I turned to Eric and said, “This is finally beginning to feel like home. Do you feel it, too?” He nodded, and said, “I love our little house.”
In case you’re wondering, Magnolia loves it here, too. She’s so adaptable..she’s been at home since the first day we moved in.
Magnolia always searches out the sunny spots
What The Heck Happened?
I’ve been writing this blog for more than a decade, and I’ve never gone more than a few weeks between posts. It’s now been more than four months. We’ve received dozens of emails, all of which tentatively ask, “Are you guys okay?” That turned into, “Are you ever going to post again?” And more recently, “You’re never going to post again, are you?”
It’s nice to know that you’re out there, and that you’re reading, and that you care. I’ve always known that the best part of writing this blog is the connections we’ve made.
So, what happened? Getting settled into a new home, a new community, and a new life has been all-consuming. More than that, we needed time to integrate all of the changes in our lives, not just from the last year, but from the past three years.
Hard to believe Magnolia is three years old! Little did she know the adventures that awaited her when she adopted us.
Time To Regroup
The pandemic + losing my dad and my mom + giving up our full-time travels + selling what we thought was our forever home in Oregon + renovating and making our home in Florida + deciding to sell our Florida home and build a tiny house in North Carolina + living in Airbnbs for eight months = TOO MUCH. One thing we know for sure is that we don’t want to be making any more big changes for a while.
We didn’t realize just how much we needed to regroup and recover until we moved into this house.
Looking toward the porch from the kitchen
We moved into our tiny home on August 15th. And we’ve been working on getting settled ever since.
You might be thinking, “It’s a tiny house! It should be easy!” But living in a tiny home presents unique challenges. For example, figuring out where to put the kitchen trash can. I’m not going to bore you with the myriad of details and decisions we’ve had to make over the past few months, but the trash can dilemma is a perfect example.
Tiny Space Reality Check
Putting a trash can beneath the kitchen sink is not an option, because that’s where the large pots, toaster, coffee grinder, and pot lids live. So I ordered a big rolling trash can for the pantry. And then we realized that was a dumb idea, because who wants to drag a trash can down the hall every time you need to throw something away? Plus, it took up way too much valuable pantry space.
After far too many hours of looking at trash cans, I finally found a sleek stainless model with a butterfly lid that fits beside the counter. It’s as attractive as a trash can can be, which is a good thing since it’s right in the center of the house.
The trash can, doing its best to be unobtrusive
Magnolia likes to sit on the trash can next to the counter while we prepare meals. She really wants to be a sous chef…but we do not allow her to touch the food. (Doesn’t mean she doesn’t try anyway.)
The Challenge Of Simple Living
We have had to be intentional about every single thing we’ve chosen for this house. Everything has to have a place, and everything has to have a job. That appeals to my like-to-have-everything-in-order nature. But sometimes, it’s tiresome. Because there is nowhere for stuff to hide to “deal with later.”
We chose a bank of drawers in lieu of a dishwasher. The over-the-sink dish rack is a terrific alternative to a space-hogging countertop dish drainer. And the pot rack above is a great space saver.
We had a glass-front lighted cabinet made for all of our dishes. It frees up a lot of kitchen cabinet space.
Making It Our Home
One of the wonderful things about once again having a home is that we’ve been reunited with our artwork and small treasures. In the photo above, there’s a lithograph from a Pacific Northwest Coast First Nations artist, a copper mirror from a Santa Fe artist, a block print from a good friend on Lopez Island, a carved driftwood sandpiper made by a friend of my folks, and our oyster shell Christmas tree from Apalachicola.
We enjoy being surrounded by our eclectic collection and reminiscing about our adventures. And we’re looking forward to adding more to our collection now that we once again have a home. Although we have a tiny house, we have lots of empty wall space just waiting for art.
So Many Changes
It’s easy to forget how many changes we’ve made to this house in the short time we’ve been here. We’ve customized just about everything possible, including the floors, countertops, kitchen tile, appliances, sinks, toilet, fixtures, lighting, and ceiling fans. Still on the list are window treatments, but we needed a break from making decisions.
Painting the kitchen and bathroom cabinets was an enormous amount of work, but it made a huge difference.
The “before” bathroom
We’re very happy with the sink, toilet, counters, and fixtures we chose. Although I hope to never again paint cabinets, it transformed the space.
The pelican print and pelican ceramic are by Walter Anderson, one of our favorite artists. We visited his hometown of Ocean Springs, Mississippi several times in our travels.
