When Atlanta architect Brandon Ingram was tasked with designing a small cottage 30 minutes outside of Tallahassee, Florida, he knew it needed to be two things: “extremely efficient and super Southern.” Extremely efficient because this is the second building on the property and county laws mandated that it be no more than 800 square feet. And super Southern because of its setting: a bucolic 17 1/2 acres of land studded with live oak, pine, and magnolia trees, perfect for afternoons spent on breezy porches.
You may be thinking of building your own small house or guest cottage, and can find lots of options at houseplans.southernliving.com for creating that picture-perfect home. But before you do, read on for 10 tips on how to maximize your space in the small Southern cottage of your dreams.
Leave Front Porch Unscreened For Maximum Sunlight
In keeping with Southern traditions, Ingram opted for a “haint blue” ceiling. He used Waterscape by Sherwin-Williams there and complemented it with a soft gray (Samovar Silver by Sherwin-Williams) on the floor. He left the porch unscreened to allow for maximum sunlight. “No matter how good the screen is, it will always cast at least a little bit of shade. Here, I wanted the shadows and the sunlight to play on the front,” he said.
Create An Inviting And Open Space To Entertain
Inside, he knew the bedrooms and baths had to be a certain size, so he got creative with compromises in the living room, dining room, and kitchen. “You immediately start asking what can overlap,” Ingram said. In this case, an open space allows the living, dining, and cooking areas to flow seamlessly into one another.
All interior walls are shiplap, painted the same white (Benjamin Moore’s Swiss Coffee) to open up the space and play to the abundance of textures in the room. “When you have an area like this, the all-white palette helps the corners of the rooms disappear,” Ingram said. The same antique brick from the exterior frames the fireplace, while reclaimed pine floors add even more patina…