For the Pups
Many of you wrote us to inquire about the indoor/outdoor dog beds we added to the cottage recently. Here are some more views, along with some of our other favorite pet gear:
Lil' video from the Cottage
A little hello from our tiny home in Venice! 👋
(Thank you Shotgun Honeymoon for the wonderful music!)
Father's Day at the Cottage
This post was sponsored by Baileys.
From the first moment we discussed the possibility of having children together, I knew my husband Adam would be a wonderful father. He has a calm and carefree way about him that encourages everyone around him to be at ease. His presence reminds me to relax and breathe— it’s a rare and valuable trait that’s so helpful in the context of becoming a parent, and raising a child in a busy world.
For Adam’s first Father’s Day as a dad, we agreed to celebrate simply. No presents— we have everything we need already, and tiny homes function better with fewer items anyway. Instead, we’ve opted for a quiet night in Venice.
We have lavender in our garden here at home, plus there were buckets of it at our local Farmer’s Market as well, so we decided to use it in a celebratory Baileys cocktail shake.
We rode around town on our bikes gathering up the other groceries we needed. (West has grown up enough now that we can secure his car seat into the cargo bike, which has been amazing.)
Adam came up with a quick and easy concoction that we threw into the Vitamix after dinner:
• 2oz Baileys
• 2oz Bulleit Whiskey
• 2 Cups Ice
• 1 Cup Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
• Topped with Lavender Sprigs
Earlier this weekend, Adam installed a little shelf on our Dutch Door, which is the handiest little add-on for our tiny kitchen. We put it to good use while making our drinks, and while enjoying the porch after West fell asleep for the night.
The ingredients smelled so good that we couldn’t get Sophee to leave them alone while we were preparing the shakes. (In the end, she only knocked over one glass. Given her track record, it could’ve been worse. )
This was a laid-back and delightful way to observe a special occasion together. We wondered: why scream over each other at a restaurant, or go out and contend with LA traffic while a babysitter watches our son? For us, being in our little home with our little family is the perfect way to connect, celebrate and surround ourselves with love.
The Dog Dirt Dilemma
The following post was sponsored by Bissell.
I receive numerous questions on Instagram about how we manage the dirt and hair left behind by our pups, Stanlee and Sophee. How do we deal with it all in our white home? How do we keep the place so clean? Has our patience for it changed since having baby West?
My first answer is always that there is dog hair and dirt everywhere. (While Sophee sheds very little, Stanlee sheds so much that it's a wonder he has a coat left at all.) Then my follow-up reply is that we simply have to vacuum daily, keep removable cushion covers on the couch, and wash our bed quilt constantly. While we'd figured out how to clean up the daily dirt, we'd yet to prevent it from occurring so intensely in the first place.
Frankly, we should bathe Stanlee and Sophee far more often than we do-- especially since we regularly take them to the beach and the dog park. But the last time we had the pups groomed here in LA it cost us around $120, and mildly traumatized them. Now that Adam and I are trying to save more of our income for West (and for some exciting plans here at the Cottage in the near future), we are searching for any way to cut back on spending. And since we're now both here at the Cottage all day long, it seems ridiculous to hire someone else to tackle a job that we could accomplish ourselves. While searching for a solution, BISSELL reached out to us with a product they suggested we try-- their BarkBath:
Overview: This is a self-contained, mess-free system, so you can use it inside if you don't have an outdoor space. Compared to bathing the pups in our stand-up shower (which always results in scratches all over my body and a killer backache) or washing them with the garden hose, this is extremely easy and FAR less messy. And it effectively reduces the dirt regularly entering our home in the first place.
Usage: At first, Sophee was skeptical of the nozzle attached to the bath. So I put a treat on the head and presented it to her, and she quickly got over her fear. Stanlee, on the other hand, didn't mind the nozzle, but he jumped at the hum of the machine itself. Luckily there's a long hose attached to the bath, and once I put some distance between him and the device, he was fine with it all and loved the feeling of the nozzle on his coat. The bath and the de-shedding brush worked perfectly, and they cost nearly same price as one trip for two dogs to the groomer. Over time, this will save us money, along with the hassle of transporting the pups, and time spent cleaning more dirt from the cottage.
