Since I'm away at the beach, I figured it was a good time to show some seaside cottages. Not the Newport variety, but actual cottages. The book 'Cottages by the Sea' by Linda Leigh Paul features a number of amazing cottages in Carmel, California. I had 2 favorites that I want to share with you.
The house seen at the top images of the post is called 'Hansel' -aptly named, don't you think? The street side is a quiet, almost fairy-tale cottage. The handmade quality of the finishes just adds to the charm. 
The designer, Hugh Comstock, designed the place in a folk tudor style to showcase his wive's 'Otsy-Totsy' dolls in 1924 to show to potential buyers as they had overflowed their own home. 
The interior is small at 300 SF but adorable. Efficient little beach cottage perfect for 1 or 2! I love the soaring ceiling. Thats a guest loft up the ladder from the living room.
Less of a cottage than a small house, the second project is more my speed to actually live in. I love this house!
The designer, Hugh Comstock, designed the place in a folk tudor style to showcase his wive's 'Otsy-Totsy' dolls in 1924 to show to potential buyers as they had overflowed their own home. The interior is small at 300 SF but adorable. Efficient little beach cottage perfect for 1 or 2! I love the soaring ceiling. Thats a guest loft up the ladder from the living room.
Less of a cottage than a small house, the second project is more my speed to actually live in. I love this house! The Hasenyager House was built in 1931 by MJ Murphy in a French Tudor style and was restored in 1987.
The house, typical of the time period, features forest-green painted steel windows. You know I love those! I especially love this large rounded bay window in the living room seen above and below.
The garden is divided into 'rooms' and features a treasure trove of plants - roses, lupine, forget-me-nots, wisteria, iris, rhododendrons, lilacs, lavendar and rare trees. A perfect cottage garden!
The interiors are still cozy but not as tiny as the hansel house. I love the wood floors and beams.
The kitchen is obviously from the 1987 remodel but I don't mind it -the white cabinets and appliances are very beachy and I love the addition of the beautiful rugs and blue cabinet.
This is a book that is definitely worth checking out!
The house, typical of the time period, features forest-green painted steel windows. You know I love those! I especially love this large rounded bay window in the living room seen above and below.
The garden is divided into 'rooms' and features a treasure trove of plants - roses, lupine, forget-me-nots, wisteria, iris, rhododendrons, lilacs, lavendar and rare trees. A perfect cottage garden!The interiors are still cozy but not as tiny as the hansel house. I love the wood floors and beams.
The kitchen is obviously from the 1987 remodel but I don't mind it -the white cabinets and appliances are very beachy and I love the addition of the beautiful rugs and blue cabinet.
This is a book that is definitely worth checking out!
I grew up dreaming about southern beach side cottages. Frame, low-riding in the low country, fragile and a bit seedy having been roasted in the sun and heat. These beautiful "seaside" cottages could be at home anywhere.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely delightful little dollhouses: they do seem to invite one to play!
ReplyDeleteHope you're having fun playing at
the beach .. .
Jjjj
I do believe I could just close my eyes and point . . . and be perfectly happy in any of those images.
ReplyDeleteThanks AD. I needed a little beach-side vacation just about now.
hi ~ just slipped by via lisa's 'a bloomsbury life' and have to say you have me melting here with these cottages ... the top two images brought tears ... and the 'otsy-totsy' doll story is so sweet ...
ReplyDeleteoff to seek more of your most delightful blog ~
prairiegirl
forgive me ... i should say FASCINATING blog!
ReplyDeleteenjoy the beach ~
prairiegirl
What a pretty book. Now I want one. The seaside cottage not the book. LOL.
ReplyDeletePerfectly charming! Thanks for the sweet pics. Have a great trip!
ReplyDeleteA friend as these houses on Flickr as a group. I will have to try it. I see those cute houses and I think "Hobbitzes live here!" They could fit right in the Shire!
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
love them both,but my heart belongs to Hansel.enjoy the sea,la
ReplyDeleteMy style of get away spots by the sea!
ReplyDeleteOhhh-I love them both. The smaller one would make a perfect studio- especially for late night painting inspiration. I'll need to look for that book- thanks for the little tour.
ReplyDeleteMy dream is to have a summer house in Ogunquit Maine, or Rockport, MA. There are such lovely cottages on the sea there.
ReplyDeletemy dream!
ReplyDeleteThis post makes me want a little beach cottage by the sea. I love the loft ladder that climbs up through the scalloped edge hole.
ReplyDeleteI just love Carmel. These cottages are so charming! Thanks for the peek.
ReplyDeleteI had a great time checking your blog. Extremely interesting!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed looking at your cottages. Makes me wish I was in one of them. I'm just learning this so I haven't even posted anything yet. Maybe I can figure it out. I hope. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great blog site. I'm so glad I found you. I have a problem, though. As my daughter would say, I "by accidently" subscribed to "comments" as well as posts and want to unsubscribe (comments portion only). Do you know how I'd go about doing so?
ReplyDeleteMany thanks, Debra
Debra, this is a technical question I can actually answer (as the same thing frequently happens to me). When you get one of the emails -go to the bottom of the email and there is a link to 'unsubscribe'. Follow that!
ReplyDeleteHi - me again. I've followed your instructions but can only find "subscribe" - no "unsubscribe". Help!.
ReplyDeleteDebra
Hi, me again.
ReplyDeleteI cannot find an unsubscribe button - just subscribe. Is it me? Thanks. Debra
Debra, in the emails themselves which are follow up comments
ReplyDeletedon't you see under the comment - a 'post a comment' link you can click on and then underneath that - an 'unsubscribe to comments on this post' link? If not we may be using different systems somehow and I'm not sure what to do! Sorry I can't help further!