The furniture we had made has all worked out to fit the space perfectly. In the office, we had a local cabinetmaker create a built-in cabinet with a file cabinet, drawers, and shelves.
The built-in cabinet has a deep file cabinet and three large drawers. The other side of the space is Eric’s closet.
We had planned to use sliding barn doors for our clothing closets, but the measurements are not standard and custom-made doors are ridiculously expensive. We also realized we didn’t like the barn doors on the closets in our rental last summer. (The doors make a loud “clunk” every time you move them, and they’re always in the way.)
I got tired of looking at the open closets and ordered rods and curtains as a temporary fix. “I feel like I’m back in college,” said Eric. But everyone who has seen the curtains loves them, and we’re considering keeping them. Feel free to offer your opinion. We’re suffering from decision fatigue, so we’re taking a poll. :)
We have two comfortable swivel chairs in the office and a lot of blank wall space waiting to be filled with local art
In the evenings, we wheel the living room ottomans into the office to make it comfy for watching television. Magnolia likes to hop up for a free ride.
Magnolia loves getting a ride on the ottomans
The bedroom is tiny…with a queen-sized bed, it’s pretty much wall-to-wall bed. To save space, we ordered a queen-sized RV mattress (it’s five inches shorter than a regular queen) and had a platform bed frame made out of the same rustic cherry we’ve used for our other furniture. We were accustomed to sleeping on that size bed from our years of RV travel, and knew that it was comfortable for us. We’re using floating shelves beside the bed as another space saver. The bedroom is still waiting for art and window treatments.
Outdoor Space
We use our screened front porch all the time. Well, not so much now that winter has arrived. But until it got too cold in November, we ate all of our meals on the porch.
We love our view of the enormous oaks and the horse pasture. The porta potty we could do without. Hopefully that will go away soon. The neighborhood is still under construction, and probably will be for another year or so.
We enjoy the screened porch tremendously. The view of the porta potty, not so much.
Click on photos for a larger image
One more thing to wrap up our home tour. We’ve decided to enclose the back porch. I’ve been painting (not just cabinets) and it’s too messy without a dedicated studio space. Art and craft projects in a tiny house are a disaster. The enclosed porch will become a combination studio/sunroom. I’ll post photos when it’s done.
The back porch, soon to be enclosed
Beyond The House
Along with settling into our home, we’ve been settling into our new community and hometown. Our community has been all that we hoped it would be. I enjoy the yoga classes and daily walks with new friends. Eric enjoys biking in the nearby orchards and discovering new birding sites. Best of all, this is a neighborhood where not only do we enjoy socializing together, but everyone looks out for each other. For example, Eric and I both came down with Covid in mid-December (yes, we had the boosters). Neighbors brought us homemade chicken soup, checked in on us daily, and brought us groceries.
We are very happy with our decision to settle here. And we love this area.
We did lots of hiking in the fall to enjoy the colors.
We got new e-bikes and have been having fun exploring nearby trails.
We’ve enjoyed the holiday festivities in the area. The light show at the North Carolina Arboretum was fabulous. And so was the Biltmore at Christmas.
A beautiful light display and full moon
Gingerbread Biltmore House in the kitchen
We’ve had friends visit us in our new home, and are making new friends in the community. We’re so fortunate to have so many wonderful people in our lives.
And On To Another Year!
As of last Tuesday, we’re off on a two-and-a-half month adventure, heading south for the winter. Honestly, it was kind of hard to leave home and new friends after barely getting settled in. But we made these reservations a year ago, and we’re excited about returning to some favorite places and exploring new locales.
Ready to go!
Happy New Year, dear friends. We hope that all is well in your lives, and that this year brings you an abundance of all good things. Thanks for coming along with us in this new chapter of our lives. :)
Love,
Laurel, Eric, & Magnolia
“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”
~C.S. Lewis
What a lovely post! and by the way, we think alike. I also bought a pot hanger for the wall near my future sink . . . . my senior cottage is still going way too slowly :( but when it’s done, I’ll do a post on it.
Those pot hangers are so handy, Terri! I hope your cottage build is going well and that you’ll soon be moving in. I’m looking forward to seeing it when you’re ready to show it.
Laurel & Eric, we were wondering what had happened, so thank you for this wonderful update. Jim
Thanks, Jim. I hope you and Carmen have a wonderful new year of adventures!
