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Welcome to the Cottage.

The Tiny Canal Cottage is a resource for helping folks mindfully conceptualize, decorate and enjoy versatile + smaller home spaces. Founded by designer, consultant, stylist, creative director and author, Whitney Leigh Morris, this family-owned small business recently finished the construction of a new, compact cottage and greenhouse-office in the southeastern US, and are also restoring a little 1800s French farmhouse and its outbuildings with co-stewards. Morris’ focus is crafting flexible, sustainable, and more community-focused home spaces. Explore Whitney’s book, blog, and social channels for years of tips and tales from living and working in — and with — a smaller footprint.

Eco-Friendly Woodland Mural for the Kids' Bunk Wall

Eco-Friendly Woodland Mural for the Kids' Bunk Wall

Whitney Leigh Morris
Family, Small Space Living, Eco

From the beginning, we wanted the kids’ shared room to have plenty of color, life and character, while also flowing well with the rest of the cottage when viewed through the room’s open double pocket doors.

BEFORE

To achieve this, we painted the ceiling and select furnishings in a delightful shade of green chosen by our six year old, but we left the walls the same color as those in the main room. Since two of the walls are filled with large windows, that left two blank white walls. One of those is now a growing gallery wall, visible only when standing within the room. The other is the wall behind the kids’ convertible bunk bed.

This wall is the largest uninterrupted stretch of space in the kids’ room, and it’s visible only from within the room and certain spots in the kitchen. So we knew it’d be the perfect spot for a vibrant, playful mural.

Our six year old chose a woodland design from Rebel Walls, and we are all thrilled with how it turned out. The artwork features delightful clothing lines with unexpected details, treehouses, and wooden + rope ladders, all teetering magically within tree branches of lush green.

The mural took a morning for two of us to apply, owing to the angle of the ceiling (which tops out at 12’+) and the tight dimensions in which we were working with two ladders. It was a straightforward process that went quickly once we got the feel for the application throughout our experience with the first panel. I’d absolutely recommend these murals to anyone considering them, as this one brings us joy daily!

Here are some of the eco-minded reasons we picked a mural from Rebel Walls:

  • They offer a customized product, keeping no stock of wallpaper that risks being discarded.

  • Their wallpapers are printed on Non-woven FSC Certified paper.

  • Rebel Walls uses printing technology, that is 100% pure from solvents and other harmful substances. The wallpapers are completely free from damaging VOC substances, and have no negative impact on people, animals or nature.

  • The raw material is transported to Rebel Walls in large quantities in order to need as few deliveries as possible— currently just 2 times a year.

  • Rebel Walls produces very little waste, but the waste they do get is recycled locally.

SOURCES

  • Mural: Rebel Walls

  • Venting Skylight: Velux

  • Paint: Valspar, Blanched Thyme

  • Floor: Recovered + reclaimed remnant cypress + pine from The Goodwin Co.

  • Bunk Bed: Click here

  • Bunk Cushions: Fragments Identity

  • Eco-friendly, healthy mattresses: Avocado

  • Most other items: Vintage, handmade and hand-me-down

One Small Step Towards a Cleaner, More Stylish, Eco-Friendlier Kitchen 

One Small Step Towards a Cleaner, More Stylish, Eco-Friendlier Kitchen 
Multifunctional Furnishings for the Children’s Shared Bedroom

Multifunctional Furnishings for the Children’s Shared Bedroom