Storage: As always, we are cautious about bring any product we don't absolutely need into our tiny Cottage. But this bath fits easily alongside our suitcases and slippers under our bed. Given the hassle and money this will save us in the future, we're so glad we tried it, and that we now have it at the ready.
Everyday Details
This post is sponsored by The White Company
Spring is my favorite season here at the Cottage. The garden grows rapidly, looking lush and bright, and we can fully benefit from our tiny indoor-outdoor setup. As it's our first spring here with baby West, we've been exploring new ways to modify the Cottage to suit our evolving needs. We've found that it's the little changes that have been the most practical. Tiny details have enabled us to enjoy our space more and more. I partnered up with The White Company to share some of my favorite updates for happy, easy small space living.
Now that West is nearly able to crawl, we were having a tough time relaxing in the garden with him, as the pavers that are scattered throughout most of the property were too dangerous for him to sit on. We tried a couple of children's play mats, but the materials were synthetic and too thin to protect the baby from hitting his head against the rough stone. Luckily I discovered the Aubrey Outdoor Mattress. Not only is the outside fabric composed entirely of linen and cotton, but the mat is thick and large enough for us all to lounge on comfortably and safely. Suddenly our entire yard became available to us again in our new lives with our son. Regardless of how long this lasts, it is bringing us immense happiness and satisfaction during the prime outdoor months. We've even started using the mat inside, protecting West from bumping into the hardwood floors during tummy time. The mattress rolls easily into a carrying case made of the same materials, and fits perfectly under my side of the bed.
Adam and I have also started donating and selecting belongings with childproofing in mind. For example, we're slowly swapping out our porcelain kitchenwares for wooden plates and bowls. We saw the benefits of this on day one, as West has already begun sweeping his hands across every surface possible, sending our things crashing to the ground. Since switching to mango dishes, we've been able to laugh and enjoy the moment, rather than scramble to clean up broken pieces before the dogs step on them. I pretty much love everything from their new outdoor collection, and from their organizational products. Patio accessories are usually more durable, which helps around pets and kids.
Another small nursery-related change we've made was giving up our changing table / bath combo. We loved it, and it was completely perfect for our son's first 7 months, but he was becoming too active to keep using it safely. We gave it to a family with a newborn, providing West with more room to scoot around in the house. This extra space in the bedroom means we have a bit more room for the functional decor we love so much. I've been able to replace our homemade swing shelf, and top it off with a various relaxing candles. All of our other candleholders now hold flameless light for safety, but it's been a simple pleasure to burn one remaining, beautifully-scented candle.
In the delightful rush of new parenting and running my businesses, I realized that Adam and I weren't making much time to take care of ourselves. Updating a few little things-- such as our bathrobes and towels-- made a surprisingly notable and positive difference in how we feel while going about our everyday routine.
I've also been trying to be more mindful of the fabrics I wear daily. I've learned that materials such as raffia and linen make me feel better, and that natural fibers don't irritate West's skin when he's pressed up against me.
Linen Shirt Dress in Smoke / Straw Visor / Cashmere Scarf (Coming soon)
We've always been fans of paying attention to the tiny details and moments, but now that we're a family of 5 every detail and every moment seem to hold more weight than ever. Here's to celebrating the everyday with the ones you love, in the places that bring you joy.
Stanlee and Sophee with a gorgeous gift box of essentials from The White Company
The White Company is opening their first store in the U.S. on June 15th in NYC-- check out some more info on The White Company store opening.
I acknowledge that I am partnering with The White Company in sponsorship for this post. All expressed opinions, photos and experiences on this post are my own, and are written in my own words.
Video from The Cottage on The Mine
I recently shot this lil' video at The Cottage with The Mine. (StanleeStubs makes a cameo, of course.) I hope you enjoy!
Christmas at the Cottage
December was a beautiful daze at the Cottage. The weeks rushed by, and West grew so much that Adam and I can hardly believe our eyes. I posted most of my content from the month on Instagram Stories, which allowed me to share moments from the Cottage without requiring me to spend additional hours at the computer away from West. My goal this holiday season was to spend less time fussing over presents, and to spend more time focused on my family. It was wonderful, and some of our highlights are below. Happy, happy holidays to you and yours! Thank you for making our entire 2016 so very merry & bright.
