Text by Cindy Cooper
The porch welcomes friends and family with its vintage wicker furnishings and a settee made from an antique bed. French towels cover pillows and a lampshade for a soft, subtle nod to Gallic culture. Ferns and flowers bring the outdoors right up to the front door.
The crystal chandelier is the pièce de résistance in the front room. The white walls provide the perfect backdrop to showcase collections of suitcases, hats, and furniture. The antique mantel displays a grouping of family photos in a variety of silver frames, while surrounding bookcases enclosed with glass doors protect favorite reads. An unexpected element is added with a furry covered bench for extra seating.
A small butler’s pantry connecting the front room and dining room provides storage for collected china. Another crystal chandelier hangs above the table and accompanying chairs, which are skirted in ruffled linen. An antique window repurposed as a mirror reflects light into the room and provides a focal point.
French doors open to each bedroom, exposing layers of collected linens and plenty of pillows inviting guests to rest and relax. Souvenirs, costume jewelry belonging to the homeowner’s grandmother, and vintage accessories are displayed as objects d’art on two antique mannequins. Both mannequins are then amusingly crowned with a French hat.
Two small rooms located on the back of this tiny cottage were combined into one room for entertaining friends—namely favorite neighbors that drop in daily to chat while dinner is being prepared in the open kitchen. Ceiling heights were raised to provide space for open shelving now displaying the owner’s white pottery collection. Soft accents of seafoam paint were used on several cabinets, adding just a hint of color. The reclaimed doors in the hallway were also brushed with the same shade to echo the color palette in the kitchen. Filled with things loved and cherished, this tiny cottage lives large.
