Wooden chalet, it is miniature but looks huge. When interior designer Jenny Cosena decided to move from her native London to California, she and her brother-in-law Gregory London, a builder, began working together to build a tiny home on Gregory’s 5-acre farm in Malibu. “We wanted to create something with roots in old California,” Jenny explains. Gregory and his family have lived on the farm for generations, so it was important for them to think carefully about the location of the micro-house and its history: “When buildings become abstract or placed in environments that don’t make sense, it creates a disconnect, which is the opposite of what we wanted to make people feel good,” says Jenny.
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Nestled in the scenic mountains of Malibu, this home blends in perfectly with the natural surroundings with cedar wood cladding. Built under a plane tree, the house is a cool retreat from the hot California summer. Skylights are 100 years old. Strategically placed potted plants and garden furniture create a secluded and cozy outdoor seating area that complements the surrounding natural beauty and tranquility of the mountains.
Jenny grew up in London Borough of Belgravia, characterized by a unified architecture: “Buildings have a history that remains intact,” Jenny explains. “We thought it was important that this project create the same feeling that this is a space that fits this place,” she adds. With this idea in mind, Jenny and Gregory decided to create small and simple structure with livable and efficient living space, just 15 meters from the main house, which fits perfectly into the green landscape of the farm.
Jenny decided to live in the house for about a year, staying on site during construction, which she felt was necessary to supervise the work. “There were so many different arrangements in this wooden chalet that my friends were joking,” she says. “Even when we installed kitchen cabinets, we pushed them against all the walls to see what would be the best solution from a spatial point of view.”
This cozy reading nook is the pinnacle of intimacy, as is the loft upstairs.
When Jenny then lifted her mattress up the wooden stairs to create a loft bed, carefully furnished with neutral color linens and soft lighting, she realized the bed’s true potential. tiny house 11 square meters. “While many mini-houses tend to hide things in closets or niches, I found it more fun to flaunt everything,” explains Jenny, who visits the flea market every week. “Day after day, I pieced together angles, details, and new creative ways give life to such a small space without the added feeling of being overwhelmed.” For example, in the space next to the kitchen, he hung a framed photograph of one of the ranch men who worked on the property generations ago.
Creating an immediate feeling of warmth and comfort was a top priority. The traditional style fireplace was one of the first elements added to the space. Its placement in the room is the focal point around which people and furniture gather. Small sofa by Børge Mogensen.
Today, the warmth of the interior is immediately felt outside, where you can see the flame of a candle through the window. old casement windows from 100 years ago. Once inside, the central fireplace, vintage sofa, guest bar, original workspace and kitchen immediately catch the eye: “It really is a place where whimsy meets function,” says Jenny. While the goal of the tiny house is to live on less, Jenny decided not to follow the concept of “less is more” and instead opt for an alternative ethic that enthuses about rustic finishes, heavy fabrics and bright colors. . “An unexpected feeling of home that surprises people,” Jenny explains.
The way the furniture is arranged creates a natural division of the room into separate micro-spaces, each with its own purpose. The result is a cohesive yet multifunctional area that can be used for multiple activities at the same time.
While most tiny homes have one limiting factor where space can only be used for one function at a time – Jenny describes how a rollaway bed can turn a living room into a bedroom at night, for example – she wanted to create a flow in which it could move. between multiple spaces at the same time. To do this, he primarily sought vintage and antique items, which are usually smaller. Visits to the Long Beach Antique Market to see shipping containers of vintage items she found on Instagram proved priceless.
“I fell in love with this vintage Wagemaker wood cabinet when I saw it at the Long Beach antiques market,” says Jenny. Complete with American brass handles, the cabinet was designed with five separate compartments that could be stacked on top of each other in any configuration. The glass section makes it perfect for a drink bar, and above it is an old photo of a ranch foreman (named Slim) who worked on the lot generations ago.
For storage, Jenny has several hooks behind the front door. Here, she hangs her towel, bathrobe, and casual clothes, which she takes from an outside wardrobe – once a tool shed – where she keeps the rest of her clothes to keep the house in order. “I bring a maximum of two things into the house at a time,” she explains, “and I also have a clear spare parts policy. So, as far as bedding goes, I only have one set of sheets. Luckily, since it is located on a farm, there are shared amenities such as washing machines.”
This classic kitchenette boasts vintage farmhouse-inspired details, including a handmade tile backsplash that adds texture and creates a nice contrast to the woodwork. To make the most of the space, a shelf is inserted above the sink.
The house does not have a classic bathroom, but Jenny walks 15 meters to the main house, where there is a side door leading directly to the bathroom. But it has an outdoor shower with a teak platform and walk-in shower, and two outdoor porcelain soaking tubs, undoubtedly her favorite “room” in the house.
Two outdoor baths overlook the mountains.
The surrounding agricultural land is an incredible sight.
The original article was published on US ADadapted by Paola Corazza.