Market Friday
Today was a particularly successful one for me at the Venice Farmer's Market. Look at this pokeweed! EPIC. (Folks with kids and pets-- be careful if you put this branch in/around your home, as it's toxic. Luckily our pups aren't interested in trying to eat it.) This is my favorite branch to use in the house-- it's full and leafy, yet simple to cut and arrange. Plus it doesn't shed. The subdued plum-rose tone of the vines adds a pop of color without being too noisy for those of us who lean towards neutral tones.
I love to liven up our home with market greenery, as it allows me to change up the look as frequently as I want, without causing clutter, creating waste or costing much money. These branches were $10 total, and will last for at least a week.
I also stocked up on fresh produce for the weekend. At nearly 31 weeks pregnant, the baby and I are craving citrus, watermelon and peaches these days. There was no need to buy berries-- as you can see, we have PLENTY of grapes growing in our tiny garden right now!
Cozy in the Cottage
I decided to take a few weeks away from the blog in mid/late July and just stay calm and cozy in the Cottage. But as the month is somehow already over, we're back! August will be fairly crazy for both my creative firm and my personal brand, so I felt like it was wise to rest up before-hand (especially since I was particularly wiped during the transition into my third trimester). This post recaps a bit of what we were up to these past weeks. While I was still running my creative firm from my home-office, I took a significant amount of time to declutter in anticipation of the baby's arrival, relax when possible, and organize the little things that I'm sure we won't have time to tackle once our son is here.
PUPPY LOVE | First and foremost, we took time to overly-smother our pups with love. Everyone says that pets get neglected when a new baby arrives. We hope that won't be the case for us, but we wanted to give Stanlee (10 yrs old) and Sophee (1 yr old) as much attention and affection as possible, just in case:
We also had another health scare with Sophee a couple weeks back, and we were terrified that she wasn't going to pull through this time. Luckily this little adopted beagle is one hell of a fighter, and she is nearly fully back to her normal "Menace of Venice" behavior already.
Above: Sophee upon returning from emergency treatment at the pet hospital.
DECLUTTERING | While you can't see most of the decluttering we did, we certainly did a TON. We donated several car loads of clothing, shoes, home goods, dishware, and books. It feels good to see the surface of the Cottage looking so simple, and to know that simplicity is echoed behind every cabinet and within every drawer:
ENTERTAINING | We did some very low-key entertaining at home. I didn't feel much like going out (just too damn tired), but several of our amazing friends were sweet enough to make the trek to Venice to hang out at the Cottage:
Above: Justina Blakeney of The Jungalow, Erica Reitman, and Jennifer Harrison of Flea Market Fab having dinner at the Cottage.
Above: Lindsay Hollinger of Casa Joshua Tree (with Adam, Sophee and Stanlee's stub-tail) in the Cottage garden.
Above: My life-long bestie Nell (also pregnant!) and her husband Chandler visited the Cottage and canals for a summer movie night along the water. Nell officiated our home wedding and co-hosted my bridal gathering back in May.
HOSTING | We hosted some video and photo shoots here throughout the month. Once those wrapped, we spent time messing the house back up with my three year-old Nephew Finn and his infant brother, Digby. We enjoyed the outdoor section of the nursery with Digby, and started harvesting the grapes off the Cottage vine with Finn:
EVENTS | I did manage to make it out of the house for a few events, my favorite being this tastemaker dinner at Rolling Greens. How dreamy is this set-up at their LA location? (And how easy is it to pick out the giant 6'-tall preggo in the photo below?)
Despite all the sickness-- both Sophee's and my own-- it was a wonderful, peaceful month. I feel so grateful and so damn lucky to be surrounded by so much love and beauty.
I'll leave you with this-- my favorite Boomerang thus far. Here is our 10 yr-old adopted beagle-mix, Stanlee, leaping up onto the dishwasher while trying to scare a squirrel through the window. It makes me smile every time I see it...
Basics Don't Have to be Boring
I'm obviously a fan of keeping things simple. From color palettes to every-day goods and clothing, "the basics" help me save space and money, without sacrificing versatility or creative expression. Here's how.