So lovely to see you’ve settled in your new digs …. tasteful, efficient, such conscious choices, amazingly just the right size for the three of you! Relieved to see a cat paw on the counter to complete the “Purrfect” picture …not an Architectural Digest article without Magnolia in the house!
Still see Eric as the male model especially with the E bike in front of the brick graphic… seriously there’s a second career idea! And Laurel, explanation needed about the biggest chocolate bunny I’ve ever seen behind you?
Missed your posts and of course miss you like crazy! Sometimes we all need periods of retreat and renewal, even the go-getters or especially the go-getters! Hugs and tender mercies as your adventure continues!
Awww, thank you, dear Diana! You understand about the need for retreat and renewal. I sure do miss having you as my co-creator in interior decorating and artistic pursuits!
Chocolate bunny, haha. I didn’t think of that! It’s a sculpture on the Swamp Rabbit Trail, which is one of our favorite nearby biking trails. :)
Your place looks great and we’re happy to hear that you’ve settled in. It’s nice to feel settled. We have settled here in Olympia and while we miss the travel, we are loving the community.
We found it interesting that your color, tile, and countertop selections are the similar to the ones we selected for our redecorating/remodeling projects.
Have a great trip to the sun!
Hi Riley & Karen, we’re enjoying having a home, and are just beginning to feel settled. So glad you’re loving where you are! So interesting that we chose similar finishes…I’d love to see photos of your new home and hear more about what you’re doing. Happy new year, new home, and new adventures!
Thanks so much for this latest installment. What an adventure. You sure have created a beautiful space. Hats off to the power of manifestation.
Hah! I completely get the garbage can dilemma. We bought a park model in Tucson, and the garbage has to sit 5 steps away from the sink. There is NOWHERE else to put it. It’s an old, ugly park model, but it has massive amounts of storage. Your new home is beautiful. You two have done such a good job on all of it. Enjoy your time in the south. It was really good to hear from you.
Haha!!! Figuring out that kitchen trash can took a ridiculous amount of my time and energy! Lucky you to have so much storage in your Tucson winter home. Enjoy your winter there! It’s great to hear from you, Allison.
Thank you, Susie. Manifesting a dream is exciting and exhausting, LOL. Are you still traveling, or are you thinking about settling somewhere? Wishing you both all the best!
You’ve created a wonderful home! After 7 years in our 600 sq ft beach house, I’m still looking for space saving solutions. I never thought of the over the sink dish drainer and pot rack. Brilliant! And we’ve had curtains on our closet door since the beginning, and still like them. They soften the space, they’re quiet, and they allow for better access in our small shared closet. With some serious porch envy, and big congratulations on your new place, I wish you a Happy New Year, and more happy travels!
XO, Kim
Oh, I’m so happy to hear from you, Kim! I remember visiting you in your little home on the Oregon Coast. Of course you made it beautiful! If you need a dish drainer, I highly recommend an over-the-sink model. I’m thrilled to not have a countertop dish drainer. And the pot rack freed up two cabinets worth of space, plus it’s very convenient. It’s good to know that you’re happy with your closet curtain after all these years. Thanks so much for your good wishes. Hugs to you both!
What a beautiful job you’ve done on your new tiny home! Lots of decisions, but it turned out great! (I was seriously just thinking about you two yesterday!)
I love the softer curtain for closet doors as a permanent solution! When we turned our cabin into our full-time livable cottage, we hung old throw blankets with thumb tacks for temporary window coverings solutions. Eight years later, we still love them, and never went the route of expensive window treatments.
Enjoy your southern winter!
Thank you so much, Karen! After months of decisions, and so many details, it’s good for us to get away for a couple of months so that we can return with a fresh perspective. I appreciate your vote for the curtains on the closet doors. Figuring out window treatments is one of the big things on our list when we return. We want something different other than the blinds that came with the house. It sounds like you won’t be in Florida this winter. We’ll miss seeing you and Krash!
Today was a good day. I got my wordle answer in 2, and a new post from Raven and Chickadee. Clearly, tiny home living is an adjustment, even as it is a bigger space than the RV. Thank goodness you are so organized. I would have it packed to the gills in no time.
Asheville is such an art destination, I’m sure you will find much to choose from, and more decisions to make, fun ones, no garbage cans. Take your time.
I’m glad to hear that you are both feeling better from the COVID storm, and are up for a little R&R.
Magnolia Reigns!
