Before & "After": Turning a Construction Zone into a Garden & Outdoor Lounge
Note: While the following is a “before & after” post, the “after” is still very much a work in progress, and will remain so for years to come…
Approaching the outdoor design at our new cottage has been a challenge for me. After 9 years of working on our previous garden, we’d FINALLY gotten it to look and function exactly the way we’d long envisioned. (You can see some of the before / after photos scattered throughout this page on the blog.) But then, a single and short year later, we moved. To start all over again — from a construction zone, no less — felt both overwhelming and beyond budget.
BEFORE: February 2022. We built in an empty field so that no trees or branches needed to be removed. The Live Oak stump is leftover from a beautiful, ancient tree that split and fell down naturally years ago. The Sago Palms were here upon our arrival, and are toxic. We removed the ones that drop seeds, and we keep the pups well away from the palms remaining.
Above: May 2023
So we started the only way we could:
S-l-o-w-l-y.
BEFORE: March 2023. I desperately wanted a natural willow fence, but in this environment we truly require a utilitarian barrier at the foot of the cottage to securely keep gators out while keeping our pups in. Enclosure is about 26’ x 26’.
Above: Work in progress. The vines will eventually engulf the fence posts and climb the porch supports, and we plan to establish shade-tolerant, oversized shrubs behind the sofa to obscure the underside of the cottage and create a living, breathable backdrop of green behind the sofa.
Our wonderful neighbors guided us through much of the process, teaching us more about native and regionally-friendly plants, and helping us obtain reduced prices on trees that would’ve otherwise been beyond our price-point. (They also collected all the plastic nursery pots for return to / reuse by the locally-owned plants shops.)
Our goal with this first pass at the garden was to restore the natural ground cover that was destroyed during construction, diversify the species of plants for both pollinators and shade, let select areas re-wild, and better conceal the underbelly of the cottage, which is built-up 5-6 feet above the ground due to flood safety requirements.
Over the course of several months, we planted the following around our cottage:
5 Fruit trees
6 Shade trees
12+ Creepers & vines
12+ Blooming shrubs
7 Herbs & Veggies (to compliment the 72 edible plants on our Lettuce Grow towers)
25 Shrubs
32 Cord grasses
Seeds: sunflowers, coreopsis, sweat pea, and more.
For natural (and free!) garden edging, we used dry fallen branches we’d collected over time. We hauled them home from around the land via cargo bike, wagon and Jeep.
We let the shape of the branches dictate the flow of the space.
The branches formed the pathways and zones within the space. We deliberately didn’t bother with weed barriers— more on why below.
The branches keep the gravel and mulch separated, and provide a natural surface for animals and plants to explore.
In a few spots within the fenced-in garden, we used mulch and pea gravel to delineate between pathways and plant zones. We didn’t bother with weed barriers, as the pea gravel wasn’t chosen for aesthetics, but for establishing natural drainage and solid, less muddy pathways for rainy days. (Plus it’s such a small area that it’s not hard to pull out unwanted greenery when need be.) Plus it’s tough overall, but soft enough for the pups’ paws.
This fence itself is, sadly, vastly far from the welcoming, warm, ethereal, willow border of my dreams. Instead it’s a utilitarian barrier at the foot of the cottage that is intended to securely keep gators out while keeping our pups in. (The dogs have access to a much larger space to roam freely nearby, but this closer, compact yard is a helpful enclosure for the dogs to access in the middle of the night and during particularly stormy spells.
To conceal the fence in time, we planted Coral Honeysuckle and Jasmine, which will creep and climb, ultimately covering the fence with a breathable barrier that welcomes pollinators.
We created space for a minimal lounge zone, an outdoor cowboy grill, and a bistro set. (And, of course, the kids are working on a fairy garden.) Eventually our outdoor shower will be included as well, hopefully privatized with the help of some creeping vines snaking their way over the fence.