DECOR - In small spaces, I've found that it's usually best to functionally decorate with neutral + white tones. They reflect light and allow a space to feel bigger than it truly is. Once you have the key items in place (in your cohesive color palette), liven things up and keep yourself from getting bored with your surroundings by using throws and market florals. You don't have to buy an entirely new coffee table to switch up the look and feel of your small living room-- just clip some fresh greenery from around the neighborhood and swap out your pillow covers and/or throw blankets on your sofa, and voila! It's amazing what a difference this can make, and all for a very low cost. (There are dozens of examples of this on my Instagram account.) Donate your old blankets to a local non-profit or a disaster relief organization-- they can always use the goods, and you won't need to find a place to store your old stuff.
This basic approach has helped me learn how to stop searching for "the next thing" and just be happy with what I have here at home. I've accumulated fewer belongings, and have found a wonderful level of contentment in the present. It's also why I'm so obsessed with my Friday morning market missions-- they've become a creative outlet / little weekly art project that helps me refresh and continually enjoy our tiny home:
WARDROBE - Applying the same technique to my wardrobe has made sharing a (small) closet with Adam an easy task (images & info on our clothing storage here). By sticking to the basics and using a few bright accessories to layer and liven up my look, I never get tired of my clothing-- and I don't have to routinely buy new articles that I'll then have to store. (Did you read the wonderful write-up in The New York Times by Carl Richards about this cyclical issue? I highly recommend it: "New Rule: All Purchases Subject to a 7-Day Mental Quarantine")
I will admit, one of the things that I really DO need storage for is my collection of market baskets, all of which I use on a weekly basis for the aforementioned purposes, and for carting botanicals to-and-from photo shoots. Luckily I found this vintage basket rack on Everything But The House, and I love it. It's simple, pretty, practical, and it brings me joy every day when I see it. (Sophee chewed through the plant that was there for the past 5 years anyway, so it was time to find a beautiful and useful replacement piece.)
So I challenge you to liven things up in your home & closet by paring your belongings down!
Our Tiny Wedding at the Cottage
On May 21st, Adam and I got married here at our tiny canal cottage. We've lived together in this home for 5+ years, and agreed that it would be the perfect setting for our lil' wedding. We said "I Do" on the front stoop, as our close friend Nell officiated the ceremony.
Handmade dress by Coralie Beatrix via Etsy • Suit by Combatant Gentlemen • Fresh garland by Viva Voce • Photo by Monica Wang
We'd been engaged for over 2 years, but kept putting the wedding off for a variety of external reasons. Initially we had planned on getting married in the tiny medieval village of Belcastel in southern France, where I've lived on-and-off for 10 years. I love the Aveyron region-- it's my home away from home. But over time it became clear that it just wasn't quite the right fit. Adam and I really wanted our celebration to be simple, accessible and intimate. We wanted to be able to truly focus on our friends, family and each other without being distracted by unnecessary details. Basically we wanted our wedding to be exactly like our home life: uncluttered by stuff, while overflowing with love. Luckily, it all turned out exactly as we'd hoped and planned.
As straightforward as we kept the event, it was still a DIY home wedding-- meaning it required a lot of work. But we started 6 months in advance, and had generous help from our families, friends and collaborators. We had a pretty tight budget (especially compared to the average cost of a wedding in Los Angeles), and we did not hire a wedding coordinator, nor an event planning company.
My ring-- an heirloom from adam's maternal grandmother • PHOTO BY MONICA WANG
THE VENUES
CEREMONY - Once we chose our date, we arranged to book the house next door, which is also around 360 square feet. We did this so we could have a 2nd bathroom and backup kitchen, and wouldn't have to bring in any portable equipment. While we wanted our "big day" to remain small, we certainly didn't want our guests and event staff to be uncomfortable within the space.
RECEPTION - We wanted the reception to be a no fuss situation, so we committed to renting out The Butcher's Daughter in Venice. The owner and designer is a good friend of mine, and the restaurant is one of my clients. Their Abbot Kinney location is less than a mile from our home, and basically looks like a large version of the cottage. (Photos below.)
IN LIEU OF A REHEARSAL DINNER - We decided to skip the rehearsal dinner. It costs so much money to secure a venue and menu, and takes nearly as much coordination as the wedding itself. (Plus we personally cringe at the idea of toasts and prolonged attention.) Instead, we opted for a casual brunch stroll the morning after the wedding, beginning at our cottage and meandering through the canals. This gave us the opportunity to show off the neighborhood to our guests.
