I walked into the paint store and said, 'Give me one of everything!'
In 2009, Kat O'Sullivan and her partner were struggling creatives who decided to leave Brooklyn and purchase a shabby 18th-century farmhouse on 16 acres of land in Woodstock, New York.
There was so much work that needed to be done, but Kat was more than up to the task of transforming the home that would become known as Calico, or "The Rainbow House" with its psychedelic and brightly-colored murals covering the exterior.
The couple transformed the so-called "janky old farmhouse" in Woodstock, New York with their bare hands, $1000 worth of paint and unbelievable amount of artistry and creativity. The major renovations were made on a budget using recycled materials and DIY elbow grease.
As you're about to see, stepping inside The Rainbow House is like stepping into a fairytale…
Kat O'Sullivan and her partner had no idea what they were getting themselves into when they purchased a run-down farmhouse from the 19th century.
"At first it was the kind of house you would drive by and never notice," Kat wrote on her site.
They began major renovations on the Woodstock home in 2009 using recycled materials and DIY elbow grease.
"This was the day I walked into the paint store and said, 'Give me one of everything!'"
"The very first night we spent in the house we went nuts and tore up all the green linoleum," Kat says.
"We found 7 more layers of hand-painted historic linoleum … There was even newspaper in there from 1859."
Kat, an artist and self-proclaimed "weirdo," painted murals on every exterior surface of the house.
The finished product, dubbed "The Real-Life House of Oz" and "The Rainbow House," is a visual wonder.
Stepping inside this home is like entering a fairy tale, complete with customized DIY furniture, countertops made of pennies and eccentric shrines built around toasters.
Here's the staircase before and after Kat's work.
"It's like being in an MC Escher drawing."
In the "jungle room," Kat displays treasures from her years of traveling.
The "ballroom" is filled with unique artwork and vibrant colors.
The kitchen before…
…and after.
"The kitchen was one of the hardest rooms to get just right. It is the heart of the house!"
"Nothing beats an old wood floor."
"These masks are from my beloved Ecuador. I bring a few back in my backpack every time I go down for New Year’s eve."
They transformed the library into a hidden speakeasy with a built-in bar.
The bright bedroom provides an excellent view of the pond outside, which is full of snapping turtles.
"Built in 1840, she is eternally a work in progress."
Absolutely stunning.
