Favorite Small Spaces

From tiny cottages to hobbit houses and stairway nooks, these small spaces pack big punch

February 21, 2019

SDHGL Staff,

From tiny cottages to imaginative hobbit houses, from attic rooms to stairway nooks, these small spaces from past issues pack punch.

1/21
Beach Bungalow

Photography by Martin Mann An attic space becomes a cute bedroom in a beach bungalow designed by Karyn Frazier of Bungalow 56.
2/21
Back House

Photo by Brady Architectural Photography A 450-square foot guest cottage’s charm includes a Dutch door entry, a corner kitchen with display shelves, a sweetly appointed bedroom and a loft space. Architect Dorothy Howard.
3/21
Carlsbad

With a mix of styles, a tiny area off the stairs not only gets glamorized but also becomes useful. Interior designer: Anita Dawson, Dawson Design Group
4/21
Centre Street Lofts

Photography by David Harrison Center Street Lofts, designed by architect Lloyd Russell. Roll-up garage doors create a dramatic connection to outdoor spaces. An all-concrete studio without a private outdoor space has an 8-foot-by-8foot pivoting window to bring the outdoors in.
5/21
Centre Street Lofts

Photography by David Harrison Center Street Lofts, designed by architect Lloyd Russell. Roll-up garage doors create a dramatic connection to outdoor spaces. An all-concrete studio without a private outdoor space has an 8-foot-by-8foot pivoting window to bring the outdoors in.
6/21
CitiZen Design

Photography by Chipper Hatter To get a spot in an 832-square-foot house for a working area, architect Jimmy Sullivan of CitiZen Design Studio replaced a corner-bench eating nook with a built-in desk.
7/21
Dawson Green Tiny Play Area

Photos by Brady Architectural Photography A hobbit house below a grass-tufted berm roof and a tiny play area just off the stairs are imagination spaces for children in a Santa Luz home. An area underneath the stairs became a powder room with a natural wood counter. Interior designer: Anita Dawson, Dawson Design Group
8/21
Dawson Green Hobbit House

Photo by Brady Architectural Photography A hobbit house below a grass-tufted berm roof and a tiny play area just off the stairs are imagination spaces for children in a Santa Luz home. An area underneath the stairs became a powder room with a natural wood counter. Interior designer: Anita Dawson, Dawson Design Group
9/21
Dawson Green Powder Room

Photos by Brady Architectural Photography A hobbit house below a grass-tufted berm roof and a tiny play area just off the stairs are imagination spaces for children in a Santa Luz home. An area underneath the stairs became a powder room with a natural wood counter. Interior designer: Anita Dawson, Dawson Design Group
10/21
Display Garden

Photography by Susanna Pagan North County landscape designer Susanna Pagan demonstrates how a little planning can turn a plain wall and a neglected outdoor area into a cozy destination.
11/21
English Garden

Photography by Martin Mann MacKenzie-Childs ceramics and fun drawer pulls decorate a potting table in a garden corner. The checkerboard-patterned boots keep the whimsy going.
12/21
Cardiff Breakfast Nook

Photography by Gail Owens For a homeowner with a passion for color, Gay Butler designed built-in bench seating featuring cushions in purple, orange, green and blue.
13/21
Side Patio

Photography by Martin Mann A Tuscany setting was created for a tiny side patio space off a master bath. Design by Cynthia Lambert-Langdon, CKL Designs; and Harry Thompson, Torrey Pines Landscape Co.
14/21
Hector Magnus Tiny Beach House

Hector Magnus Stucco walls were warmed with budget-friendly, construction-grade Douglas-fir beams in a tiny cottage just blocks from the beach. Architect: Hector and Pamela Magnus, Architects Magnus
15/21
Herbal Tea

Photography by Bob Wigand A wrought-iron trellis and a few flagstone pavers create an adorable, cozy spot for tea in the garden.
16/21
Portholes

Photo by Brady Architectural Photography A door with four fully functioning portholes adds pizzazz to a small side entrance to a La Jolla beach cottage. Architect: Claude-Anthony Marengo, Marengo Morton Architects. Construction: Joseph Diasparra, Hill Construction Co.
17/21
Under The Stairs

Photography by Martin Mann Filling the space underneath an exposed staircase with a snug seating nook and media storage brings cozy cheer to a Marina District condo. Interior designer Alison Dorvillier, Inplace Studio
18/21
Mission Beach Studio

Photography by Taylor Abeel Photography Designer Danielle Perkins turned a studio apartment into a personal beach getaway.
19/21
Rosarito

Photography by Gary Payne Color fills guest quarters in a Rosarito home built by Craig Wutsch and Alonzo Nava and designed by Jim Gabriel, AIA, of Hanna Gabriel Wells.
20/21
Storybook Cottage

Photography by Martin Mann Blushing pink walls and an interesting window treatment add flair to a small desk nook in a Coronado Tudor-style home. Another nook contains initialed hangers for towels near the bathroom. Architect/engineer Eric Fotiadi; Interior design Kristin Lomauro-Boom
21/21
Storybook Cottage

Photography by Martin Mann Blushing pink walls and an interesting window treatment add flair to a small desk nook in a Coronado Tudor-style home. Another nook contains initialed hangers for towels near the bathroom. Architect/engineer Eric Fotiadi; Interior design Kristin Lomauro-Boom