Well, getting Wordle in two tries is definitely an auspicious start to the day! And I’m glad you consider a post from us a good thing, too. :-) We’re loving our little home, and it makes us happy to be reunited with our art treasures, including our crow print made by you.
We’re so excited about seeing you this summer, Sheila. Maybe we can browse some art galleries together? (Oh, and Magnolia thanks you for recognizing that she is the Queen of the Tiny House.)
Yes, glad you are both settled in!!! For the vote, love the curtain closet choice!!!! It looks simply quiet, restful and with your travel treasures definitely YOUR home!!!
Downsizing is not an easy venture, we are in the thinking stage, do we sell and travel, downsize and travel or just plain settle in!!!! We still want a couple more years to meander so will see after this trip to Columbia, SA birding in Feb!!!!
Great to hear from you!!!! Have missed your posts!!!!❤️
Julie, we are so glad to finally feel (mostly) settled. We’ve had enough major life changes to last us for a while. This two-and-a-half month trip feels just right, and then we’ll be happy to be returning to our tiny house.
You two seem to be doing a great job of balancing travel and time at home. Those big international trips you make take a lot of effort! Happy adventuring, and we look forward to your photos!
So good to hear from you! You’ve done a great job of capturing the thoughtfulness and beauty that went into making your tiny house a home. All that decision-making has paid off in spades! I too vote in favor of the curtain solution. It lends itself to a homey feel, and will be easy to replace when you need a change. Welcome home you two!
We’re so happy you and Russ came to visit us, Janie. And we hope you’ll come back for a longer visit! Enjoy your winter in Texas, and think about stopping back by in the spring when you’re on your way home. We’d love more time with you. We appreciate your enthusiasm and encouragement about our tiny house decisions. :)
Your home is beautiful . One advantage of not being extra tall is being able to have a short mattress. Have fun on your adventure .
Thank you, Deb. Being comfortable with a shorter bed definitely has advantages. That five inches of extra space makes a huge difference in our tiny bedroom! Happy new travel adventures to you two!
Your home is adorable and you are brilliant at decorating and decor. Sure you don’t want to do that professionally in another life? Ha! I want to know where you got that pot rack from and the drying rack? So cool! You both look great and magnolia is super cute. I kind of figured that you were getting your nest in order and we’d hear from you soon. Happy belated Christmas and Happy New Year to you both! We are both still above the grass and have been working on getting power to our greenhouse. Enjoy your new home and travels to the sunny spots of winter.
Hi Brenda, I’m so happy to hear from you! Thanks so much for your kind comment. It’s been (mostly) a fun project to figure out how to live well in a small space. And I do love design and decorating (most of the time). I bought the dish drainer and pot rack from Amazon. I sent you an email with details. :) Happy New Year to you and Morey, and have fun with those home projects! I’ll bet your place is gorgeous.
So happy to see this post. I too was wondering what was up with the gap in posts. I’m so thankful that you are settled in and doing well. Looking forward to a wonderful new year and looking forward to future posts.
Hi Nancy, I hope your year is off to a good beginning. I’m happy to be reconnecting with our blog friends and plan to post more regularly now that I’m not so buried in home organization and decor decisions. Thanks for checking in on us!
It’s always a treat to hear how you two are doing. It’s great that the house is feeling like home. Your community sounds just right. Happy New Year and enjoy the traveling, knowing home waits for you.
Joanne
I’m delighted to hear from you, Joanne! As you know, it was really hard for us to make the decision to give up our home in Oregon. But North Carolina is a good place for us now…and we’re grateful that we’re beginning to feel at home. I trust you’re doing well and enjoying grand adventures and artistic pursuits!
Best. Tour. Ever! When you have to go back to work after spending all of your money on art supplies, please consider a career as a tour guide at a historic property. With your attention to detail and sense of humor, you would simply shine, and your guests would enjoy an amazing and educational experience. As for your home, it’s absolutely lovely and suits the three of you perfectly! Working through the myriad of decisions as carefully as you did was obviously well worth the effort and the aggravation. The closet curtains were a brilliant idea, and they can easily be swapped out if you ever find an idea you like better. The best part of this post? It tells me that you and Eric are comfortable and content – and that makes me happy!
Thanks so much for your lovely comment, Mary! I had so many people asking for photos of our house that figured I’d try my best to provide an idea of what it looks and feels like. It’s really hard to photograph a house, and even harder to photograph a tiny house. I’m glad you enjoyed my amateur tour. We’re hoping you and Alan will come to visit in your travels. Wishing you a wonderful year of adventures!
