That was my motto when designing the interior of this delightful 290 SF guest cottage in the Mapleton Historic District in Boulder. A former garage was converted into a relaxing, yet fun studio space that is enjoyed by the home owners and their guests alike.
Small spaces work best, if clearly defined. Combining both striped and solid color carpet tiles and placing the patterned area in front of the door creates a visual distinction between the sleeping area and breakfast nook. Additionally the colors in the carpet stripes gave direction to the other colors and materials in the cottage.
The overall palette is modern, yet warm. Beetle kill pine—a sustainable and a beautiful material choice—is perfect in terms of its hue and pattern for the custom made armoire/entertainment unit, bath vanity, refrigerator door panel and built-in seating. Finished with a slight whitewash, it introduces a wonderful, more “natural” design element into the space. The seat cushions, the bookcase unit and the tiles in the bathroom all bring out splashes of color from the carpet tiles. And there’s storage even under the banquette seats— drawers deep enough files and other items.
Special attention was given to the storage needs in this space. The entertainment unit has bi-fold pocketing doors, which allow for a generously sized tv unit, yet keep enough space for circulation around the bed. In the armoire end of the unit, clothes are hung parallel to the door, which is a clever way to add hanging storage in a piece that has limited depth.
As plumbing for the sink comes directly through the floor, the bathroom vanity had to be carefully designed and built to accommodate that, yet to provide maximum amount of storage.
It is so rewarding working with building professionals dedicated to quality work and with clients who appreciate good design and attention to details. My thanks go to all parties involved in this great little project! The architect for the project was Lisa Egger and it was built by Ellis Construction.
