Living small(er) — minimalism and small spaces

16 Wednesday Sep 2015

Posted by Karen B. in Cottages, House and Home

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It seems there is a trend towards minimizing. Living a full life with less stuff…the ‘less is more’ theory is alive and well. There are several blog sites dedicated to helping those interested in accomplishing this task. I confess I drank the kool-aid. I too, find myself paring down, weeding out. I assumed my motivation was due to where I’m at in my life [read: age]. After 7 months of actively working on selling, giving away, or tossing items, I really like the feeling of living with what I love. This, for me, is not minimalist in the usual sense, since much of what I love involves stuff that I’ve collected along life’s journey and I treasure those items. For me it’s culling the boxes of things that are no longer useful, my adult kids don’t want, or that maybe someone might treasure.

Minimalism is not a lack of something. It’s simply the perfect amount of something. – Nicholas Burroughs

In the same area of interest, I’ve read a lot of articles about smaller houses being in demand. I think that part of living with less space is so very personal. One man’s 4,200sf house may seem small for their lifestyle, family needs, etc. Our 1,750sf house is feeling large in the way of the maintenance involved in caring for it. Don’t get me wrong, we’re not ready to sell and buy an Airstream, but there have been conversations about the possibility of townhome living in the future. All of this got me to thinking about that cottage I’ve always dreamt of and what that might look like, as well as some of the larger homes that are labeled as “cottages”. So here are some pretty cottages, and a couple of homes that aren’t quite cottage-sized by U.S. standards.

I’ve written on this topic before, HERE, HERE and HERE.

Is this the Brit’s idea of a small house? I doubt it, but I have to share a line from an all time favorite Jane Austen movie…

Are there any Sense & Sensibility movie fans out there? Preferably the 1995 Ang Lee version, starring Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet & Hugh Grant? Fanny, the not so nice sister-in-law, says this of Barton Cottage, “Oh, a cottage! How charming. A little cottage is always very snug” [while knowing that she [Fanny & her husband] will be moving into the beautiful, large, estate that Elinor and her mom and sisters are forced to move from due to British law. Does this look like a cottage to you?! -below-

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This is what I envision as a cottage…stone walls, nice roofline and a soft, welcoming glow from the windows. For more images of the interior of this dreamy cottage visit Caroline Holdaway Designs.

{Designed by Caroline Holdaway ~ Photography by Simon Brown}

This might be a backyard studio…it appears to be very small, but isn’t it sweet?

The cozy feel of a cottage has been interpreted for us though lots of movies, but I realize I don’t live in England, probably never will, and that rooms in a smaller home in the U.S. will probably have a different feel. Still, here are some of my favorite small space rooms.

This charming home was posted a few years back on Cote de Texas. The home belongs (or did at the time) to artist Melanie Millar. It’s a charming, but smallish home.

{Cote de Texas ~ Artist Melanie Millar}

While I love the open floor plans so popular today, its the the tucked away rooms, the surprises, that appeal to me. The dining nook below may have been something with an entirely different purpose before.

{Cote de Texas ~ Artist Melanie Millar}

Cindy over at Rough Luxe Lifestyle did a post on Musoka Living Interiors last month. I fell in love with their style and this bedroom in particular.

{Rough Luxe Lifestyle ~ Muskoka Living Interiors}

Dan Marty always managed to make any room seem comfortable, large or small.

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Sometimes smaller rooms may force you to employ double-duty of pieces of furniture or rooms. This table, turned desk space, could be wonderful in any living room.

This towel bar serves as a pan holder, clever use for a small kitchen.

The breakfast bar doesn’t have to be strictly utilitarian, the canisters and flowers make this bar such a pretty addition to a small space.

{Chris Barrett Design}

Can you imagine yourself living in a smaller home? Maybe once the nest is empty?

Cottage Living

15 Wednesday Apr 2015

Posted by Karen B. in Cottages

≈ 29 Comments

Hi, Friends. How is your spring going so far? Some of you are just now getting a taste of the season. Isn’t s p r i n g wonderful?!

I think I may have mentioned, I’ve been paring down. Mr. B. and I are trying to weed out items that we no longer use, neither family or friends want, and just generally getting rid of stuff we often wonder why we purchased it in the first place. {Does that ever happen to you, or am I the only compulsive buyer out there?} 🙂 Our home is more cottage than castle and we love it, but it has been stretched to it’s limit storage-wise so it makes sense to create a little more space through elimination.

Even when I realize that storage is critical to an organized life, I lean towards liliputin sized spaces. A tucked away corner brightened by family heirlooms and a bouquet.

I used to attend the annual Pasadena Showcase House of Design. The event provides funding for community music programs. Often the homes were historic mansions, and they were beautiful, but invariably, when one existed, I fell in love with the carriage house.

The romantic in me imagines living in a cottage the likes of which you might see in England or other historic European or U.S. locations. I wonder if I’ve pared down enough for one of these beauties…

Parts of Carmel, California offer cottage lovers a community of pure and simple cottage-paradise. One of my favorite areas in this seaside village is the Comstock Historic District. The wavy roof shingles provide a thatched roof feel and I absolutely love the charm they provide the cottage.