We have two outdoor sofas— a rattan model for the porch, and a wooden design for the garden. The wooden sofa (not pictured in these visuals) is from our Venice cottage, and was made from reclaimed wood by our friends at Tumbleweed & Dandelion. The other is a “NATURA” sectional from Woven. It’s a modular system, which increases its use and versatility around our home and greenhouse.
Above: The “NATURA” sectional from Woven
Above: The “NATURA” sectional from Woven
The NATURA is made from rattan, bio based foam and upcycled, recyclable all-weather fabric made from single use plastic water bottles. There is no hardware, it’s lightweight and ships standard, and it’s 95% compostable and recyclable through Woven’s take-back program.
Out front, we intend to add a couple of locally-crafted Cypress chairs near the enormous preserved Live Oak stump. The stump is leftover from an ancient tree that feel down naturally years ago, and from its core another Oak has sprouted. We’ve slowly started planting flowers, vines and shrubs around it, while adding bird feeders + baths nearby. Already these changes have brought a myriad of pollinators, songbirds, deer, nocturnal animals, and sandhill cranes.
So many folks have asked why we chose vines and prairie grasses rather than more tamed and manicured plants, noting concerns over animals such as snakes, armadillos, raccoons and the likes.
But our goal isn’t to push the animals out… on the contrary (with the exception of those almighty gators). These creature were all here first, plus they need habitat since the county is rapidly ripping out acre after acre of old growth wooded areas in order to construct large housing developments. Our thought is that the land we share can remain a safe haven for the animals who have long lived here, while also providing them with cover that actually pulls them away from our paths and doorways.
This area has only just begun to take root. We so look forward to watching it grow, and learning from the experience.
Here’s to getting outside and celebrating nature while simultaneously respecting our one magnificent, collective home through our home and garden design decisions.
Note: I want to share a massive and heart-felt thanks to our incredible neighbors, who gave us so much of their time, energy, kindness, and expertise. And I also want to thank my parents — who have tended to this land for over 30 years — for their willingness to let Adam and I explore our own vision for this acreage. We are, after-all, merely a guest house / ADU to their home. We so appreciate their openness to reimagining what some of this land could become.
Greenhouse Garden Plan
Note: This is a follow-up entry to our recent Climate Action Landscaping post.
When mapping out the design of our new greenhouse, it was important to me that the land beneath and surrounding the platform become a thriving outdoor space that protects biodiversity, grows food + medicine + pollinator habitat, builds soil, and restores the water cycle. For insight on how to accomplish this, we turned to our friends at Shades of Green Permaculture.
Via a 2-minute video, I provided Shades of Green with a tour of the land, and communicated my goals for the outdoor space. In return, Brandy created the following plans, as well as the incredibly informative video embedded at the bottom of this post.
Our greenhouse, which was a kit we found here via The Home Depot.
Adam and I hope to tackle this project immediately, prepping our fall garden starting this month. However, the entire scope of work will have to wait to roll out as our budget permits.
Our first step is to reduce our watering and build soil by creating hugelbeds, which are mounded beds that blend water management, debris management, and soil building into one strategy. We’ve already started gathering materials for the process:
If you steward any amount of land, you can transform it into space that has a positive environmental impact. Shades of Green Permaculture are offering a free, 1-hour training class entitled: Intro to Climate Action Landscaping. This training focuses on how a garden or landscape, no matter the size, can have a positive impact on the planet. And, if you find what you learn to be of interest to your home and lifestyle, Shades of Green Permaculture also offers an incredible Regenerative Backyard Blueprint: A step-by-step guide to transform your yard into an eco-friendly paradise.
We’ll share our entire process with you as it unfolds!
Climate Action Landscaping
Post Summary: Your garden, no matter the size, can have a positive impact.