INVITATIONS
For the ceremony (held at our cottage), we invited 60 of our closest family members and immediate friends. We invited an additional 60 guests to the reception (held at The Butcher's Daughter), and ended up with about 95 total attendees at the restaurant. We opted for digital invitations. I know digital isn't for everyone, but we LOVED it. About 80% of our guests replied almost immediately, and could simply click on our website upon receipt for additional information. No wasted materials, no time allocated for printing and addressing, no money spent on postage or stationary, and no paper clutter for our guests.
HOME + GARDEN PREP
Since we hosted the ceremony and brunch at our home, we started preparing well in advance. Adam and I both have full-time jobs (he works at a digital advertising agency, and I run a small creative firm from home), so I needed help getting the space ready. I worked with TaskRabbit for such to-dos, and they were completely amazing. Taskers helped me prepare the cottage in ahead of time by painting our new fence and assisting with gardening. Additionally, Rolling Greens helped me select new plants for the interior and exterior, which is something I'd been meaning to do for months anyway. It ended up being a wonderful and effective team that was super easy to coordinate. And there were no budget surprises-- everything was clear-cut, and cost only a fraction of what a traditional wedding/event planning team would have.
FURNITURE
We didn't require any rental furniture. We simply put out some of our regular folding patio seating for guests who needed to sit during our brief ceremony. We waited until 10 minutes before our vows to set up the chairs, because the garden and home are too small for those to have been in place the entire time. We said our vows "in the round," with guests on all sides (within the house and outside in the garden).
The only new piece of furnishing we acquired for the wedding was this garden bar, which was part of the sale I curated with Joss & Main earlier this year. Adam and I used a potting bench as a bar for years, but we liked the more vertical design of this set, as well as its ample storage. It was the perfect spot for the ceremony bartender from TaskRabbit named Ryan, who we adored.
The garden bar (from joss & Main), styled for the wedding events. i used live plants to decorate most areas, but also mixed in some clippings from the flower market. instead of buying event vases, i used bottles and glasses from the companies whose beverages we were serving: small batch oola liquor, santa monica brew works local beer, plus champagne and a selection of wines. Bartending by TaskRabbit.
GIFTING
I'm not going to lie-- I completely broke my simplicity rule when it came to the gifting. While we normally prefer to take a "less is more" approach here, I totally admit that gifting carefully selected goods to our guests was important to us. This was a way for us to thank our loved ones, while giving us a chance to introduce them to the items that we love and use daily at the cottage. Plus it was a great way to share information on Venice, along with a sampling of local art and eats.
We gifted to five groups. (Click on a category to see the full gift posts.)
1. Bridal Gifts (I didn't have "bridesmaids," but I still wanted to show my girls some love!)
2. Groom's Guys (Adam didn't have "groomsmen," but he still wanted to offer a token of thanks to his close friends.)
3. Hosts (Something extra for the hosts of the bachelorette evening and wedding reception.)
4. Out of Town Guests
5. Reception Attendees (Every party got a little bundle of items, including grow kits from Shop Terrain. The tagline on the planting box reads, "Grow Happiness in Small Spaces"... how perfect is that?!)
MENUS
I'm not much of a foodie, but we had the best time selecting our meals and beverage for the wedding events. The tasting at The Butcher's Daughter was wonderful, despite the fact that I had to pass on all the alcoholic beverages due to the pregnancy. (But Adam left feeling goooood.)
For the ceremony, Gjusta provided light bites, and we used our own small-space friendly CB2 dishes and glassware for the buffet and bar. For the cottage brunch, we had DIY mimosa stations (click here for the full story and images) in the garden, with bubbly from Winc, whose L.A. branch shares a building with Adam's office. TaskRabbit came to the rescue yet again by being our only resource for bartenders, servers, busers, cleaners, and last-minute delivery drivers.
We translated aspects of the menu into upcycled decor, which helped save us a bit of money. Instead of buying event vases, I used bottles and glassware from the companies whose beverages we were serving to display florals. We chose small batch liquor from OOLA, and local beer from Santa Monica Brew Works. (Bar tip: have a Soda Stream handy! It cuts back on tons of extra bottles.)