I truly love everything you guys did with your new home. It’s so warm and cozy and chic and smart. And with your additional enclosed space in the back, it really will have everything you need. Personally, I like the curtain solution for that closet. We have a big built in closet in our bedroom with sliding doors, and I find it kind of annoying for the same reasons you mentioned. It’s just not as functional as it could be. I think the curtain is easier to use and with the stylish one you installed, it looks great.
No need to explain your blog break. You guys have had your hands full for a while. But now that you’re all settled in, back at it, lady! Can’t wait to hear about your upcoming adventures. And the ones from 2019, too. 😊
Thanks so much for your encouraging comment, Laura. As you know from your own recent experience, it takes a lot of effort to move and create a new home. (And we only moved to another state…not another country like you did!) And you understand exactly what I mean about sliding closet doors. I think the closet curtains are here to stay!
Yes, yes, I’m going to get to those posts from 2019, and the summer of 2022…hahaha. Do you promise to read them? And will you write about your European travel adventures, too? :-)
You’ve done a marvelous job of making your home stylish yet completely personal. I love it! As we all know from trailer life, well-designed built-ins make a world of difference in providing adequate storage. I love that your dresser and office cabinets are highly functional but also beautiful pieces of woodwork. Wow! And I agree with all the other commenters who like the curtains; I, too, find barn doors attractive to look at but annoying in practice.
We’re so glad that you are happy in your new neighborhood. You deserve some down time after several difficult years. But first you must travel south, so that we can (hopefully) meet up!
Thanks so much, Shannon! I completely agree with you about the wonderfulness of built-in furniture. It’s such a great space saver! We’re very happy with the way all of our custom-made furniture turned out. I appreciate your vote for the closet curtains, too. We thought for sure we wanted barn doors until we lived with them for several months and discovered how much we hated them.
We appreciate your support for our tiny house venture and hope you guys will be coming back this way for a visit! Meanwhile, we’re definitely going to figure out how to meet up with you this winter. :)
So very glad you’ve written a blog and included such lovely photos of your tiny home. Who knew there was such a thing as an over the sink dish drainer! And forgoing a dishwasher–I can see the point in your tiny home. I hope you, Eric and Magnolia continue to thrive in your new home/neighborhood. And I’m grateful for being allowed a view now and then of your lives.
Thank you for your good wishes, Janna. We’re very happy with our decision to build a tiny home here. And we think it’s just going to get better as we settle in and become more involved in the community. I tell you, that over the sink dish drainer is the bomb! It’s the little things that make me happy, LOL.
Cheers to a new year, new home, and finally being done with the big stuff for a while! Looks like you’ve found the perfect place for the two of you. Congratulations!
Hi Lisa, thanks so much! We are thrilled to be done with the house and the move and are going to do our best to not make any more enormous life changes for a while. I hope all is well with you and Hans!
There you are! I’ve been picturing you making your new home beautiful and calm, and am so happy to get to see the results :-))) I love all your choices of colors and textures and hardscape. That bathroom sink is fabulous. I admit to never liking curtains in lieu of closet doors, but have to say that your choice of fabric and style of curtain are absolutely perfect. The small size makes a difference too, but they really do look just right! Love the shiplap walls and that you’ve made space for newly discovered art on your walls. Looking forward to seeing where you get to on your winter adventure. I can see you in Cajun country or even Big Bend – both places we loved at your recommendations :-)
Hi Jodee, creating home is a multi-layered process, as you know. Thanks for noticing the details…I love that bathroom sink, too! We had fun customizing everything to our tastes. A tiny house definitely requires creative solutions, some that I would not have initially chosen (a trash can centerpiece and closet curtains, LOL). But overall, we’re loving it! We’re heading to Florida this winter, in search of kayaking, beaches, and birds. :)
So unexpected was this post, I almost missed it! I say Magnolia is allowed to swipe all the lettuce leaves she wants. We had a cat who used to plink single peas off our plates.
Oh, how I can commiserate with all of the huge life events, both planned and unplanned, in such a short span of time. Overwhelming is an underwhelming word for it all, eh? But look at what you did and how happy you are with it!! I’m so glad to hear that all of it has paid off in making your nest just what you hoped it would be.