When we first moved into our tiny cottage by the canals, we found cracked dirt throughout our L shaped yard, which was little more than a shared thoroughfare with our neighbors. Over the years, the earth was transformed into rich soil, vines and plants began to grow and thrive — providing us with food and shade while supplying a habitat for hummingbirds and pollinators, and our vertical gardens produced colorful, low maintenance herbs, veggies, fruits and flowers that enhanced our privacy and cooled our small space in the hot SoCal summers.
If you steward any amount of outdoor space — whether it’s a small thoroughfare garden like ours at the Cottage in the city, a suburban yard, or rolling acreage, you can transform it into space that has a positive environmental impact.
Our friends at Shades of Green Permaculture are offering a free, 1-hour training class entitled: Intro to Climate Action Landscaping. This training focuses on how a garden or landscape, no matter the size, can have a positive impact on the planet.
If you find what you learn to be of interest to your home and lifestyle, Shades of Green Permaculture also offers an incredible Regenerative Backyard Blueprint: A step-by-step guide to transform your yard into an eco-friendly paradise. The “RBB” will teach you how to create a thriving outdoor space that protects biodiversity; grows food, medicine, and pollinator habitat; builds soil; and restores the water cycle.
By the end of the Regenerative Backyard Blueprint program, you will have:
An understanding of the climate context and why your decisions matter so you can build your garden in alignment with your values, knowing the bigger impact of your decisions.
Clearly articulated your project goal, and have a realistic idea of phasing, timeline and budget.
Made a basemap, and put pen to paper to get accurate measurements and map necessary existing conditions, having identified priority areas and elements to include in your plan.
Correctly diagnosed the challenges you face with water in your yard, and know how to manage that water as a resource.
Spotted opportunities to build soil on your site, and identified which techniques are best for your site.
Made sound choices for plant palettes, have a sense of vegetation types, and know where to go and what questions to ask when searching for the perfect plant.
Crafted a solid plan for your landscape, with associated material and plant calculations, and have a clear understanding of what is needed to execute your project.
Registration is open from October 12th through October 25th at Shades of Green Permaculture.
Outdoor Lounge for Spring
When we recently relocated our lives, we did so for family, and to have (safe) access to magnificent land.
As an outlet for enjoying both, we’re always exploring ways to establish joyful settings outdoors for us all to experience.
For this mini setup, we used a minimal number of dynamic, key pieces that form a simple space for relaxing outside during these warmer months.
The Gift of Merry Making: Giving & Gathering Thoughtfully
Recycled glassware for a compact home bar.
Note: This blog post was sponsored by Pottery Barn. As always, the words (with the exception of exact product descriptions), opinions and imagery are my own. I want to thank the team at Pottery Barn for not only partnering with my small business for this post, but also for donating boxes of warm, non-toxic, Fair Trade Certified comforters to in-need, transition-age foster youth at The RightWay Foundation.
During the winter holidays, I’m usually one to bundle up zero waste presents such as food/beverage and passes for future adventures as gifts. However, months of physical distancing and cancelled travel plans have entirely reshaped our seasonal rituals this year, as they have for millions of other families.
This season calls for delicate navigation of the often-changing path of gathering and giving safely and wisely upon the persistent backdrop of the pandemic— especially here in a major city. Rather than meeting with family and friends, whether near or far, we’ve made the tough but necessary call to remain sheltered at home for the 9th+ month in order to better protect my “High Risk” pregnancy, and hopefully keep our at-risk loved ones and community members safer.
From time to time, we see our “pod,” which consists of our next door neighbors. When we do so, we meet out in our walkway garden with our masks on (including our 4 year old).
As such, I’ve recently found myself exploring unique items that help us create a special sense of occasion at home during this time— items that will also be perfect to gift for ongoing use once we’re all finally, gloriously reunited.
While I want to craft magical little environments that make everyone feel comfortable and festive, I’m also acknowledging and accepting the reality that I simply don’t have much energy to go all out as I have in years passed. A flexible and compact set-up that allows everyone to serve themselves and spread out has been best for everyone’s sense of ease (and for West’s delighted and highly energetic reaction to greeting rare guests).
