tiffany. “That was about a six-month process.”

Then there was the emotional toll of trying to make her budget stretch. “There were a lot of moments where, halfway through the renovation, I just felt like I couldn’t afford anything,” she says.

Before: Living Room

After: Living Room

Along the way, there were also many victories, as Tiffany learned new skills, including how to refinish furniture and upholster a headboard. She was able to furnish the house with a mix of vintage steals from Facebook Marketplace and off-the-shelf finds. “I'm very much inspired by Memphis design,” she says. So, she started with a neutral palette, then peppered it with fun colors and unique furniture shapes. “I didn’t want too many clashing textures and colors, but just hints here and there, with a mixture of contemporary art.” To that end, the new kitchen furniture references Donald Judd’s work, the walls are dotted with Tiffany’s and her friends’ art, and unexpected color accents—like the coral dining room table and grass-green wall decal behind a bed—crop up throughout.

Shop the Look

Before: Dining Room

After: Dining Room

Before: Stairs

After: Stairs

Before: Loft

After: Loft

When the project wrapped up earlier this year, Tiffany had a party—or more accurately, a “big sleepover”—to thank everyone involved and celebrate how far they’d come. “Everyone was like, ‘Wow, I can't believe [the house] got here.’ They remembered coming in the first day after I closed and camping on the floor when it was all gross,” says Tiffany. “It was a very emotional moment.”

Before: Bedroom

After: Bedrooms

Casa Magda is available to rent on Airbnb.

Related Reading:

A Creative Couple Revive a 1950s Cabin in the Catskills

Project Credits:

Builder: Franz Kirckl

Interior Design: Tiffany Jen / @casa_magda

Cabinetry Design: Craig Kaths

Furniture: Pedro Motta

Photography: Charlotte Bae

Appears In

Before & After: A Designer Turns an Ugly Duckling Into a Luminous Catskills Retreat