I also vote to keep the closet curtains. They look great and not like a dorm room at all (Eric!) and there doesn’t really seem to be another better solution. We have one barn door, and this post makes me very happy it doesn’t “clunk.” But now that I think about it, I’m not 100% happy with ANY doors. WTH is up with doors?!
I hope you are having fabulous travels now, and then you’ll get to return to your beautiful new home. (where you can blog all about it!)
Joodie, you prodded me into getting a post written! (I can clearly hear your voice in my head, “You’re never going to write again, are you?”) You understand just what I mean about too many big life events in a short span of time. We’re so happy that we’re pretty much settled in now, and that we have energy and attention freed up for other pursuits.
I told Magnolia that Auntie Joodie says she can swipe whatever she wants. She is delighted. :) And I agree with you, I pretty much find most doors annoying, although the pocket doors to our bathroom and our bedroom make the most sense of any doors that we have.
I’m looking forward to reading all about your winter travels, and I promise to keep up to date with ours!
I’m glad I helped light the fire! Speaking of that, I love your fireplace. Even though we have the little woodstove in our living room, I have thought of getting an elec fireplace for the Sunrise Room as well. I also like the unique shape of the bathroom sink, quite stylish!
Yes, definitely get en electric fireplace! We love our fireplace. And we’re thinking of getting a small free-standing electric fireplace for the new studio/sunroom. Duraflame makes a very cute one. I love the style of our bathroom sink, too. Plus, it’s very functional. Thanks for noticing. :-)
I vote yes for the closet curtains, too! I think they look terrific..a work of art rather than a boring door that will only get in the way. By the way, where do you keep Magnolia’s litter box?
Thanks, Sandy…I appreciate your vote for the closet curtains! And you ask a very good question about Magnolia’s litter box. I thought about taking a picture of it and forgot. I found a very cool wooden litter box that looks like a mid-century modern end table (except for the telltale hole in the front). It fits perfectly in an out-of-the-way spot in the office. It’s about as good as a litter box can be, LOL!
I was just thinking about you a few days ago! I got on your blog and searched for anything you had about Yosemite (we might go in April), but also realized that it’d been August since you last posted. I’m so glad you write this week!
I’m glad you and Eric are both feeling like your house is now your home, and that you love it. It takes a while for that feeling to arrive after a big move, I think. I know it did for us.
BTW, I LOVE the artwork above your fireplace. My dad has several Northwest Indigenous prints, and I picked up a ceramic bowl (representative of an Orca) while on Vancouver Island this past fall. Also, btw, I thank you for all of your blog posts about the island. We spent three weeks there and most of the places we camped were based on your recommendations. I will eventually blog about that trip… once I finish (or start!) my posts about our 6-week trip to Alberta & BC last summer.
Your kitchen organization is awesome. The trash can looks just fine where it is (Magnolia paid me to say that!), and the dish rack is a great alternative to a countertop drainer. I got rid of ours and use an absorbant mat, which dries after each use in the laundry. I wash and Rod dries, but we do have a dishwasher or else it would be a huge chore.
Your cabinet for your beautiful dishware is stunning. I love the wood! And I love all of your treasures. The driftwood sandpiper is lovely. I could continue, oohing & aahing over every detail of your home and artwork/treasures, but you get the idea. I love all of it. Even the closet curtains. Great fabric!
The screened porch looks very inviting. Yes, the porta potty will eventually go I’m sure, but hopefully it doesn’t smell in the meantime!
I’m sorry you two came down iwth Covid (we’ve stil been so lucky and have never had it!), but how wonderful that your new neighbors have been so kind-hearted. Sounds like the neighborhood in which we live. And what fun you’ve had exploring your new area. You are living your best lives! Thanks for sharing your adventure with all of us.
Lesley, meeting friends like you through our blog is one of the reasons I want to continue blogging! Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment, and for noticing so many details about our home.
We had all of the Pacific Northwest indigenous art in our Oregon home and are very happy to be reunited with it. We knew from the very beginning that we wanted the Moon Child piece above the fireplace. I think of “home” as a sort of autobiography…hence our random collection from the Pacific Northwest to the coast of Florida and everything in between.
I’m looking forward to catching up with your travels. And I’m delighted that our blog has been helpful to you! Wishing you, Rod, and your mom all the best of everything in this coming year.
I was so excited to see the link to your blog in my email… and you didn’t disappoint. What a gorgeous home you’ve created. I love all the arty bits and pieces that you have on display. They are such a wonderful reminder of all the adventures you’ve been on. And… blank walls just waiting for more!