For the art of tiny but mighty Merry Making, I’ve been using a drinkware + barware set that’s composed of handmade, recycled glassware, and stainless steel and aluminum accessories from Pottery Barn, and concocting a seasonal pear mocktail (and providing an optional carafe of an adult beverage for anyone who wants a dash of spirit to their drink).
Ingredients:
2 oz organic pear juice
rosemary-infused simple syrup
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1 slice of pear per glass
1 sprig of rosemary per glass
ice cubes
Instructions:
Combine juices and syrup in a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake. Strain into rocks glass. Add a dash of sparkling/soda water, and garnish with pear and/or rosemary to taste and aesthetic.
The hammered texture of the glasses and their handblown craftsmanship make the recycled vessels (available as tumblers and stemless wine glasses) reflect the twinkle lights and candles outside our home, and look particularly festive.
The sustainably-sourced, Fair Trade Certified “Bleeker” bar set has multiple pieces from which to pick-and-chose, and the tools have their own slim stand for keeping each piece organized, making it a practical gift set:
When setting up a serve-yourself bar on our miniature stoop, I drop everything into a space-maximizing, hanging format with the help of a simple s-hook and petit basket:
Cheers to safely cherishing our moments together— even if we’re coming by those moments in a different way, for the time being. I’ll always raise my mocktail to celebrating love, and to wish for (and work towards) good health for all.
A note of thanks: Pottery Barn kindly gifted us several boxes of warm, non-toxic, Fair Trade Certified comforters to donate to The RightWay Foundation. This generous contribution gets us closer to achieving our goal of creating a safe, warm home for youth in need this holiday season and through the new year.
Learning about Regenerative Landscaping for the Home
Back in February, I wrote a post entitled Regenerative Small Space Living, in which I shared that I eagerly wanted to see what folks in small urban spaces such as ours can do to take less, give more, and create a future we choose.
At the same time, the pandemic began to spread across the globe, reaching the States just days later.
Above photo from the Cottage taken by Hilton Carter for WILD INTERIORS
In the entry, I shared the intended trajectory for our home and company: “I will continue to center my business upon sharing stories and solutions pertaining to living comfortably and contentedly in small spaces. After all, as humanity adapts to the necessary changes required to combat the climate crisis, we will need to learn how to better share, and live with less stuff (yet with no less abundance). Additionally, Adam and I are also diving headlong into learning about regenerative gardening and practices for small urban spaces. We want to be more than just a resource for comfortable and adaptable small space living. We’re also striving to be a resource for those who are interested in self-sufficient and restorative small space living, requiring less of the Earth, while also giving back to it.”
While we’ve certainly plunged ourselves into this work, the realities of the pandemic shuffled our plans for (re)educating ourselves, as well as our intentions to enroll our son in pre-school. As such, the back-to-school mentality that we’d embraced for all three of us went out the door, as we instead attempted to save whatever money possible, and explore the next steps we'll take as a family in terms of our living situation.
Related posts from 2020: Before & After: Turning our 8’ porch into a grow zone / Before & After: Creating an overhead canopy of vines
Of course as we scramble to reshape our lives (independently and collectively), the impacts of climate crisis remain, and the threats will only continue to increase exponentially in this crucial decade we’ve all now entered.
According to The Future We Choose, one of the steps we must take for survival is to create a greener planet in every space possible. Cities can become exceptional, with more trees, more parks for our children and wildlife, fewer cars, and plenty of urban agriculture. And every town -- no matter the size -- can look to Indigenous practices and wisdom, and embrace land care methods that give back to the Earth rather than poisoning and depleting it.
“Every vacant lot, every grimy unused alley, has been repurposed and turned into a shady grove. Every rooftop has been converted to either a vegetable or floral garden. Windowless buildings that were once scrawled with graffiti are instead carpeted with verdant vines… Things that used to be done individually are now done communally— growing vegetables, capturing rainwater, and composting… In community gardens, on rooftops, at schools, and even hanging from vertical gardens on balconies, food sometimes seems to be growing everywhere.” - The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis
As we’re still unable to visit our libraries here in Los Angeles and cannot go back to school as planned, and since we’re navigating the realities of being home together 24/7 for the even-longer run, we’re figuring out other ways to further our education.
