Kelley and Greg Motschenbacher thought that this 1920’s Santa Barbara home was too small when they first viewed it five years ago. But after they left, they couldn’t seem to stop talking about it.
After looking at four other properties, they decided to take a chance on the little home with Spanish colonial architecture. “It just needed some love,” said Kelley.
Kelley is a designer and Greg is a project manager, so they were the perfect team to tackle the tiny home that was in need of not only cosmetic fixes but electrical and heating updates as well. And now? The two-bedroom, one-bathroom bungalow is the home of their dreams.
Step into the home and enter Kelley and Greg’s bright, welcoming living room.
When dealing with such minimal square footage, Kelley had to put a lot of thought into each piece that she brought into the small space. She wanted a sofa that could fit beneath the arched window without blocking the view and opted for the perfect custom piece. Guests can sit around the antique table with tons of natural light flowing in, thanks to the large windows.
The seating area is situated next to the home’s wood burning fireplace.
The white mantel is adorned with cute finds from the antique store. “I really like antiques because they’re often weird, nontraditional sizes that are ideal for smaller rooms,” Kelley told Country Living.
The narrow kitchen is sleek and simple.
A small, narrow rolling island serves as the family’s cutting board and extra prep space. The countertops are honed Caesarstone countertops in Raw Concrete, and the floors are a beautiful Italian porcelain in a soft terracotta tone – a stunning contrast to the stark white walls and cabinets.
The stove’s hood isn’t your traditional bulky metal – Kelley and Greg chose white shiplap instead.
“I wanted the room to be simple—just a place to cook a nice meal. I didn’t want an over-the-top kitchen, full of over-scaled things,” Kelley said.
The dining table sits at a diagonal to maximize space.
Since Kelley and Greg often entertain on their outdoor patio and dining area (more on this below), they didn’t need to find a large dining table to squeeze inside their small house. Wondering about those gorgeous chairs? They are oversize seagrass chairs that are perfect for a California seaside home.
The master bedroom sits in what was once the sun and sleeping porch.
The couple’s king-size bed is simple and low-profile and sits beneath the window with Pacific Ocean views. A couple of white tables sit on either side of the bed and a gorgeous woven bench sits at the foot. The pops of color and fun patterns contrast beautifully against the white shiplap.
The home’s one-and-only bathroom has plenty of space for Kelley, Greg, and visiting guests.
The bright and airy bathroom boasts white tile countertops and floors with pretty gray-blue cabinetry. Two beautiful sconces were hung next to the oversize mirror.
Even the laundry room in this California home is full of style and charm.
“One of my weaknesses!” Kelley says about all of her totes and baskets that can be found in the mud/laundry room. A small antique bench sits next to the washer and dryer for laundry supplies and a place to sit while taking off your gardening shoes.
The highlight of the small home is their outdoor dining space.
When living in sunny California, being outside is second nature. The couple set up a large dining table for entertaining guests and dining al fresco. Cafe lights were strung above so that the conversation can flow into the evening hours. “If it’s sunny, we’re outside,” Kelley said.
Looking back, the couple couldn’t be happier that they changed their mind that day. They say they wouldn’t trade small-scale living for all the square footage in the world.
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