Scrolling

Dream Life On A Budget: A Tiny Cabin And Pottery Studio In The Woods


Ever thought about packing up your belongings and jumping in the car to pursue your dreams? If so, you'll feel truly inspired by Natasha Lawyer and Brett Bashaw! The pair met in a cafe in Seattle in 2013 and married six months later. Having lived in a Volkswagen van, an apartment with a pink carpet and a vintage airstream they decided to pursue their shared passion for pottery and dream of living in a small house in the woods. In 2014 Natasha and Brett packed up their belongings and moved to Vermont, USA where they bought eleven acres of land. They spent their first winter transforming a tiny home (measuring 166 sq. ft / 15.4 sq. m) and building a potting shed, bath house (112 sq. ft / 10.4 sq. m), pottery studio (392 sq. ft /36 sq. m) and chicken coup and christened their new home the 'Sugarhouse Homestead'.  Today you can find the couple drinking lattes, making and selling awesome pottery through Sugarhouse ceramic Co., tending to their two little dogs and flock of chickens and planning their next big trip. I caught up with the couple to find out more about life in Vermont, and what it means to live in a tiny home.


Why Vermont?
We'd always imagined living in a little cabin in the woods and doing that in Seattle was impossible. Seattle is such a boomtown with all the tech companies moving in and it just got too expensive and overwhelming and full of people (and the traffic and transit system are both terrible). We'd travelled through Vermont when we took a six-month trip across North America and it felt so woodsy and open and reminded me a lot of where I grew up in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. So, we made a plan and started to figure out logistics.

Did you buy the property before you moved?
When we sold the airstream and packed up everything we owned into our pickup truck to move to Vermont, we had no idea where we would end up. We'd booked an Airbnb for a few weeks but we had no plans after that.

That is so brave! How did you find the property?
The property we ended up buying was among the first we saw. Eleven acres with a big meadow and acres and acres of maple trees. It just felt so green and open and woodsy and gorgeous. It's such an amazing place to be.

It looks beautiful from the pictures! Were there any buildings there when you bought the land? 
When we purchased the property it was just a land sale. We negotiated for the sale to include a shed which the former owners had been using as a makeshift office and we converted it into a cabin so we could live on the property right away. 

What other work have you carried out on the property?  
As soon as we closed on the property, we immediately purchased a pre-fab building to be converted into our pottery studio. We spent the winter building walls, wiring, insulating, flooring and finishing the interior. We also added a little potting shed for storage and garden supplies. We moved into our property in December and it was too late in the year to do any excavation work for water. So, we spent our winter without plumbing, using a portable-potty and showering at the gym. We set up an off-grid water system in our little cabin kitchen and carried water in from our well all winter. Then when spring finally came, we were able to do some excavation work and add plumbing and build ourselves a little bathhouse, which we've spent the last few months working on. 

Wow, what an achievement! You've certainly worked hard to create your beautiful homestead. Your living quarters measure a mere 166 sq. ft / 15.4 sq. m. Have you always lived in such a small space?
We've lived in a Volkswagen car together that we travelled around North America in. Then we bought a vintage airstream and renovated that and lived in it for a year and a half. 

The washroom
"We planted ourselves a little garden and a fruit orchard as well as got ourselves a little chick coup and some chickens too. This is the first time either of us have ever owned a property so it's been a really special thing for us." 

The Potting shed
What are the benefits of living in a small space?
I've always been drawn to interior design, so I like getting to decorate a bunch of different spaces and living small, spread across three different buildings allows us to do that. Designing means that you're a lot more intentional about what you put in a space. Quality wins out over quantity. For us it's about choosing a way of life that allows us to live freely. We didn't have 300,000 USD to build a huge house, so we had to improvise. If your not rich you have to be creative about the way you get what you want and adapt to a lifestyle that is within your means. For us, that has meant living small. 

The Pottery Studio
And the pitfalls?
Brett and I got used to living in a small space together when we lived in our Volkswagen van for six months and then our airstream for a year and a half. The pottery studio adds a lot to our living space so for us, there really aren't any huge pitfalls. Less storage, but really, it's almost better that way because it makes us conscious about our belongings. 

How would you describe your interior style?
I like to think of it as Scandinavian meets Anthropologie with a touch of greenhouse mixed in. 