Above photo from the Cottage by Lucia Doynel
Shades of Green Permaculture is opening up a new online masterclass that we aim to take in January. Shades of Green is a regenerative landscape design, build and education firm in Atlanta, GA, and is Woman-Owned, a Certified B Corporation and member of the Sustainable Sites Initiative. For over 10 years, Shades of Green has designed and installed regenerative outdoor spaces for commercial, residential and municipal clients that contribute to protecting biodiversity, growing food, medicine, and pollinator habitat, building soil, and restoring the water cycle.
The course, The Regenerative Backyard Blueprint, is a 13-week step-by-step guide to transform participants’ yard into an eco-friendly paradise. The course is designed for those with a residential urban or suburban outdoor space who are looking to gain practical skills in permaculture, resilience, nature connection, and ecology.
The course is intended for folks who:
live in an urban or suburban setting and want a sustainable outdoor space but aren't sure where to begin.
want to grow food, including fruit trees, berries, nut trees, vegetables, culinary and medicinal herbs.
want to help conserve and bolster our pollinator and songbird populations.
want their garden to contribute to the climate solution, and are ready for their landscape to reflect such values.
are ready to plan their outdoor space, no matter how small, so time in the garden can be enjoyed with the knowledge that it’s a healthy and organic environment.
are parents who want their children to know where their food comes from and feel connected to the environment.
are capable of doing some or all of the work, but need direction and help figuring out what actually applies to your a residential-scale project of their size.
Beginning January 4, 2021, participants can expect seven immersive course modules, how-to videos, construction diagrams, implementation tools, virtual site visits, and weekly live Q&As with Shades of Green Founder and Managing Director, Brandy Hall.
For those interested in learning more about the course prior to signing up, Shades of Green is releasing The 3 Pillars of a Regenerative Landscape, a free webinar series starting December 8th.
“Green space is beneficial for community health, happiness and overall success. However, there is significantly less public green space in low-income and BIPOC communities.” - @intersectionalenvironmentalist
I look forward to learning how to improve our own backyard, and I harbor the hope that one day — sooner than later — we’ll all better understand how to transform our towns into places where everyone has access to green spaces and green foods.
Small Space Gardening: Our 2020 Grape Harvest
This week, we harvested our first batch of this year’s concord grapes grown on the Cottage vine.
Out of our 9 years here, 2020 has has yielded the most usable grapes for us.
The increase is due to the post + cable system we installed in the back garden in 2019.
We added the wires primarily to support the red trumpet vine and establish a living canopy for privacy and shade. I didn’t expect that the grapevine would reach so far along the cables and sprawl across the yard, but luckily it did.
In previous seasons, the grapes grew primarily along the fence line, granting easy access to the summer raccoons, squirrels and mice. But the animals seem to have a hard to time reaching the hanging clusters, so the fruit has been allowed to ripen completely without interference.
Above: The grapevine in July 2014.
Below: The grapevine in July 2020.
Adam, West and I picked the first clusters off the vine together.
Thankfully the StanLee and Sophee seem to instinctively know not to eat the grapes, which are toxic to dogs.
View my recent related post: Garden aprons for the family
Even after filling this basket entirely, it looked as though we’d barely made a dent in this year’s bounty.
Above: Wearing Eileen Fisher, which I’ve found to be particularly comfortable during my fertility journey.
After clipping the first round of concord grapes, Adam turned them into jam.
We’ve enjoyed jam, juice and sorbet from the cottage vine for years, but until now it was always thanks to our next door neighbors, Kevin and Donna, who harvested the grapes across both properties.