{The Grant Wallace Cottage}

Another treasure in the picturesque village of Carmel is the Tuck Box. I could live in this cottage. It was designed and built by Hugh Comstock, famous of his cottage structures. It is believed he used the Tuck Box as either his office or home (or both) when it was completed in 1927. It is now a garden and gift shop has been in commercial operation since 1930.

{Tuck Box, Hugh Comstock}

Before we leave the west coast, the final cottage from Carmel is the ‘Hansel’ designed and built by Hugh Comstock. This was his first cottage. You can read more about it HERE. The half timber, slightly crooked, stone fireplace is charm in itself.

{Hansel, Hugh Comstock – Carmel, California}

I’m moving on…The Holiday cottage, rom-com enthusiasts will recognize. This isn’t even a real cottage but a shell made for the 2008 movie. I don’t care! It embodies the image of an old cottage somewhere in the U.K. (where it snows a bit for the holidays) and is equipped with 2 fireplaces, who could ask for anything more?

{The Holiday – Kate Winslet’s cottage}

This English storybook cottage seems, from the exterior, roomier than most cottages. Ivy on brick is wonderful and the cottage garden is icing on the cake for me.

{English Storybook Cottage}

Thatched roof, rose covered walls, leaded pane windows…do you think this might be too small? Maybe, but how cute is this? I’ve heard it used to belong to 7 dwarves. 🙂

{Fairytale Cottage}

{Cottage Garden}

I believe I could be happy on the east coast of the U.S. Jeffrey Bilhuber, designer, found (or rather it found him) this charming cottage on Nantucket (as a summer retreat for himself) as a result of an interview with Architectural Digest. Picket fence, shingled facade, and more rose covered walls…swoon.

{The Rose Cottage – Jeffrey Bilhuber – Architectural Digest}

The barndoor on this sweet cottage in Siasconset, Nantucket would be very inviting.

{Summer Cottages – photo by Thisisbossi}

Here are a few rooms I can imagine within any of the cottages above. The plaster walls and the rustic ceiling make this living area seem like it could be part of a cottage.

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A cozy corner of a room where you can pen a note or sip a drink.

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A small, but well planned kitchen with a dine in space.

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Could you live in a cottage?

If cottages capture your heart, like they do mine, visit Once upon a time…tales from Carmel by the Sea, you won’t be disappointed.

{Garden, Home} Backyard buildings

09 Wednesday Oct 2013

Posted by Karen B. in Architectural elements, Cottages, House and Home

≈ 29 Comments

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Backyard buildings

Backyard buildings, cottages, potting sheds, play houses and the like have always held great appeal for me.

Maybe a small brick structure to house the croquet set. 😀

Some years ago I worked for a home builder who participated in an annual event held for a charitable cause, where 5-6 home builders would volunteer their services to build “play houses” for auction. The builders were so creative and often these houses would auction for several thousand dollars. Below is an example…you can see why they were popular, there was no detail left undone.

I suspect Project Playhouse planted the seed but I’m not even particular about whether its a decked out playhouse or a chicken coop (which our city doesn’t allow, they allow the coop, not the chickens). I just love the idea of a structure in the backyard where I could sit and read, store a few small garden tools and Olivia and I could play tea party.

As I’m sure you are aware, chicken coops have hit the mainstream. Williams Sonoma even offers one.

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This coop rivals some homes I’ve seen…maybe my fair city would allow this one.

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Garden, Home and Party: Backyard buildings {source}

There isn’t any room in our back yard for a structure, not really. This is Southern California, many yards are the size of a postage stamp. But since I’ve always liked the idea, I’ve done what I usually do…set up a folder and saved images I find on the internet and blog sites. It’s like tearing pages from a magazine, only less clutter.

Wouldn’t you love a place where you could sleep in the backyard, in cool comfort during warm summer nights, yet feel like you are surrounded by nature?

There are coyotes in our area that are not shy about jumping fences, but with doors on my backyard retreat I think I’d be safe.

{source}

This cottage structure looks like it may have been built finding salvaged items…I love the idea of building a little garden shed using old windows, hinges and doors.

{Inside Story}

Our Austin son build a structure in the ample backyard of their first home. He used to work from home so this offered the quiet of an off-site office with the convenience of close proximity to the main house. I don’t have a picture of the structure but this (below) reminds me of it…

Now, if I lived on a lake or some other body of water, this would be the “backyard” structure I’d be longing for…

Garden, Home and Party: Backyard Structures {tumblr – That Inspirational Girl}

This simple structure is probably more my speed…doesn’t it look cute?

{Inspiring Interiors}

…or even something as small and simple as this…

Garden, Home and Party: Backyard structures {source}

I’d probably only need enough room for a chair and a box of Olivia’s toys where we could pretend to cook and enjoy a snack.

When there is room for more, this is what I lean towards…my fellow garden enthusiasts will agree, wouldn’t this be wonderful?

{Photo by: Joseph De Sciose via Southern Living}

The truth is, it isn’t so much the structure as it is who happens to reside (pretends to reside, in this case) there…

Do you have a playhouse, garden shed, backyard cottage?

