Houzz Tour: Light-Filled 704-Square-Foot Modern Cottage
An architect and a designer create a light and airy feel, cozied up by layers of textures
When this small cottage adjacent to their bungalow in Boulder, Colorado, came on the market, the homeowners jumped at the opportunity to expand their property. With two athletic young sons and a dog, the property gave them a chance to expand their yard for active play. It also gave them a chance to expand their living space. The use of the guest cottage is flexible, whether it’s for visiting grandparents, an escape for family members or long-term rentals.
Before the sale, the cottage had been owned by the same people for decades and it was ripe for a refresh. Architect Lisa Laursen helped the new owners plan a down-to-the-studs renovation. Interior designer Jennifer Rhode, who had worked with them on designing their bungalow, furnished and styled the guest cottage when the remodeling was complete. By layering a range of textures atop a neutral base, she gave it personality and dimension while maintaining an airy feel.
Before the sale, the cottage had been owned by the same people for decades and it was ripe for a refresh. Architect Lisa Laursen helped the new owners plan a down-to-the-studs renovation. Interior designer Jennifer Rhode, who had worked with them on designing their bungalow, furnished and styled the guest cottage when the remodeling was complete. By layering a range of textures atop a neutral base, she gave it personality and dimension while maintaining an airy feel.
“When my clients bought the house, it needed a lot of love,” Rhode says. The full renovation required lots of new windows and new white oak flooring throughout.
The enclosed front sun porch offers a light-filled spot to relax, enjoy the garden views and watch the world walk by. In the long and narrow space, Rhode fit two comfortable saddle leather chairs on this side for reading, conversation and street watching.
Wall and ceiling paint (throughout the house): Simply White, Benjamin Moore
The enclosed front sun porch offers a light-filled spot to relax, enjoy the garden views and watch the world walk by. In the long and narrow space, Rhode fit two comfortable saddle leather chairs on this side for reading, conversation and street watching.
Wall and ceiling paint (throughout the house): Simply White, Benjamin Moore
The sun porch was also an opportunity for Rhode to introduce her color and texture palette. This includes a variety of textiles such as leather, charcoal gray and wood tones. She also placed plants throughout the home to breathe life into it.
The house is split down the middle, with the public areas running from the front door out to a door to the back garden on the left side. The front door opens to the living area, followed by the dining area and the kitchen in the back. The bedrooms and bathroom are on the right side of the home.
Though the space is long and narrow, the vaulted ceilings and white walls give it a light and airy feel. “I love color, but I like to bring it in through furnishings, art, books, rugs and pillows,” Rhode says. The white provides a nice blank backdrop for the decor and keeps the home feeling roomy and bright.
The pocket door past the TV leads to the bathroom. The door beyond it leads to the primary bedroom.
Browse sectional sofas in the Houzz Shop
Though the space is long and narrow, the vaulted ceilings and white walls give it a light and airy feel. “I love color, but I like to bring it in through furnishings, art, books, rugs and pillows,” Rhode says. The white provides a nice blank backdrop for the decor and keeps the home feeling roomy and bright.
The pocket door past the TV leads to the bathroom. The door beyond it leads to the primary bedroom.
Browse sectional sofas in the Houzz Shop
Here’s the view of the living room looking toward the front door and sun porch. To keep a cohesive feel, Rhode used gray as a base color that she picked up on in each room.
“My clients’ style is classic and clean and layered with textures,” she says. “We wanted to keep congruency between the main house and the guesthouse. I used a neutral palette in both, but the furnishings in here lean a little more modern than they do in the main house.”
The French doors to the right of the TV lead to the second bedroom.
“My clients’ style is classic and clean and layered with textures,” she says. “We wanted to keep congruency between the main house and the guesthouse. I used a neutral palette in both, but the furnishings in here lean a little more modern than they do in the main house.”
The French doors to the right of the TV lead to the second bedroom.
Rhode used a rich palette of textures to make the house warm and inviting. A woven rug, poufs and throw pillows add interesting textiles to the mix. She kept the color and material palettes consistent throughout the open floor plan. This included plucking grays from the veining in the kitchen’s marble-look quartz countertops and using them on the sofa and rug in the living room area. She repeated the floor lamp’s bronze finish on the dining room light fixture and dining table base.