Using Kevin and Donna’s recipe (and several of their kitchen tools), Adam kicked off our first canning experience.
A few hours later, we had our first batch of sweet, sticky cottage-made jam in-hand. The process is a bit messy for a tiny kitchen, but more importantly it’s satisfying and almost meditative. And despite turning a fair number of wooden kitchen tools purple, I’d say our first foray into canning was a delightful success.
I’m interviewing Kevin & Donna about the grapevine’s history and their maintenance practices, and I’ll publish that follow up post soon…
Enhancing Privacy in our Tiny, Shared garden
This blog post (which is about enhancing the privacy of our tiny shared, multi-use outdoor area around the garden shower,) was sponsored by eBay and ShopStyle. As always, all words, opinions and images are my own.
This time of year, we use our compact thoroughfare garden and our shared porch almost as much as we use the interior of our tiny cottage.
Since all of the outdoor areas here at the cottage are either used or visible by other neighbors, privacy (or sometimes just a sense of it) played a key role in the design of these spaces.
Although our back garden is shared in parts by one neighbor and is visible by two others, it’s still the spot that is most dedicated to just our family. As such, it was the logical choice for the placement of our outdoor shower.
Last year the shower was almost entirely used for quick rinse-offs upon our return home from the beach, bike rides, or various other outdoor excursions.
Now, however, as we’re still sheltering at home to best keep our communities and medical systems as safe as possible, we’ve started to incorporate the shower in our routine as a way of winding down and relaxing.
To enhance the privacy a bit — whether or not we’re wearing our swimsuits — we wanted a solution that was mobile, since our shower can be moved if need be thanks to the hose-style water hook-up.
We also wanted it to be temporary / easy to move, so it wouldn’t infringe upon our limited garden space when the shower isn’t in use.
Lastly, we wanted something light and airy to suit our SoCal lifestyle and style of home.
We found our solution via a folding privacy screen on eBay, which is such a handy site for sourcing both new and rare/retro home decor.
What I enjoy most about eBay is the ability to discover unique items that keep a space from looking like countless others. Plus, it’s an easy resource for unearthing sold out items, and both on-trend AND out-of-the-ordinary styles.
I also appreciate the ability to set eBay’s search parameters to source from within a set number of miles, helping cut back on the carbon footprint of long-distance shipping.
It also serves as a convenient accessory for holding robes, bathing suits, undergarments, and towels.
We’ve long stuck with lightweight, versatile towels in natural fibers like this one. They dry quickly on the line, can be used in multiple ways, and don’t require much space for storage.
To create an extra surface for our low waste haircare bars and dog bath bars, we mounted a porcelain soap dish to the nearby wall as a supplement to the one built into the shower.
(There were a few other styles I loved, but ultimately, I picked the simplest style for this space, since there’s so much going on visually thanks to the overgrown vines and plants.)
We also introduced a sturdy, waterproof stool we found on eBay for a touch of extra surface space.
It provides a practical place for things like the jewelry I remove when showering, mugs or glasses, or a mosquito-repellant stick. The stool also serves as our side table on the porch when not near the shower.
When we bathe, slim plant trays slid beneath the shower platform catch water, which we then use to water the plants around our home.
(Here’s a shower that’s similar to ours.)
With these simple accessories, we feel like our lil’ outdoor shower space is both refreshed and finally complete.
Thank you, eBay, for helping us finish our garden shower and for sponsoring this post. Thank you as well to the readers of this blog for helping us keep our small business going, and our tiny home’s twinkle lights glowing.
Before + After: Living Garden Wall
Back in February, we revamped the front half of the Cottage garden with the landscape design team at Big Red Sun. One of the most notable changes of the makeover was the addition of a 5-foot wide by 6-foot high garden wall at the entrance to our property.
The Cottage is surrounded by an old wooden fence. From late spring and throughout the summer, it’s masked by cascading grapevine tendrils and leaves. But during the other half of the year, the fence feels barren and looks pretty worn after years of water and termite damage. It’s not in our budget to replace it right now, but we can’t dress it up with planters either as it’s not strong enough in all areas to support the weight.
