Video: Tiny Takeaways (Ep.5)
This is the fifth installment of our mini video series, Tiny Takeaways. In this episode, we’re highlighting some easy ways to maximize outdoor spaces! For 200+ more tips for making the most of your compact home or apartment, explore our lil’ book: Small Space Style.
Banquette Seating + Storage
When we updated our porch earlier this month, we replaced our outdoor sofa with banquette-style seating along the back lattice wall. We'd first considered designing a built-in, but we decided instead to keep this small space flexible to best accommodate our ever-changing needs. I selected two, 4' teak storage benches, and worked with the delightful folks at Cushion Source to create custom outdoor cushions that transformed the storage benches into one long couch that spans the entire gap between our two tiny cottages:
We opted to order two 4' sets of cushions rather than one 8'-long set, so we could separate the benches and still use them for seating if/when needed. The results ended up being EXACTLY what we'd hoped for. The benches contain patio accessories and larger toys, while the cushions are durable, waterproof, and can easily withstand the wear-and-tear brought on daily by the pups.
Cushion Source also created custom cushions for the surface and backing of a low wooden step that sits on the right side of the porch next to West's bedroom door:
The step can't be removed, as it covers utility hardware that juts up above the surface of the porch. I was worried that West was going to fall and hit his head on the sharp corner of the wood, so we decided to convert the step into toddler-height seating. The new cushions extend just beyond the corners of the wood, making it much safer. Now all of us use this little step-chair every day.
Since the redesign of the porch, we've been using the space every chance we get. As the weather grows warmer, I'm sure we'll lounge, play, work, and even nap out here more and more with each passing day.
Creating a Divider with Greenery
When we acquired the front tiny house, we knew we needed to modify our porch to suit our updated living situation. The porch, which is 8’ wide and nestled between the two craftsman cottages, was formerly outfitted with an outdoor couch and a folding dining set. We loved it, but we found ourselves using the pieces less and less.
"BEFORE" - The porch between the cottages shortly after we moved in.
"AFTER" - The porch between the cottages. We had it set up this way for years in order to accommodate dinner guests or host happy hours.
"AFTER" ... again! The porch updated for West and his friends, as well as all the parents.
We host guests for meals very infrequently these days, whereas we spend more and more time here with West in lieu of sending him to daycare. Additionally, a fair number of our friends had children around the same year we had West, so our social gatherings now involve bringing several children (about 5-8 toddlers per event) together at once. So Adam and I decided that it was time to turn the couch into dual-purpose storage / lounge seating, collapse the dining table, and convert the resulting square footage into a play space.
A full blog post on the transformation is coming soon, but I wanted to tune in to one particular obstacle with which we needed to deal during the conversion. How would we keep the end of the porch (which drops about 1’ down to the stone garden pavers below) safe for the newly-toddling kiddos?
We borrowed a plastic baby gate from a friend to test out, but it was too flimsy for West. We then tried a temporary, metal garden gate. Unfortunately it was pretty ugly, and it felt like a barricade. We didn’t want to discourage the kids from entering the garden— we just didn’t want them falling dangerously backwards into it on accident.
I found three perfectly-shaped, compact, outdoor planters at Ikea (there were some great runners-up at CB2, too,) and I asked the skilled team at Rolling Greens to help me find friendly, space-dividing plants to add height, weight, beauty, and life to the troughs.
I love any excuse to visit Rolling Greens in Culver City.
Rolling Greens lined the planter boxes with plastic to keep the soil from falling out the slats, and then surrounded that wrap with moss to beautify the exposed segments. They then filled the boxes with little Olive Tree plants. They added a pop of color on the parameters with a touch of secondary greenery, then topped it all off with bark, and voila!
Now we have low space-dividers to trim the edge of the porch. The boxes are too heavy for the kids to push over, but light enough for us to shuffle around when needed. Adults and the pups can step between the planters, but now the kids won't go tumbling or bolting off the side of the porch!
We absolutely love our new, living porch barrier. Thank you, Rolling Greens!
Tiny Garden Tips
Do you have a tiny yard? Or perhaps just a stoop or fire escape? Don't overlook the possibilities-- even small outdoor spaces can be beautiful and functional! Below are a few helpful mini-garden tips that routinely come in handy here at the Cottage.
Photo of the Cottage garden by James Tse for THE NEST / THE KNOT Magazines.
1. GO VERTICAL - This is the best piece of advice I can offer folks living in small spaces. Be creative, while always remembering to please be safe and smart when getting crafty with your vertical decor. Hanging trays, suspended starter beds, and "gutter gardens" are a great way to begin growing your greenery, and they function particularly well in window frames, and on external walls.
For our home wedding last month, we gifted a mix of Grow Kits from Terrain to all of our guests. We loved the tagline from the kits: "Grow Happiness in Small Spaces." (How perfect is THAT?) The kits are all made in the USA, and are simple, pretty and eco-friendly. We kept two for ourselves ("Grow Herbs" & "Grow Sunflowers") so we could continue to expand our garden. Rather than keeping the egg crates inside the house, we strung them from our back gate, along with our gardening tools.
2. SEMI-CIRCULAR DESIGNS - Another handy concept for small outdoor spaces are half-circle tables and accents, like this planter along our fence:
We have two of these planters, which we move around the property depending on the occasion and season:
3. LATTICE GARDEN - One of our favorite outdoor areas here at home is the porch, where we have an 8'-wide lattice garden. Balcony planters and pots hung with "S" hooks enable us to switch up the plants and their placement regularly. The vertical, potted garden offers some additional privacy from the neighboring house, while also beautifying our lounge area:
Photo of the Cottage porch by Monica Wang
Photo of the Cottage garden by James Tse for THE NEST / THE KNOT Magazines.
4. MULTI-TIERED CARTS - No room to go up? Try layering plants on a compact, vertical, multi-tiered rolling / bar cart:
Photo of the Cottage porch by Monica Wang
And don't forget: plants, cafe lights, outdoor textiles, and patio rugs can transform even the smallest, shabbiest spot into a lush getaway in your own backyard!
Here are a few more ideas we love for displaying your clippings and small plants: A garden chandelier (read more), yard stakes, wall vases and miscellaneous hanging planters:
Cottage Porch on Domino
What a delight to wake up to the Cottage porch (and #StanleeStubs) on Domino this morning!
We were excited to see our client, The Butcher's Daughter, in the slideshow, too! Check it out here in "21 times we had MAJOR patio envy" via Domino.