Enjoy the next month and a half traveling – but isn’t it great how you have your lovely jewel box to come home to?
Janis, I love that! I’ll always now think of our tiny home as a jewel box. :-) It’s mostly been a fun project making this tiny house a home. There’s so much more that we want to do, but mostly now it will be final touches (including more art), and no cabinet painting or other daunting projects. I appreciate your gentle nudges encouraging me to post!
So good to see another post and so glad we got to see the amazing house. Truly a gem you have created there. Looking forward to hearing about your travels.
Beth, we’re so glad that you and Perry came to visit and got to see the house all finished. We’re hoping you’ll be coming back sometime soon! May this year bring you many more wonderful adventures, dear friends!
Laurel, this post was well worth the wait. I love everything about your new home, from the stylish trash can, the fabric panels on the closets, that amazing porch, and the elegant dish cabinet. You thought of everything. It’s nice that you have made friends and are getting into a routine in your community. I can see why there was no time for blogging. The photo of your slippered feet in front of the fireplace says it all. You must be very proud of what you have accomplished. Enjoy your next chapter and please, blog about it!!
Suzanne, thank you so much for your kind comments about our home. We’re definitely settling in and relaxing, and we love our mornings in front of the fireplace. :) I also appreciate that you’ve encouraged me to continue blogging. Your commitment to keeping up with your blog (and creating beautiful posts) inspires me.
Love the concept of a tiny home. You guys did a fantastic job of customizing it to meet your needs. We’ve talked about a tiny home as well … still under discussion. Enjoy this new chapter in your life.
Thank you, Erin. Come visit us and you can see what it’s like in person! Wishing you two a year of many more wonderful adventures!
Beautiful pictures of your darling home. You have definitely done a lot of moving around and I know you must be thrilled to be finally settled in such a wonderful place and meeting so many new people. Wish I knew where you were going to be on your Florida trip.
Sherry, we’re loving our little home, and we’re so happy to have found this community. I think we talked about meeting up while we’re in Gainesville and you’re in Cedar Key. I hope we’ll get to see you!
It was wonderful to read about your time settling into your new digs, Laurel. It may be a few months in between but when you DO write every sentence is a treasure and the photos are delightful Such amazing work you have done to make your place to incredibly attractive and yes, liveable. Although Mo and I spent a bit of time here in our office trying to imagine the two of us functioning in that small space with that single drawer. We each have our own desk and a large closet to share of office stuff. Who knows why. Your art is wonderful as well, such a lovely collection of truly treasured items. Love how well Magnolia is settling in. Her little paw at the salad plate was adorable. Looking forward to hopefully reading about your southern travels this year. Car traveling and Air BnB’s is a very different way to get out there. I commend you.
Oh Sue, I laughed at the thought of you and Mo imagining life in a tiny house! For the most part, we do well in our small space. But the reason we’re enclosing the back porch is so that I can have my own desk for art and creative projects. It just doesn’t work for us to share a desk.
Magnolia makes herself at home wherever we are, and of course, she is terribly spoiled. But she’s well-behaved, other than begging for treats and occasionally trying to snag something off of our plates, which makes us laugh.
We’re excited about our travels, but honestly, I miss our trailer.
Thank you for the wonderful tour of your beautiful new home. I love everything about it. Your idea of paint colors is my idea of colors. I am a huge sage fan. Love the kitchen cupboards!! You did such a nice job decorating with all your collected treasures. What a difference in the bathroom with your upgrades. So beautiful. Magnolia testing the salad is too cute. Aren’t ebikes the best. We just crossed 4,000 miles a couple weeks ago in two and a half years. Enjoy your bikes!!
Pam, we love our new bikes! It took us a while to make the decision to buy e-bikes, but Eric has been having some knee problems and it makes all the difference. You guys have really put the miles on your bikes in just a couple of years. We have some catching up to do, haha!
The color sage is my new obsession. Our walls, kitchen cabinets, counters, and tile are all variations of sage. It’s such an easy color to live with! Thanks so much for noticing the details of our new little home. :)
YES for the closet door curtains……lovely….
Doors are so hard! I keep removing them in this house.
