Architect Greg Dutton came to our attention a few years ago, when he designed and built a 600-square-foot Scandi-Inspired Off-the-Grid Hut on his parents’ sprawling cattle farm in eastern Ohio. Recently, we discovered he’s helped them add another 600-square-feet guesthouse on their property. This one, while radically different, shares the same elegant, simple-is-best spirit.
Though it wasn’t long ago that his family purchased this cottage, they’ve been thinking about it since Greg was a kid growing up on the ranch. “The cottage is directly next to our farm. You can see my parents’ house on top of the hill,” he says. He remembers every time they’d drive by the small home, his mom would make a comment about how it would make a great guesthouse for visiting family and friends. So, decades later, when the property was put up for sale, it felt like kismet.
Greg, as the architect in the family, and his wife Liz Dutton, an interior designer, were put in charge of the remodel, a challenging project that proved to be more restoration than renovation, as they strove to highlight many of the cottage’s original charms. It was also, it turned out, a bonding experience with his dad. “My dad has a love for restoring old things, and it was fun to work with him on bringing the house back to life,” he says.
Below, Greg walks us through the family affair.
Photography by Erin Kelly, courtesy of Greg Dutton Studio.
![\2\20;this was a labor of love,\2\2\1; says greg. \2\20;it 17](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/dutton-cottage-midland-architecture-greg-liz-dutton-kitchen-733x489.jpg)
![the home\2\17;s pink kissed palette was inspired by the original pine fl 18](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/dutton-cottage-midland-architecture-greg-liz-dutton-kitchen2-733x916.jpg)
![the pantry, d here, is original to the home and inspired the rest of the amish 19](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/dutton-cottage-midland-architecture-greg-liz-dutton-kitchen3-733x916.jpg)
![square zellige tiles in casablanca white, from zia tile, make up the backsplash 20](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/dutton-cottage-midland-architecture-greg-liz-dutton-kitchen4-733x916.jpg)
![the view from living room into the kitchen. 21](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/dutton-cottage-midland-architecture-greg-liz-dutton-kitchen6-733x916.jpg)
![the original working fireplace. the napoleon chairs were sourced from jayson ho 22](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/dutton-cottage-midland-architecture-greg-liz-dutton-living-733x916.jpg)
![the vintage hutch was sourced from garden style living. cafe curtains in the li 23](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/dutton-cottage-midland-architecture-greg-liz-dutton-living2-1-733x916.jpg)
![about the chesterfield sofa: it\2\17;s \2\20;a well loved rh sofa 24](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/dutton-cottage-midland-architecture-greg-liz-dutton-living3-733x916.jpg)
![a vintage jenny lind bed in one of the two bedrooms. a ceiling height shelf for 25](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/dutton-cottage-midland-architecture-greg-liz-dutton-bedroom-733x916.jpg)
![\2\20;i found the tub sitting in the backyard of an architectural salvag 26](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/dutton-cottage-midland-architecture-greg-liz-dutton-bathroom-733x916.jpg)
![like the tub, the vintage sink was found at columbus architectural salvage. the 27](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/dutton-cottage-midland-architecture-greg-liz-dutton-bathroom2-733x916.jpg)
![the sweet re built front porch. greg and liz decided on a muted yellow for the 28](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/dutton-cottage-midland-architecture-greg-liz-dutton-exterior-733x489.jpg)
For more projects by the couple, see:
- Hygge in Ohio: An Architect’s Scandi-Inspired Off-the-Grid Hut
- Kitchen of the Week: A New Heart of the Home for a Young Family in Columbus, Ohio
Frequently asked questions
Who designed and built the Scandi-Inspired Off-the-Grid Hut in Ohio?
Architect Greg Dutton designed and built the Scandi-Inspired Off-the-Grid Hut in Ohio.
What did Greg Dutton help his family add to their property recently?
Greg Dutton helped his family add another 600-square-feet guesthouse to their property recently.
What was the challenging project that Greg Dutton and his wife Liz worked on?
The remodel of the cottage proved to be more restoration than renovation, as they strove to highlight many of the original charms.
Who did Greg work with to bring the cottage back to life?
Greg worked with his dad, who has a love for restoring old things, to bring the cottage back to life.
What inspired the pink-kissed palette in the cottage?
The original pine floors inspired the pink-kissed palette in the cottage.
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