Houzz Tour: Small Coastal Bungalow for a Southern California Family
A designer creates a charming, modern space for her family with custom-made pieces
Julie Sheer
August 7, 2016
Houzz Contributor; journalist with more than two decades of experience as a graphics editor and writer at the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune; outdoor guidebook author; lover of all things outdoors, nature and wildlife. Follow me at https://westcentric.wordpress.com/
Houzz Contributor; journalist with more than two decades of experience as a graphics... More
When designer Brittany Stiles and her husband, Kyle Henderson, moved from Los Angeles to nearby Orange County, they were hoping to find a home with the charm and character of the 1930s apartment they were leaving. Or at least something with hardwood floors. They came across plenty of tract homes with bad carpeting and tile — and decidedly little charm. Then they stumbled on a 1940s bungalow for rent in a hip, beachy section of Costa Mesa that had a lot of small, cottage-type homes from the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s, close to restaurants and shops. They’d found their urban oasis in the suburbs.
The owner had done some remodeling — new kitchen cabinets, paint, flooring, windows and bathroom. But Stiles wanted to bring in her own eclectic yet livable aesthetic, so she did a bit more tinkering. She and her husband added sconces and pendant lights and covered up a fireplace to make room for the living room sofa. They painted, put up wallpaper, installed new cabinet hardware and added floating shelves. After furnishing it with her own California casual-chic style, Stiles and her family love living in their cozy, relaxed space.
The owner had done some remodeling — new kitchen cabinets, paint, flooring, windows and bathroom. But Stiles wanted to bring in her own eclectic yet livable aesthetic, so she did a bit more tinkering. She and her husband added sconces and pendant lights and covered up a fireplace to make room for the living room sofa. They painted, put up wallpaper, installed new cabinet hardware and added floating shelves. After furnishing it with her own California casual-chic style, Stiles and her family love living in their cozy, relaxed space.
Photos by Ryan Garvin
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Designer Brittany Stiles, husband Kyle Henderson and baby daughter Eve
Location: Costa Mesa, California
Size: 800 square feet (74 square meters); two bedrooms, two bathrooms
Designer: Brittany Stiles Design
The major challenge designer Brittany Stiles says she faced was maximizing the space. “The biggest change we made was covering up the fireplace in the living room so that we had a wall for the sofa. The living room is so small that without making that change we would have only been able to have a small and narrow love seat, or block off entrance in the room — neither of which were good options.”
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Designer Brittany Stiles, husband Kyle Henderson and baby daughter Eve
Location: Costa Mesa, California
Size: 800 square feet (74 square meters); two bedrooms, two bathrooms
Designer: Brittany Stiles Design
The major challenge designer Brittany Stiles says she faced was maximizing the space. “The biggest change we made was covering up the fireplace in the living room so that we had a wall for the sofa. The living room is so small that without making that change we would have only been able to have a small and narrow love seat, or block off entrance in the room — neither of which were good options.”
The result is a comfy space with a mix of textures and fabrics in beachy blue, tan and white tones.
Leather chair: Dwell Studio; sofa: Crate & Barrel; white custom glider and custom ottoman: Brittany Stiles Design; mirror: Pottery Barn; shades: Granddesign Decor; sconces: Lamps Plus; rug: Rug Resources
Leather chair: Dwell Studio; sofa: Crate & Barrel; white custom glider and custom ottoman: Brittany Stiles Design; mirror: Pottery Barn; shades: Granddesign Decor; sconces: Lamps Plus; rug: Rug Resources
The den also serves as the baby’s room and guest quarters. The sofa pulls out to a double bed. The baby’s crib is on a wall not seen in the photo. Stiles added floating shelves to make up for the lack of storage in the home.
Sofa: Ikea; seagrass ottomans: Household Essentials; shelves: Ikea butcher block that Stiles cut down and installed with Ikea brackets; custom curtains: Brittany Stiles Design
Sofa: Ikea; seagrass ottomans: Household Essentials; shelves: Ikea butcher block that Stiles cut down and installed with Ikea brackets; custom curtains: Brittany Stiles Design
The light, bright kitchen gets a dose of farmhouse style with industrial pendants, black granite countertops and streamlined stools. Laminate wood flooring from Home Depot was used throughout the house.
Ten- to 12-foot ceilings make the home’s rooms feel larger. “The vaulted ceilings make a huge difference in the feel of the house,” Stiles says.
Bar stools: Anthropologie; pendant lights: Rejuvenation; pot rack: Crate & Barrel; stove and microwave: Frigidaire; counter-depth refrigerator: LG; faucet: Glacier Bay
Bar stools: Anthropologie; pendant lights: Rejuvenation; pot rack: Crate & Barrel; stove and microwave: Frigidaire; counter-depth refrigerator: LG; faucet: Glacier Bay
A small dining table and two chairs in a niche area provide an alternative to the bar in the kitchen.
Table: Exclusive Mod; dining chairs: Four Hands; shelving: Etsy and Ikea
Table: Exclusive Mod; dining chairs: Four Hands; shelving: Etsy and Ikea
A Carrara marble countertop, rope mirror and white beadboard walls give the bathroom a classic yet casual vibe.
Mirror: Anthropologie; light: Home Depot; flooring: Carrara marble mosaic; wall paint: Swiss Coffee by Dunn-Edwards
Mirror: Anthropologie; light: Home Depot; flooring: Carrara marble mosaic; wall paint: Swiss Coffee by Dunn-Edwards
The front Dutch door opens from a courtyard right into the kitchen.
The easygoing coastal vibe continues in the master bedroom with pale blue and gray hues.
Bed: Skyline Furniture; nightstands: Crate & Barrel; sconces: Restoration Hardware Baby & Child
Bed: Skyline Furniture; nightstands: Crate & Barrel; sconces: Restoration Hardware Baby & Child
French doors to the back deck are frequently open to enjoy California’s indoor-outdoor lifestyle, Stiles says. Storage space in the bedrooms was maximized by adding closet organizers.
Custom window treatments: Brittany Stiles Design; rug: Jaipur Living
Custom window treatments: Brittany Stiles Design; rug: Jaipur Living
Despite the house being smaller than the couple had hoped for, the “cool little yard” was a selling point for Stiles, who anchored the space with a Pottery Barn sectional and custom-made cushions.
A chiminea-style fireplace adds warmth on chilly nights. The space is accented with baskets and pottery that Stiles has collected over the years.
Fireplace: Wayfair
Fireplace: Wayfair
A friend helped Stiles make wood planters that hold succulents, adding color and texture to the wood fence. “I wanted the baby’s room to look out onto something fun, instead of just a plain fence,” she says.
The exterior corrugated metal siding was existing, another selling point for Stiles, who liked the “industrial-cool-casual vibe.”
With most of the remodeling already done, Stiles was happy to work with a “clean slate,” which allowed her to weave her style seamlessly with the remodeled space. And it helps to not be a hoarder when space is tight. “We also purged a lot of our belongings and try to live a relatively minimalist lifestyle — that’s one great thing about living in a tiny house — you only live with what you love.”
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Love what you did! Do you really need a fireplace in CA? I think you made a great decision, as you had such a small space to work with. The vibe is warm and welcoming - great job!
This space is so pristine and clean. I love it!