I’m joining in the fun at Art @ Home with my post…it makes me happy so it should qualify as My Happy List.

{Home and Garden} Home away from home

13 Thursday Sep 2012

Posted by Karen B. in Cottages, Decorating, House and Home

≈ 18 Comments

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Cottage in the Cotswolds

For as long as I’ve been married to Hubby (which is a very long time), we’ve joked talked about living in England, at least for a few years. We’ve vacationed in England several times, always feeling like we’re visiting home away from home.
Inspired by a recent series of posts by Mona of Providence Ltd. Deisgn on her virtual cottage plans [here, here and here], I decided to create a virtual cottage in the Cotswolds for my files. You never know what opportunity waits around the bend.

{Providence Ltd. Interior Design}

I had the good fortune to visit the Cotswold area in 1995 with two of my closest friends. For me it is one of the most beautiful areas of England.

The area is served by the market towns of Moreton-in-Marsh, Chipping Campden (a personal favorite), Stow-on-the-Wold and Winchcombe, and the larger villages of Broadway, Blockley and Burton-on-the-Water, all of which provide good shopping and other amenities for everyday needs.

I fell in love with Chipping Campden and that is where I’ll find my “virtual” cottage. It will be exactly as I imagine…

Maybe it will be on one of the waterways through town,

or have a fabulous vista.

I imagine the entry to be slightly smaller than the one below, but with a Dutch door, lantern and room enough for a table to throw mail and keys on.

I will probably go with a neutral palate in the country but I’ll have plenty of warm, colorful throws and seasonal pillows to brighten the space.

{House Beautiful}

My Cotswolds cottage will have a stone fireplace (above) or something like this (below)…

{Griege}

As you walk out of the living room you’ll pass through a hallway to the kitchen, along the way you’ll undoubtedly encounter the occasional antique table with a few old pieces on display…

{source: Tone on Tone} If you love Swedish antiques and accessories, a visit to Tone on Tone is essential.

Loi writes a very entertaining blog as well.

The kitchen will serve double duty as a place to cook as well as dine. The chandelier will give it some casual formality.

…and off the kitchen there will be a little sun room, with a banquet where you can enjoy a quiet corner to read the paper and sip some tea…oh yes, there’s tea, plenty of tea.

{Heather Bullard}

There will be trays doing double duty to keep the smallish kitchen orderly.

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The master bedroom will have a reading corner (above), I know I’ll enjoy the sun streaming in the French doors with a good book and cup of tea and a throw, it will be very cozy.

…and since this IS my home away from home, I’ll need lots of bookcases to house the books I’ll get to read so the wall of our bed will provide the headboard and bookcase storage.

This is the guest bedroom, please join us for regular visits!

I know the grandchild(ren) will be visiting us so I will make sure we have plenty of sleeping space for her (and more?).

With spare time a great soaking tub will be a necessity.

Hubby and I will have to share a single sink, but that’s okay, we’ll be on vacation.

The guest bathroom will be on the smaller size as well.

I’ll have to have a garden bench…English cottage gardens are my favorite.

There will be a mudroom where I can store the great French mirror I picked up at a sale…

{Atelier de Campagne}

…as well as some storage for vases and cache pots ready for flower arrangements.

{Providence Ltd. Interior Design}

Do you think it’s premature to pack my bags?

If you were to buy/build a home away from home, where would it be?

Speaking of luggage and such…I’m visiting my long time friend, Linda on Bainbridge Island, Washington. This post is being published without me (I placed it in the queue) but I will not have access to a computer until my return on Tuesday. If you comment, thank you so much, I’ll reply Tuesday. Have a wonderful weekend. I hope to have some great pictures and stories to share about this pretty spot on the Pacific Northwest.

{Home} Cottage rooms

07 Thursday Jun 2012

Posted by Karen B. in Cottages, Decorating

≈ 12 Comments

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Cottage rooms

I thought since posting the exterior images of many of my recent favorite cottages, I would do a post featuring some of the rooms you might see once your walk through the cottage door…

This neutral palate would make any living room comfortable and inviting, but the smaller size seems like something you’d find in a smaller/cottage-sized home.

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A small kitchen most certainly can be an efficient kitchen, like the one below.

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I loved this image for it’s clever use of the cabinet and counter; the table for two is so charming. Toile lined cabinets seal the deal for me.

This small bathroom is a favorite, the black and white framed photographs and the white seem so crisp and clean for the space.

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Hubby had this Ikea chair (below) during a work assignment in Oakland some years ago. The Ikea ottoman has storage space in it and the chair is very comfortable.

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I like this idea, using the space between the studs in a wall for storage works well for this tiny bath. I haven’t incorporated this into any of our renovated space but I may one day!

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Isn’t this bedroom cute, love the paneled, slopping ceiling.

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Talk about making good use of space with clever storage solutions.

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Even a cottage can find room for a garden work bench…

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…and room for doggies is a MUST!

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Maybe even a cat!

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There are always ways to save space and a small home/cottage forces me to be more creative with storage and to edit some of the “stuff” collected along life’s path. What do you think? I love hearing from you.

I’m over at No Minimalist Here today, stop by for a visit.