What are your 5 best tips for decorating a small space? 
1. Items should be functional and beautiful. One doesn't have to win over the other. 
2. Seek out beautiful everyday items and curate your space so that every item feels special to you. 
3. I tend to lean toward a neutral Scandinavian look for the backdrop of a space. A lot of white and layered wood tones, simple furniture and as many plants as possible.
4. I've been adding a few pops of colour into some of our spaces lately, using bedding and pillows, but the bones of the space remain very neutral.
5. I tend to layer a lot of one of a kind pieces into the space from our travels, thrifted from the Salvation Army and Antique shops for a cosy feel. 

I love the look of your pottery, can you tell me more about your business?
My husband and I run a little pottery business out of our studio. Sugarhouse Ceramic Co was born from a love of illustration and design that I bring from my former life as a designer at Anthropologie and current side-hustle as a studio artist. Brett brought to the table a love of business and well-made goods, as well as a splash of perfectionism and good craftsmanship. It's our first joint venture! 


Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us Natasha - what an incredibly inspiring move! I love your pottery too!

To find out what Natasha and Brett are up to at the homestead on a regular basis, you can find them on Instagram at @sugarhousehomestead and @sugarhouseceramicco and their pottery is available at www.sugarhouseceramicco.com.

Where have you always dreamed of living? Or perhaps you're already in your 'forever home'?

Niki

PS Peek inside the world's smallest luxury home, how to create your very own garden retreat on a shoestring budget and 16 tips on how to turn a tiny room into a dreamy yet practical bedroom.

Photography courtesy if Sugarhouse Homestead

Twitter FaceBook

Pin It
2

16 Ways To Transform A Tiny Room Into a Dreamy Yet Practical Bedroom

If there's one thing I've noticed about the Scandinavians over the years, it's their amazing ability to transform small spaces into beautiful, practical living spaces! It really is an art form! And where better to start than the bedroom? After all, many of us have at least one small box room in our homes (or perhaps you live in a one room studio and need to carve out a space to sleep). Either way, I hope I've got you covered with these 16 'tiny bedroom' tricks' I've learned along the way.

1. Shelving (above) - wall mounted shelving above the bed serves as a night stand and storage! Oh and you can clamp a reading light onto it too. Perfect! In case you're curious, there's a load more inspiration to take from Christina's small yet very cosy Stockholm home here.

2. Go dark! Forget the need to go light, this box room in Sara Margareta Hellman's home is proof that rich colours can add depth and cosiness! Create interest by painting the wainscoting in another colour or only painting a couple of the walls.







3. Sliding doors. Sometimes there's simply no bedroom at all - and you need to create a room within a room. If you're building a wall, use sliding doors so they take up less space and let more light in. We did this with my stepson's room and it made a huge difference.

Historiska Hem












4. Glass partition. Instead of building a wall you could try an oh-so popular glass partition (with curtains for privacy!). This one was created by Elsa Billgren as part of a charming one room studio make-over in Stockholm.

Elsa Billgren




5. Misted glass door. Not sure about a glass all the way? Why not try a door that slips in filtered light  (light is often an important factor in smaller rooms).

6. Go outside. An obvious one, but moving some of your storage into the hallway (like these hooks) is a handy way to expand storage space and clear away a little clutter.


7. Go under.  No space either side of the bed? Try raising the bed and using the space underneath for built-in storage. Super handy and in this case, super stylish too!

Jonas Gustavsson


8. Lift it up! Not an inch for storage? Go for one of these bad boys! I slept in a MALM pull-up storage bed at my brother-in-laws holiday home and I couldn't believe it when I realised all the bedding for the apartment was stored underneath!

IKEA




9. Headboard storage. A headboard or (or cushions) are a necessity for reading or chaining through Netflix series at night, and they can also be an excellent way to sneak in a little extra storage too!

Pella Hedeby for IKEA


10. Narrow it down. If there's a little space left either side of the bed, go for handy narrow bedside tables with drawers.

Homepolish




11. Use what's there. Window sills (if you have one) are great for doubling up as a bedside table.

12. Reflect the light. Small rooms tend to be rather dark. Strategically placed mirrors are great for bouncing around the light and adding depth.