DECOR
The two decor elements we hired professionals for were the doorway garland and the photo backdrop. The fresh, natural garland was 26 ft long, and was created and installed by Viva Voce. It looked wild, alive and absolutely gorgeous. It was exactly what we wanted:
The hand-painted photo backdrop, created by Art Design Surface, was also perfect for the setting. It was a custom 4' x 6' canvas featuring Silver Philodendron, a plant we have inside the house and throughout the garden. (We'll certainly be using this canvas in photos for years to come.)
We didn't have too much decorating to do specifically for the event, as we wanted to keep everything uncomplicated and natural. Other than styling up the bar, we simply did what we do normally, and filled our usual glassware with clippings and market finds. In order to save money, Adam and I opted to make our own arrangements, and we visited the Los Angeles Farmers Market in Downtown LA to get all of our flowers and branches. We spent about $150 at the market-- and that greenery was used for gifting, decorating the cottage, and filling all the vessels at The Butcher's Daughter. (And we still had leftovers!)
We used beaker vases from cb2 (paired with farmers market clippings) to liven up the blank exterior walls at a minimal cost.
ATTIRE
Adam and I took an informal approach to the wedding overall. We didn't have an aisle walk, and we were present to greet our attendees upon their arrival at our home. We informed our guests via the website that the attire was "Festive Casual"... which basically meant, "Wear Whatever You'd Like." In keeping with the relaxed vibe, we wanted to wear comfortable clothing that upheld the sense of occasion without being too serious or too delicate.
I found my dress almost immediately via Etsy. I thought it would be a tricky hunt, seeing as how I'm 5'11" and pregnant. But it was truly one of the easiest clothing purchases I've ever made. I selected a versatile "octopus" dress from Coralie Beatrix, a family-run, California-based small business. Katie, the designer and maker, was extremely helpful throughout the entire process, and my dress ended up being so perfect that I didn't require one single adjustment, despite my ever-changing preggo body. I selected the Tulip Cut Lace Satin Octopus Wrap Dress in Abalone with off-white lace, and my friends wrapped the sashes into sleeves, and then down around my waist. I paired the dress with a matching off-white lace tube top bandeau for a little extra coverage on my sides and back.
I accessorized with a live succulent ring from We Are the Makers (local via Etsy), and nude wedges. I also had (and wore) a backup pair of handmade flats by Shop Painted Bird (also local makers). While getting ready, I wore the Texas Kimono in Ivory by my friends and neighbors over at Show Me Your Mumu.
Adam chose his suit from Combatant Gentlemen-- the same company that made the ties he gave to his buddies during his bachelor party. We liked the Summit Royal Blue Sharkskin Slim Fit Suit, which he wore without a tie.
And we obviously planned a little something for #StanleeStubs! Our first rescue beagle-mix has been by my side since he was 2 (he's nearly 10 now). I found a cute navy & coral bowtie collar via this Etsy shop, and Stubs sported it throughout the ceremony. Unfortunately our puppy Sophee wasn't with us for the wedding. She was attending a behavioral training course to help us all best prepare her for life at home with our baby come October. We missed her, but we were worried she would escape out the front gate anyway, so it was also safer for her to be in training.
REGISTRY
We used Honeyfund for our registry. We didn't want to do a registry in the first place, but everyone kept sweetly asking what to get us, and we realized that it was actually kinder to our guests if we provided them with some help, rather than continually insisting that they skip the presents. I've heard some folks say that they find non-traditional registries to be tacky, but I completely disagree. In our case, people would have ended up wasting their hard-earned money on items we can't fit in our home, or they would've gotten us gift cards to help us buy stuff that we just don't need. The Honeyfund was the perfect way for us to start our baby and travel funds-- and since those are the things that are the most important to us, our guests were completely happy to gift accordingly.
BEING FOCUSED AND PRESENT
Adam and I heard many stories about people being so stressed or in such a daze on their wedding day that they ended up forgetting most of it. We didn't want that to happen to us. Once the event started and our guests appeared (and they began arriving extra early, which apparently happens frequently with home weddings), we stopped working and started interacting. We were exhausted, of course, but we remember ever wonderful moment, and wouldn't change a single one.