Enjoyed our visit together at the beach (Hilton Head/Bluffton) last week. We love to share with “foodies”
Keep us in the loop for the next 2 months. See you here in Savannah in March.
luv, Ed and Diana and Latte
We miss you guys already! Our few days in Bluffton with you was a great beginning to our winter adventure. Thanks for the vote for the closet curtains…you crack me up removing doors, lol. Your place is so gorgeous, I know you won’t let me do something tacky. See you in a couple of months! OX
Laurel,
Thank you very much for the tour. You have done a fabulous job of design and decorating. Surely, full-time RVing helped with organizing small spaces. I love the stacked boards on the walls in your office and the accent walls as well. FYI, we’ve been in our downsized home for ten years now and have yet to install window treatments. We’ll get there eventually. Enjoy your travels. We leave on Thursday (1/11) for five weeks in FL. Any chance you and Eric will be near Apalachicola or Panama City? Email me if you are in the area and I’ll send you our itinerary. We begin our trip in Jacksonville.
Thanks, Joe! A tiny home presents some interesting design and organizational challenges. We’ll see how we do long term in the space, but so far, so good! Our plan is to keep the window treatments simple, but to replace the inexpensive builder-grade blinds (that are always crooked!) with thermal up-down shades.
We’re in St. Augustine for a week, so we might be close enough to get together! I’ll email you. Safe travels!
Yay! Pictures! You’ve both done such a wonderful job fitting everything you need into a small space and making it look so inviting. You’ve managed to avoid all the usual “tiny house” cliches. I know how hard it was and also how hard getting this post out was. We’re all so glad you did; we’ve all be wondering you know! Only one picture missing…..your treatment of Magnolia’s litterbox. I’m sure she’d give you permission if you asked nicely…..
p.s. I vote YES for those fantastic closet curtains!
Yay! The curtains are staying!
Awww, thank you, Sue! It’s so much work to settle in to a new home and a new location, as you know. We’re so glad that you and Dave got to see the house before we moved in, and before all of the upgrades. You were our very first visitors and were so supportive of our decision to build a tiny house! We hope you’ll come back—we’ve discovered so many more fun things to do in the area that we know you two would enjoy.
I really should have taken a photo of Magnolia’s fancy litter box. If you ignore the hole in the front it looks like an end table, LOL.
Found you by chance reading another blog, glad you are well and traveling again
Thank you, Kathryn. I hope you’re doing well!
First timer here….Greetings…
Stumbled on your blog while doing a recon on Cedar Key prior to our yearly stay coming up soon hoping that the “Market” will be reopened after the hurricane damage….
Can’t say enough about Cedar Key it’s not for everyone nor is Asheville but I embrace both.
The more I read about your Cedar Key adventure with comments on NC and your Tiny house I was hooked….Well cause we live near your now new tiny house,…. we moved from Florida 17 years ago, currently love our camper trailer, love Cedar Key and am very entertained buy your writing. We frequent Saluda, Landrum, Tryon and yep the local wineries too…
Looking forward to reading even more…and I too would keep the cool Black and White custom drapery closet divider as is…
Hi Jean-Jacques, and welcome to our blog! Thank you for your kind comment. It sounds as though our paths share many similarities, with homes in NC, a love of travel, and an appreciation for interesting towns in NC and Florida.
Cedar Key is one of our favorites in Florida, as you can probably tell from our blog. We had planned to visit this winter but decided to explore some new places instead. We definitely plan to return, though. I hope the town has recovered from the hurricane last fall. They’ve been through some devastating storms in the past, as you know, and they always bounce back. Have a great trip! (And I appreciate your vote for the closet curtains.) 😊
Fantastic job! I can just imagine what you had gone through. Glad making decisions are almost over and now enjoying the fruits of your labor. What a beautiful tiny home! You guys did the best of what you got and happy that you are happy with your new home and new community.
When you get back from your winter get away, you will have plenty of time to pick up where you left off with your blogging,( how many years now?) Why, because your house is already 95% done!
Belated Happy Birthday, Belated Merry Christmas and Happy Chinese New Year. Im always late to your party, we were traveling from Nov 16 to Dec 23. Then I went to the Philippines two days later and Im just now over my jet lag. I too have some catching up to do with my blogging.
I vote for the curtains, it’s more decorative.
Hi ML! I’m so happy to hear from you, my sweet friend. I know you two have been busy with lots of travel and I appreciate you checking in on us. I’m looking forward to hearing about what you’ve been up to!
We are loving our tiny home and our new community. And we’re having a great time traveling this winter! I laughed at your comment about me picking up where I left off with my travel tales from 2019 (once we get back home). You know me too well! Hugs to you both! And the curtains are staying!