Alvhem



13. Reading light. Wall or ceiling mounted reading lights are ideal for smaller spaces where floor space is limited.

14. Art. A simple gallery wall can do wonders to the look of a teeny bedroom.



15. Tray table. Nowhere to put your morning cuppa? Invest in a breakfast tray for books, coffee and whatever else you need for a cosy Saturday morning!

16. Plants. Plants are great for keeping the air clean and bringing the outside in which will help you feel less claustrophobic. There's a million ways to display them - take a peek at my guide to indoor climber ideas and hanging plants for inspiration.



While researching this post I realised there are SO many more ideas to add! I might just have to do a follow up post at some point soon, but I hope this has given you a few ideas to get started with!

There's also a load more small space inspiration in this archive!

If you have any tips or tricks to add, please do share them below - I'd love to hear them!

Have a lovely day!

Niki

PS Thank you SO much for all your kind words of support yesterday, it meant so much, I'm feeling a lot better today and will be trying all your tips :)

Twitter FaceBook

Pin It
5

Small Space Inspiration: A Lovely One Room Gothenburg Flat

I promised to stop by again today to share some more Scandinavian home inspiration - and here it is! A mini (37 meter square / 398 feet square) yet mighty space thanks to the beautiful neutral shades, sheer swathes of fabric and lovely natural light (notice the furniture with reflective surfaces and the mirrors which help to bounce the sunlight around). Nestled on the top floor of five, in my eyes the apartment is a perfect one room oasis high above the streets of Gothenburg. Oh and the floor is beautiful too! Enjoy!










What great inspiration for anyone looking to decorate an open-plan living room and bedroom - no easy task but I think these guys have nailed it. What do you think?

Storage is often a tricky one, and I went back through all the pictures to see what was included - aside  from the kitchen, it appears the wardrobe in the corner of the living room serves as somewhere for clothes etc. I'd need to add a LOAD more closed storage though, how about you?!

More small space inspiration here!

Trevlig kväll! 

Niki

Photos courtesy of Alvhem with thanks

Twitter FaceBook

Pin It
11

10 Ways To Turn a Pokey Top Floor Flat Into A Swoon-Worthy Living Space




Why, hello there! How was your weekend? I thought we could kick off the week with something a little more down-to-earth. After all, it's lovely to sit back and enjoy incredible homes with towering ceilings, impeccably preserved stucco, and large, spacious rooms - but when you live somewhere that's not big enough to swing a cat, they can just feel well, a little too far from reality sometimes. And the beauty of this itsy-bitsy 35 metre square (376 feet square) top floor flat, is that it's proof that a pokey living space, with tricky angled ceilings and limited natural light can be swoon-worthy and highly practical too!  Here are a few clever interior tricks to steal from this small attic space in Gothenburg:


1. Keep it simple: It's easy for a small open-plan living space to feel cluttered - so try to stick to a simple colour scheme throughout (in this case white, charcoal and brown). It's enough to just stick to this colour scheme for bigger items - sofa, rug, bedding etc to create the impact you're after.

2. Use art to create different zones: In the open-plan living space, a carefully placed gallery wall creates a focal division between the bedroom and living room area. Note how they've been placed at all different heights - a popular styling trick!

Above: The Wise Man by Hein Studio*, Her Side by Nord Projects*, Grain pendant light by Muuto*


3. Let in the light: In a small space with limited windows, it's important to keep the flow of natural light as unobstructed as possible I.e. knock down dividing walls to create an open-plan space and avoid heavy curtains or clumsy-light-blocking pieces of furniture (note the cane chair!).

 4. Put it on a pedestal: Plinths are no longer reserved for galleries and museums. I've been seeing an increasing number of them in humble homes like ours! They are perfect for highlighting an item you really love such as a plant, sculpture or even a pile of books.

Above: Muuto nerd bar stool*, pick up a similar plinth here - or keep a look out on Ebay.



5. Make the most of every inch: angled ceilings can be tricky, but with some clever custom-made storage, you can make the most of every single centimetre of your apartment! IKEA has some great solutions and will help you design the space.

6. Somewhere to reflect: Use mirrors to bounce light around and also reflect items you love!



7. Play with shapes: Monochrome it maybe, but this little bathroom is far from boring thanks to the fabulous chevron and square tiles. Note the contrasting grouting in both cases! The plant adds a touch of harmony too! 


