I mentioned this sweet lil’ cottage in the post with white exterior paint ideas. It is a 660 sf South Carolina charmer from 1889 that still lives on large. Once a working kitchen for a larger house in the neighborhood, the low country home was renovated in 2015 and now available as a vacation rental. (Yep, you can stay here thanks to airbnb.) Featured in Southern Living, this Southern Cottage living large is both adorable and inspiring with its practicality.
Tiny Southern Cottage Living LargeInspo
Smart Little Floorplan That Lives Large
This 660 sf Southern cottage didn’t just catch my eye with its sweet simplicity. Since we also a wee bungalow across town (567 square feet!), I’m big on tiny.
With space at a premium, I collect ideas to make the most of each inch. One of the first things we did inspired by this cottage? Added new house address numbers to the porch like this one:
This adorable cottage has an amazing wide Southern porch…8′ x 28′. In a home lacking square footage, that is a smart addition I would also love to add.
Cozy Pine “Shiplap” for Walls
What a difference shiplap makes with its texture, architectural interest, instant age, coastal personality, and ability to cover ugly wall textures. In this case, #2 tongue-and-groove pine flooring material went on walls to suggest age.
We opted for this material for walls in our basement renovation a few homes ago where we created a cozy, warm, established vibe within a massive space.
So many beautiful benefits of using wood boards on the walls when you happen to be a DIYer. No drywall dust. A cabin-cozy charm. The beauty of nature!
Southern Cottage Living: Atmospheric Neutral Paint Color
The cottage’s owners painted interiors Benjamin Moore Pebble Beach 1597 (cut at 25%), and it feels so calming.
So often folks browsing online for interior inspiration think they are looking at white walls when in reality, it’s simply the photography or lighting washing the actual color out. Here’s what Pebble Beach looks like as a swatch:
Such a nice cool contrast with the warm red of the wood floors:
Need more atmospheric neutrals to sample to arrive at the perfect one for YOU? It is always smart to take the time to consider several to land on the best option. This one’s a bit lighter (and may be closer to how Pebble Beach appears after cutting the saturation by 25%):
Quiet Moments is another gorgeous neutral to try if you love a little aqua in your gray:
Be sure to search my archives for paint color ideas since this is an oft-addressed topic on this blog.
Southern Cottage Living: Bedroom Mood Board Inspo
Need a starting point for a cozy cottage-y bedroom, here are some ideas:
Psst. I was one of the first customers to use Stikwood’s White Hamptons peel and stick wood panels in our former home. Remember it?
I love the look so much that I’m always tempted to repeat it here at the Georgian. My first choice is a gorgeous pale stone wall behind our bed, but that’s a much more complicated treatment than a 3-hour installation of beautiful reclaimed pine!
Wall Sconces With Limited Floor Space
If you have tackled space concerns in a tiny bedroom, then you know! Inches matter. In our own tiny house, a small bedroom became an office and the other needed to accommodate a queen size bed. You can clearly see below how sconces on the wall become essential!
There’s still room for a little side table, and notice how both the sconces and curtains on the bed canopy soften the look with so much linear interest.
Wardrobes Built of Plywood
When every little inch matters, smart solutions like this one live large. The built-ins were created with plywood since it is a thinner material.
And isn’t the window seat a lovely bridge to offer more storage?
Simple Moldings
No fancy moldings and baseboards here. Instead, simple poplar 1 by 4s cut and nailed to the walls, imparting a historically appropriate and humble look.
In a bedroom, built-in wardrobes don’t reach the ceiling, offering an airy look and space for dresser-top items.
Smart Sized Shower & Bath Storage for Tiny Homes
Did you know you you’re allowed to create custom-sized showers? This one is more narrow since the bath is on the small side, but it doesn’t at all look cramped.
Looks like calacatta gold marble for the shower floor which is such a timeless choice that will make sense now and forever.
I love how the homeowners chose an old spice rack for storage of towels and toiletries in this bath. Since it is only 6 inches deep, it’s perfect for the tight space and is still able to hold a ton of essentials.
Streamline the Kitchen
The kitchen in this low country cottage is a wonder, don’t you think? No wall cabinets to box you in, and such smart looking shelves which float on the shiplap.
There’s a timelessness to the design, and since they hid the dishwasher behind a cabinet door panel, you aren’t reminded of the year it was renovated.
Ready to become a guest here on your next visit to Beaufort?
Learn more details about the renovation at Southern Living.
Photos: Laurey W. Glenn and owner (Josh Gibson)
I independently selected products in this post—if you buy from one of my links, I may earn a commission.
Peace to you right where you are.
-michele
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