PERSONAL PHOTOS
Here are some personal images of us with our family and friends. They're not the sort of pictures that I would usually share on my blog, but this occasion and post call for an exception. These photos say more about our life here at the cottage than any decor shots ever will. Adam and I wouldn't be who and where we are without having all these exceptional people in our lives:
Thank you everyone for your kindness and support. We feel it. We are so excited to bring our son into this extraordinary world so that he too can experience such incredible love.
Photos by/© Monica Wang Photography, with contributions by Whitney Leigh Morris and friends.
Tiny House Nursery - The Garden Lounge
Our first child-- a boy-- is due this October! Since our home is so tiny, we won't have a traditional nursery. Instead, we're getting creative with indoor/outdoor and mobile pieces. We started the first little phase of decorating last weekend, and it made everything feel much more REAL in such a beautiful way:
View from the bedroom stoop.
Obviously we will have a (mini) crib and other necessities inside the Cottage, but there is no space to fit a glider or rocker indoors. So we decided to update the garden just off our bedroom stoop to accommodate the nursery's lounge component:
View of the back patio, showing the distance from the bedroom stoop to the garden nursery lounge.
I pulled out my back while hauling everything around the house at 20 weeks pregnant during the post-wedding clean-up, but luckily my parents were visiting from their home in Florida where I grew up, and they helped me assemble this beautiful driftwood grey rocking chair from Joss & Main:
View from the bedroom to the garden nursery lounge.
It's important to note that we are very lucky here in SoCal to have fair weather most of the year, so that opens up our possibilities tremendously. We can cover larger items overnight or in the rain, and they are fine.
Sophee entering the bedroom from the garden stoop. our closet, on the right, will soon be redone as the nursery.
I added yard stakes by CB2, a throw pillow and blanket (which can easily come inside during inclement weather) from Loloi Rugs, a gorgeous handmade mobile by Sea & Glass, and a few other accessories and plants to warm up the space.
View from the garden lounge area looking into the bedroom. Our curtained closet will soon be redone to accommodate the crib and other nursery items.
in the garden (at 21 weeks pregnant) with stanlee and sophee. (Photo by adam)
And voila-- we now have a tiny, peaceful place outside for us to rest in the grass or rocking chair with our baby boy and the pups!
Updating the Cottage Garden with Rolling Greens
Our tiny wedding at the Cottage took place this past weekend! Everything went exactly as we'd hoped, and we couldn't be more grateful. (Wedding photos coming soon!)
In preparing our home and garden for the festivities, I decided I wanted to decorate with live greenery in lieu of traditional floral arrangements as much as possible, so I partnered with Rolling Greens in LA to make it happen:
Above: The stoop and side garden, where we said our vows.
ABOVE: THE STOOP WHERE WE SAID OUR VOWS, and the lil' porch between our cottage and the neighboring house.
Above: The front garden, where we set up our small-yet-mighty bar from the recent Joss & Main daily sale, inspired by The Tiny Canal Cottage. Exceptional bartending services provided by Task Rabbit.
We added three potted trees to the property (which made a HUGE difference on the more barren outside walls), along with about 10 medium house plants (the Silver Philodendron are my current favorites), and about 20 small plants including tropical varieties and herbs.
Above: Bougainvillea surrounding the Cottage garden.
I love wandering around Rolling Greens-- it's completely gorgeous, and feels like a hidden escape in LA. I live closer to the Culver City location, so that's the one I frequent, but there's another on Beverly Boulevard, too. The staff helped me select drought-tolerant greenery, and advised me on how to care for my existing plants as well. They delivered everything to the Cottage on the same day as my visit (which was extremely helpful, as Adam and I share one tiny car). They even provided me with a few tips on what to place where, depending on the varying levels of sunlight throughout our yard. I can't wait to share the rest of the photos with you soon!
Below: Images from my wedding-prep trip to Rolling Greens. (Click on thumbnails to enlarge.)
Images by Whitney Leigh Morris, Ghost Media, Lindsay Hollinger
#LoveMyCity Venice with Shinola
Our friends at Shinola invited me to partake in their #LoveMyCity campaign in celebration of their new Venice location, which opens this April on Abbot Kinney Boulevard (just a 5 minute walk from the Cottage). Adam and I are both sincere fans of the brand, so I was delighted to join in. (And you know I love any excuse to share photos of our beloved 90291...)