8. Space under the window: in a flat measuring 35 metre square you've got to maximise floor space! This otherwise redundant area under the window has been used for a washing machine and recessed storage - and I noticed they have done the same with shelving in the main living room too.


9. Get a look-in:  These internal windows allow light to flood into what would have been an otherwise dark stairway / entrance hall.

10. Extra storage: Recessed shelving in the stairwell is ideal for providing a little spot for keys, glasses etc (in my house they'd no doubt be loaded with a ton of other random stuff too - honestly, the things my girls pick up during the day!).

Bonus tip! I was chatting to a friend the other day who lives in a tiny apartment- we're talking shoe box size. And he said 'everyone is raving about 'tiny homes' right now,  but there is one major drawback (space limitations aside) - and that's how everything suffers from more wear and tear - the floors, the furniture etc - since it is used more. If you're in the process of decorating a small space, he recommended making sure you invest in high quality, durable flooring, rugs and furniture that can withstand a lot of use. Wise words!

I'm sure I've missed a load of things, so please feel free to add anything in the comment section below - I'd love to hear your thoughts / observations!

If you found this home inspiring, you might also want to have a rifle through the small space archive - it's one of the most popular!

Have a fabulous start to the week!

Niki

Photography: Alen Cordic
Styling: Emma Fischer
For sale through Bjurfors 

Twitter FaceBook

Pin It
8

Small Spaces: Grandma Style Meets Urban Jungle in a Berlin Rental Decorated on a Shoe-string


Hej hej! I hope you had a fabulous weekend?! Mine was just what I needed - hanging out, swimming in the sea, relaxing. And it was during one of these moments, a friend made a comment while  browsing an interior magazine: 'the homes and items in this magazine are so exclusive and out of my reach that it all feels completely irrelevant." Do you feel like that sometimes too? You're not alone, my 'small spaces' archive is the most popular and viewer figures sky rocket when I feature a low budget home. And this is what inspired today's tour!

Joana Gericke is an environmental engineer masters student and lives in Berlin with her boyfriend (also a student) and two cats (does everyone in Berlin have a cat?!). The pair have decorated their delightful 56 square metre (602 square feet) rental apartment almost entirely with secondhand and handmade items. Joana shares her tips on how to create a beautiful home on a shoe-string budget - and enjoy a  ore sustainable lifestyle as a result!

This striped linen table cloth* is similar, glass storage jars*, source vintage basket* and scales*



"My home is a mix of Grandma style and urban jungle - very few pieces are new" Joana told me. "I like my home to feel personal, cosy and full of memories."

A dark blue accent wall in the kitchen helps to create impact and a vintage ladder provides extra storage without having to drill into the walls of the rental apartment. 

A stove top kettle helps to free up counter space in the galley kitchen (I so need to get one for my own kitchen - I've got my eye on one of these vintage beauties*!).



Dried flowers are a big trend this year - and of course, they last forever! Perfect!


"If you are on a tight budget, go to flea markets, especially those that aren't crowded with tourists," advises Joana. "This is a problem in Berlin - so called 'vintage markets' are expensive. I'd recommend going to smaller ones in suburban areas. I also like eBay Kleinanzeigen where you can buy and sell low cost items. I don't know if there is something similar in your country but I think so."


"If there is something you can't find second hand, think about making it yourself - there's often an easy way and it'll feel more personal and can fit your needs and style."


"If there's something you want but don't need right away, it's better to wait until you can afford it rather than buy a cheaper version that is not quite right,"  advises Joana.

 The bed is on a raised platform so that the room can double up as an office.

Isn't this space charming? There are so many lovely ideas to steal! 

It's quite incredible what an impact vintage items and plants can make to a space - and it's amazing what you can find for a song if you're smart about it. 

Is there anything you love in particular about Joana's home? 

Joana finds inspiration at: @friederikchen, @becausethereisnoplanetb_ and @doitbutdoitnow
(among others) and of course, there's always Joana's own inspiring feed

Check out more small spaces here and two beautiful homes decorated on a shoe-string budget here and here!

Have a great start to the week!

Niki

Photography: Joana Gericke

Twitter FaceBook

Pin It
0

Subscribe To My Scandinavian Home

Subscribe to My Scandinavian Home

skovby ad


 

site by ANAAR

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website.
MORE INFO