The Tiny Canal Cottage™: A Mini-Kitchen Makeover

07/27/2017 | Sara McLean |

Hidden away amid the foliage of the Venice Canals in Southern California sets a 1924 Craftsman cottage. Owned by creative director Whitney Leigh Morris and her husband Adam Winkleman since 2011, the home covers 362 square feet and shares grounds with another 1920s house of the same size. The full house also includes two rescue beagles and their son West.

At The Tiny Canal Cottage™, Morris believes one doesn’t need to “live large to live beautifully.” And this philosophy carries through to the recent renovation of the tiny kitchen. Take a look at this inspirational
transformation:

A group of items on a table

Where to begin? Morris asked. “Rather than exploring other kitchens online for inspiration, I pulled materials, textures and colors that inspired me. Then I decided what parts of the kitchen needed immediate attention, as we were operating under a tight timeline and within a strict budget. Adam and I agreed that the cabinetry and appliances could wait and that we'd focus instead on the counter tops, paint, repairs, backsplash/tiling and sink.” The kitchen is also connected to the outdoor patio, so a lot of natural light permeates the space, creating an additional link to the outdoor lifestyle the family loves.

Kitchen Before

Kitchen After

To modernize and make the cottage feel larger, special attention was paid to keep the surfaces light, reflective and airy, focusing on a variety of textures to provide warmth. To complement the variety of hard surfaces, Morris chose DET676 Muscat Blanc for the walls. As Morris said, “We adjusted our wall color ever-so-slightly and picked a slightly warmer, earthier hue than the previous yellow-tinted version. We used "Muscat Blanc" EVEREST® paint by Dunn-Edwards®. We selected the velvet finish, which is easier to clean than flat — an essential, given the baby and the pups. We used flat white on the ceilings, and semi-gloss white for the moldings.”