Living Large In Small Spaces - Sandy Point Cottage

Nineteenth post in the series 
"Living Large in Small Spaces"

4348 Point View Walk listing by Amy Raymond, Windmere Real Estate/South Whidbey



Hello Cottage Friends!

Thank you for joining me for another edition of Living Large In Small Spaces. 

Today we're going to tour a beach cottage full of character, and I also have some personal news to share with you.

But first, our tour. . .




The cottage is located in Langley, Washington on Whidbey Island. What I admire about this vintage shake-shingle charmer (besides the fantastic Sandy Point location) is its condition and historic integrity. I think you'll appreciate it, too.



The 1220 square foot cottage, built in 1917, has 2 bedrooms, 1 bath and a sleeping porch. 




From the entry to the rear of the cottage -- and all points in between -- beadboard reigns.  On the walls, on the ceiling. . . and I believe it may all be original to the cottage, which to me is pretty exciting.



Built-in shelves run the length of the entry hall and reinforce the casual tone of the home.




Lots of windows mean an abundance of natural light and fantastic views of the Saratoga Passage.




A wood-burning stove in the fireplace ensures warm, cozy living room chats, or naps.




Furnishings are an eclectic mix of vintage, antique and a little bit of modern whimsy. 




The scale of this dining set is perfect for this small room. Natural wood looks so warm and makes a nice contrast against the white walls .



I'm in love with this bed. (Why is it I always want the beds from the homes I show you?)




The kitchen has no doubt been updated over time.



The owners did a great job of maintaining the vintage look while adding modern conveniences.



Notice the little pail hanging on the antique hook? It appears to be holding a chalkboard eraser and extra chalk. Cute idea.




Like the kitchen, the bathroom is pure vintage cottage.














French doors lead to the back deck.



This cottage offers an abundance of outdoor living space.





There are a quite a few exterior doors, but in my opinion that just adds to the charm. And probably provides nice cross breezes in the summer.



A vine-covered trellis in the back of the house offers shade and privacy.




An outdoor shower is a good idea for cleaning off the sand from the beach.




A charming cottage on the water. Who could ask for more?

I received no compensation for featuring this cottage, and I'm not endorsing its purchase, nor the realtor, nor the real estate listing. 

For more information about this cottage, see Amy Raymond's listing at Windermere Realty.


Now, friends, for my news (drum roll, please).

We'll soon be breaking ground on our new cottage! 

Yes! The building permit was approved on Wednesday.

Here's a sneak peak of the cottage: an architectural rendering compliments of my husband, who is the architect and artist.



We kept to our goal of a small, affordable cottage; it's 667 square feet. Twenty-seven square feet larger than our previous home. Those of you who have been following our odyssey know the effort it's taken us to get here. We've learned a lot through the challenges, though, and I believe the final outcome will be well worth all the work and patience.

I'll be posting more about the cottage design and sharing our construction progress here at A Joyful Cottage. I hope you'll join me on the journey. 

Blessings,



Join me next Saturday for another post in the special series

 Living Large in Small Spaces

See more home tours in the 
Living Large In Small Spaces Series here.


From the comments I've received, many
people have been encouraged by the homes and lives 
shared in this series.
If you live in a small space (approx. 1200 square feet or less),
 I'd love to feature your story, too.
Send me an email and let's collaborate.
(See the "Contact Me" page for my email address.)


Joy List Monday - Looking Closer



I was standing today in the dark toolshed. The
sun was shining outside and through the crack at
the top of the door there came a sunbeam. From
where I stood that beam of light, with the specks
of dust floating in it, was the most striking thing in
the place. Everything else was almost pitch-black.
I was seeing the beam, not seeing things by it.





Then I moved, so that the beam fell on my
eyes. Instantly the whole previous picture
vanished. I saw no toolshed, and (above all) no beam.
Instead I saw, framed in the irregular cranny
at the top of the door, green leaves moving on the
branches of a tree outside and beyond that, 90 odd
million miles away, the sun. Looking along the
beam, and looking at the beam 
are very different
experiences.
C.S. Lewis - "Meditation In A Toolshed"
God In The Dock





The heavens declare the glory of God;
    the skies proclaim the work of His hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them. 
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
Psalm 19:1-4


Are you looking closer at the beauty around you today?
What have you discovered?



Joy List Monday was prompted by Anne of My Giant Strawberry. I love her idea of "taking a few moments to jot down bits of beauty that I've noticed or any little details in my day that are bringing me joy." 


Living Large In Small Spaces - Millstream Cottage

Eighteenth post in the series 
"Living Large in Small Spaces"




Hello and welcome!

Thank you for joining me for another edition of Living Large In Small Spaces.  

I guess it's no surprise to those who know me that I love old world cottages. They speak my language like no other architectural style can. Many such cottages are small in stature and large in character,  so I'm not hesitant to include them in the Living Large series. With that in mind, today we're going to tour Millstream Cottage in Eardisland Wales, courtesy of Blaentrothy Holiday Cottages

I'm not receiving compensation for featuring Millstream Cottage.  I just happen to love it and I think you will, too.






To arrive at the cottage we go through a quaint garden gate and cross a little bridge. 





Garden benches offer a place to rest and enjoy the gentle stream, which flows through the village.






I'm already feeling relaxed.





Beautiful blossoms greet us and fill the air with heavenly scents.





The one bedroom/one bath timber-framed cottage is smaller than it appears from the exterior.



An eat-in kitchen with its Aga cooker and collected look is a traditional cottage lover's dream.





Ceiling beams, the little wood corner cabinet, open shelves, and skirts on the lower cabinets give the kitchen a vintage vibe.










There's a butler's sink, which you can just barely see on the left in the above photo, in addition to the farm sink on the far right.


















From the kitchen we enter the living room.





I'm ready to move in right now. Seriously.




Where oh where can I find that sofa?




Excuse me, could you please hand me a book from the shelf? I'm all snuggled up under this afghan and prefer not to get up.





A cup of tea? Oh, alright, if you insist.  Just put it here on this lovely pine table, please.




One can never have too many flowers.




The bedroom and bathroom are upstairs.












Lots of charm up here, too.








The lovely fabrics used throughout the cottage are by UK designers Kate Forman and Ian Mankin. 







Let's take a last look at the grounds before we leave.



A delightful patio is right outside the kitchen.






The stream runs along the front and side of the cottage.




I'd like to stay here awhile. 

Can you find your own way back home? 

All images are owned by Blaentrothy Holiday Cottages and used here with their permission.


Join me next Saturday for another post in the special series

 Living Large in Small Spaces

See more home tours in the 
Living Large In Small Spaces Series here.


From the comments I've received, many
people have been encouraged by the homes and lives 
shared in this series.
If you live in a small space I'd 
love to feature your story, too.
Send me an email and let's collaborate.
(See the "Contact Me" page for my email address.)