Living Large In Little Houses: Kim’s Cottage Home
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Today, in Living Large In Little Houses, we visit Kim in Manhattan. She blogs at Exquisitely Unremarkable. Kim, her husband, and two daughters live in their little cottage home.
Though only about 45 minutes from NYC, Kim says they live in a small town where most shopkeepers know your name.
Kim favors the combination of red and white, along with cottage-style decor. Although many bloggers favor neutral colors, Kim, like me, still loves her red decor.
Kim does not follow trends. She has her own way of decorating and never seems to stray from that. She knows what she likes and doesn’t bother trying to change “with the decorating times.” I admire that about her.
Trash To Treasures:
Kim also has an eye for turning trash into treasures. She’s always finding something cheap to DIY and add to her home as decor.
She has added a red and white floral skirt below her kitchen sink, which is adorably “Kim” because of the colors she chose to add to her mostly white kitchen.
Kim has also added red and white print fabric inside these glass cabinet doors. Just that little something extra makes Kim’s home so unique.
Here’s a glimpse of a cottage-style bedroom with a little touch of boho-style mixed in. The pumpkin on the table indicates that the above photo was taken during the fall season.
Kim’s Bathroom:
In the bathroom, a cottage-style painting and a pretty white-framed mirror hang. The wood countertop looks terrific with the painting framed above it.
Above, she shows how she stores things in her bathroom. She likes to keep things tidy and easy to locate.
A place for everything and everything in its place truly is the way to live in small quarters.
Kim has a lovely outdoor space where she spends time with her family and entertains friends. One of her doily craft projects hangs above the wicker settee.
Now let’s chat with Kim and ask her about her small space home, where she’s lived for nearly 20 years.
Interview With Kim:
How long have you lived in your small space home?
We’ve been here almost 18 years.
Did you actively seek small space living, and why? Price? Downsizing?
Believe it or not, this is the “bigger” house we moved into once we outgrew our even tinier starter cottage.
We loved the charm of our beach bungalow neighborhood, so we spent years searching for another home here, and all the homes are small. That was more important to us than living in a large house.
Which room has proven to be most problematic for you?
That would be our living room. There are several entrances and exits in the room, so furniture placement is tough. Plus, it’s a multipurpose room, so there’s a lot to fit in there.
Do you have a pantry and/or linen closet?
I do. The linen closet is super small. I have to be very selective with what I chose to keep. And that’s not an easy task for someone who loves to buy and change out bedding often.
The pantry was here when we moved in. The original kitchen was too tiny for two people to stand in together, but it had a huge closet-sized pantry. So funny!
Where do you store small appliances and things like ironing boards, etc?
Since we do have a pantry, I try to keep larger kitchen items in there, but the ironing board and vacuum hoses are a different story. I try to hang them on walls or doors so they’re out of the way.
Seasonal/Holiday Decor Storage:
Where do you store seasonal/holiday decor?
We do have an unfinished area in the basement to keep holiday items, but it’s not large, so I purge often.
What do you like best about living in a small space?
I love a house that hugs me, and mine certainly does. It’s cozy and sweet and just large enough for what we need.
What do you find most challenging about living in a small home?
Buying furniture is always a challenge. Everything is too big, from couches to armchairs. They all seem to be made for much larger spaces.
What projects are you wanting to start but haven’t tackled yet?
We’d love to have a bathroom in our basement and it would be a dream to have a fireplace in the kitchen. I’m still trying to convince my DIY guy how awesome that would look. Maybe someday!
What made you fall in love with this house?
There was something about the house from the moment we walked in that felt like home. But once we saw that living room fireplace, it was over. True love for sure.
Kim is the sweetest! Been following her blog for several years.
I loved this tour of Kim’s beautiful home! So many wonderful personal touches…I could move right in! Kim is very creative…and so nice, too! Thank you for sharing her tour, Brenda!
Thanks for sharing this charming home. I love the accents of flowers throughout the rooms, either with actual flowers or in artwork. The use of printed fabrics for skirts and to line the glass cabinet doors gives a nice softness to the spaces. I appreciate how she sticks to what she likes and doesn’t follow the trends. It gives her home a timeless look. I like the touches of red too. I love how, in the bathroom, you get to see the red rose print twice since it is reflected in the mirror. What a cheerful thing to see each morning!
What a charming house! I wish I had that nice window over my kitchen sink.
Kim is so sweet and her home is so pretty and charming, too. I love how she uses pops of red in her home and how neat and organized everything looks. Such a beautiful fireplace, too!
Thanks for popping by my blog today and for leaving me such a nice comment about my new quilt. I’d love to be able to quilt myself but I’d have to learn how to sew first!
The photo of the kitchen we saw made my mouth water – I want it! My house is now feeling like a mansion at 1,074 square feet. It’s not the square footage though, it’s the feeling-tones that a true home gives that reaches out to embrace you and hug you. Our homes and our yards, or balconies or patios in an apartment should be our sanctuaries and havens. There’s nothing better than being able to achieve that feeling in your own haven for yourself.
I truly love her cottage. Just wish we could have seen more of the living room, couch, etc. Also what type shower curtain. Perhaps Kim will share pictures of these areas.
I love love your cottage home !!! Thank you for sharing with us !!!!
Brenda, thank you for sharing this beautiful house! I love the beautiful diy touches. I agree, a small home does hug you and always seems cozy.
What a wonderful cottage. Love the red accents throughout the house (and the yellow on the porch as well). The kitchen stove hood is gorgeous and I love the subway tile backsplash. Kim certainly has a way with textiles — the florals are really pretty and I love the way she uses fabric to hide the view under the sink, the kitchen cabinets and the desk. Kim’s home looks happy and inviting. Thanks for allowing us to visit.
Brenda, I am really enjoying this small space living series! Enjoy your Friday.
Brenda, thank you for featuring my home today, my friend. I’m truly honored and humbled by all your kind words. I know a lot of people consider small home living to be a challenge, but I just love a home that hugs you. It’s a treat to find so many of them featured here. ☺️
I love that phrase: a small home that hugs you. Perfect description! I also love small home living and can’t imagine living any other way now. Thanks for letting us come into your home!
I love that phrase too and I love Kim’s charming cottage!
Love Kim and her blog and her pretty house. Kim and I have become great blogging friends and she is s sweet. Her home is so cute and cozy. She is a crafty person too and comes up with great homemade crafts for your home.
Kris
Yes she does. Always admire what cute things she comes up with.
I adore Kim’s sweet cottage – it’s one of my favorite homes in Blogland! I love that she marches to the beat of her own drum and doesn’t jump on every decorating trend that comes along – that’s the sign of a home that’s truly loved, and truly a ‘home’ – filled with people and items she loves.
I totally agree.
such a cute house! I will be checking out her blog. So many blogs that I used to follow have gone to the wayside. I miss them.
I want to make a suggestion on AcornTv. I used to watch Agatha Raisin on PBS. I guess after Acorn came to be they decided not to share Agatha with PBS. I have missed her. It is a lighthearted and sometimes funny show. She lives in a small village and thinks she needs to help the local police with their murder investigations. She runs around in spiked heals all the time. LOL So if you are looking for a show that isn’t a continuation and gives you a laugh, you should check her out. pam
I saw that show when I was scrolling through Acorn TV. I will put it on my list. Thank you!