There are also touches of midcentury modern style in the clean lines of the sofa, the hairpin legs on the cocktail table and the silhouette of the floor lamp’s shade. Fiddle leaf ferns pop against the white walls and enliven the room.
The model is Rhode’s dog, Hank, who was ready for his close-up on photo shoot day!
There are also touches of midcentury modern style in the clean lines of the sofa, the hairpin legs on the cocktail table and the silhouette of the floor lamp’s shade. Fiddle leaf ferns pop against the white walls and enliven the room.
The model is Rhode’s dog, Hank, who was ready for his close-up on photo shoot day!
The live-edge cocktail table brings rich teak into the texture mix. Rhode repeated the teak on the media console across the room.
She also added some playful touches into the design, such as the pompoms on the pillows and the oversize fringe on the throw blanket.
Shop for a coffee table
She also added some playful touches into the design, such as the pompoms on the pillows and the oversize fringe on the throw blanket.
Shop for a coffee table
With such high ceilings came the opportunity for a sculptural light fixture‚ in this case the Flock of Light by Moooi. It’s composed of bronze wires, brass details and small lights inspired by fireflies.
“It doesn’t take up much visual space but it catches the eye,” Rhode says. It also helps delineate the dining space. The tulip base of the table plays off the wires in the light fixture. At the same time, the table base takes up less space than four table legs would have, maintaining the airy feel.
“It doesn’t take up much visual space but it catches the eye,” Rhode says. It also helps delineate the dining space. The tulip base of the table plays off the wires in the light fixture. At the same time, the table base takes up less space than four table legs would have, maintaining the airy feel.
Laursen designed the kitchen, which includes white oak veneer cabinetry and marble-look quartz countertops. Rhode furnished the guesthouse in a way that’s cohesive with these finishes.
Hire a kitchen remodeler
Hire a kitchen remodeler
Rhode found another opportunity to add some plants in this corner next to the range.
The light feel continues in the primary bedroom, thanks in part to large sliding doors that open to the back garden. “We went for a high-low feel in the house,” Rhode says. This meant splurging on some elements while saving on others. “They went high-end with things like the cabinetry, countertops and lighting,” Rhode says. “I think of these things like the handbag and shoes of a high-low outfit.”
A good example of high-low design in this bedroom are the inexpensive, simple linen drapes and the walnut bed with a leather headboard, which was more of a splurge.
A good example of high-low design in this bedroom are the inexpensive, simple linen drapes and the walnut bed with a leather headboard, which was more of a splurge.
The side tables are petite, but their hairpin legs and live-edge wood tops have a strong presence. They add just a touch of midcentury modern style in the bedroom, and they forge a connection to the living room’s cocktail table.
Rhode infused the room with color and texture through the bedding.
Laursen designed the relatively small bathroom. “The bathroom has the same countertop as the kitchen, and I love that it feels cohesive,” Rhode says. “Making everything feel connected, especially in a small space, makes the whole house feel calm.”
The geometric floor tile plays off the globe sconces and adds some pattern in the white room.
Check out our beginner’s guide to get started on your home project
The geometric floor tile plays off the globe sconces and adds some pattern in the white room.
Check out our beginner’s guide to get started on your home project
The light color palette, clear glass shower enclosure and window keep the bathroom light and bright.
The French doors in the living room help share the natural light between it and this second bedroom. Rhode added a bunk bed to make the house more versatile and able to accommodate families. She also added bookshelves, styling them with brightly colored books, artwork, plants and other accessories. It’s a good example of how to bring color into a white-walled room.
More on Houzz
Tour more homes
Hire a local design professional
Shop for your home
More on Houzz
Tour more homes
Hire a local design professional
Shop for your home
Guesthouse at a Glance
Who lives here: This is a family of four’s guesthouse
Location: Boulder, Colorado
Size: 704 square feet (65 square meters); two bedrooms, one bathroom
Designers: Jennifer Rhode (furnishing and styling) and Lisa Laursen (architecture)
The cottage has two bedrooms and one bathroom. Acquiring the property increased the homeowners’ yard space by over 7,000 square feet. The house was built in 1932, and maintaining its original charm was a design priority. The lovely gardens surrounding it add to that charm.
Find an interior designer on Houzz