Based in Detroit, Shinola is dedicated to producing American built products of the highest quality. I've tried their watches, leather goods, pet products, and their bikes. Everything I've used is beautiful and meticulously crafted.
Here are some recent pix that Adam and I snapped of our Shinola favorites around town (at the farmers market, canals, beach, and local businesses).
Dealing with a Built-in Couch (while having 2 Dogs)
For those of you who’ve inquired about how we keep the house so clean while having two dogs, here are the honest answers:
- We simply don’t own much stuff. With fewer belongings, we naturally make less of a mess.
- Everything is washable.
For the past 5 years, we’ve used throw blankets to cover our white, built-in couch, which helps us handle the pet hair and paw prints. But I recently received THE BEST PRESENT that anyone has ever sent us for the cottage— custom couch cushion covers from @rachelashwell by @officialshabbychic:
When I first got the swatches, I literally rubbed them on the pups to see which cloth hid the most hair. (Our 9 year-old rescue beagle-mix Stanlee sheds A LOT.) I best loved the results and the overall look of the Grain Linen:
We've now had the covers on for two weeks, and they look and feel amazing. They've weathered the wear of the pups perfectly, and they help our little living room / dining room / guest room / office look clean and bright.
This is not an advertisement, nor a paid post.
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.
Temporary Dishwasher Cover
So many people have asked about the fun lil' dishwasher cover featured in one of our recent Cottage images:
The artwork pictured is a piece of wallpaper that was designed by my friend (and total genius) Justina Blakeney for Hygge and West. Instead of fully adhering the paper to the front of the dishwasher, I simply used four magnets to hold it in place.
Try extra strong magnets. Or, if you'd prefer to use adhesive, try something "damage free," such as contact strips.
Wrapping paper is a wonderful way to expand your options, and switch up your look at very little cost.
"Instagram We Love" by Domino Mag
Oh hey, Domino! We are so thrilled that you featured us as today's Instagram you love! Thank you!
Cottage Bedroom Garden Chandelier
January is such a weird month in the Cottage. The greenery outside is gone and all the winter holiday decor is packed away. The house just feels kind of bland and lifeless. Usually we see the overflowing grape leaves through the windows over our built-in bed, but in January and February we're stuck looking at the barren vines and the line of homes nearby. I decided to make a small greenery chandelier for the bedroom to cheer up the space a bit.
I do tons of handmade projects here, but I'm not a particularly patient person, so I tend to lean towards DIY-lite. This chandelier was quick and simple:
I got the smallest chandelier I could find and made sure that the lightbulb holders were still large enough for a standard small pot. I clipped all the electrical components off the fixture with garden clippers, leaving me with the perfect platform on which to put the pots.
I debated between white or clay pots. I ultimately chose terracotta, which corresponds with the color of the built-ins. We suspended the fixture from the interior wall of the skylight, and voila! We love it.
I was tempted to get succulents (I mean, look at those colors!). But in a tiny space like ours, I generally opt for simpler palettes to help the room feel uncluttered. But to each his/her own! There are endless beautiful options...
Sophee - Cottage Rescue Pup no.2
Back in August, we adopted another dog-- this time from Much Love Rescue. She was three months old, and was going to be put down after being a cosmetic testing animal. Luckily, Much Love saved her. They provided her with some necessary surgical procedures, and planned to put her up for adoption once she healed.
Adam and I initially intended to foster her... but we fell victim to a serious case of #FosterFail. We fell in love with Sophee immediately, as did Stanlee:
It was a tough start with little Soph-- she's had a run of serious bad luck and health issues. But, after months of routine trips to the vet (general and emergency), she finally seems to be on the mend. By mid-Jauary, we hope she'll be enjoying a healthy re-start.
Thank you Jax & Bones and Healthy Spot Marina del Rey for Sophee's new, custom bed in "Gatsby Grey". It looks beautiful in the Cottage, and both she and Stanlee use it constantly.
Here's to 2 (loud) dogs and 2 (large) humans living in 362 sqft and still loving each other endlessly.
More photos of the pups are available via our IG hashtags: #🐶sophee / #stubsandsoph / #stanleestubs