When the creative minds at Big Red Sun suggested beautifying the fence with a custom garden panel, I was thrilled. I’d seen examples in their shop before (shown below), and while I couldn’t picture exactly how one might look at our lil’ home, I knew it’d be the perfect spot for hanging pots, training plants to climb from the ground, and even buttressing part of the heavy grapevine canopy. (And any vertical design such as this is great for a small space.)
Above: A custom panel by/at Big Red Sun.
The custom steel panel was woven with brushwood by the BRS team on-site, and then braced by wooden posted that were cemented into the ground. See the before/during/after in the following image carousel:
Beyond making the entrance to our home more lively, the wall also saves space by allowing us to grow select plants off the ground, leaving those extra inches of garden floor for our son and dogs to enjoy when playing outside.
Sweet StanLee, in particular, likes to nestle deep into the bushes when he sits outside, and he’s killed quite a few plants in the process. It’s been nice to have some greenery up on the wall and immune to his actions.
The planters are simply suspended with heavy-duty zip ties. They’re brimming with succulents, nasturtium, strawberries, and more.
I added a round garden mirror to amplify the light and visually enlarge the space, we well as some ceramic air-plant hangers to layer up the wall.
Thank you, Big Red Sun, for such a unique and beneficial addition to our home. The panel and plants bring us joy. (More photos below!)
Space-Saving Toy Tents for Kids
Children (and pets) so enjoy tents and forts. But in a small home, a store-bought toddler tent can easily eat up an entire room (if it even fits at all), and a DIY fort can quickly eliminate the limited space required for your daily routine.
Tablecloth tents could be a handy solution for your little one(s) in your little home. I found this one via Etsy, and it's a big hit here at our tiny cottage. Folding card-table sizes are also available, and custom-sized options are also commissionable. Throw one over your dining table or desk to encourage a child's creativity while also working within the realities of your square-footage. (And if you can't fit a tablecloth tent, not to worry-- use a doorway or hallway hanging playhouse instead!)
Update: Many of you loved West's beagle pants, so I thought I should share the details on those! They're handmade by an Etsy artist-- some of my favorites from her shop are below:
Small Space Holiday Tablescape
We've always loved hosting dinners at the Cottage, but now with our new expansion, we're planning on hosting more than ever this holiday season. I wanted to try something a little different this year by designing an all-clear tablescape with pieces from my long-time friends at CB2. I love this glittering, delicate, and uncluttered look, which is perfect for compact spaces. Plus the glass reflects candlelight in such a magical and festive way. ✨
Our collapsible indoor/outdoor table (which we use constantly) measures about 23” deep , which allows it to fit into our tiny living space, or into the sliver or an outdoor dining area between the two cottages. We usually use a mix of CB2’s rectangular Cuatro Platters, which fit well on such a narrow tabletop, without visually weighing down the surface. But I wanted to make everything feel a bit more festive for the winter months, without going overboard and without feeling too formal.
I decided to design the tabletop around the Bari Glass Dinnerware, because its crystal-clear appearance takes up almost no visual space. I paired the plates with the Sophia Optic Wine Glass, the Winter White Luster Ornaments, Paz Clear Glass Trees in staggered heights, the Bolt Linen Napkins, and this two-toned flatware set. I added a mix of winter greenery between the Bari Dinner Plate and the Bari Salad Plate in order to add texture, color, and contrast.
For those of you in LA: Visit the CB2 in West Hollywood now through 11/29 to enter to win the same pieces (for a table of 8) used in my tablescape design. (Just ask an associate for details.) If you stop by the store on Wednesday 11/29 from 5-8 PM, you can also enjoy flash sales, giveaways, gift wrapping, and in-store assistance from CB2’s personal shoppers.
This content was created in partnership with CB2. All images and opinions are my own.
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!
