Avocado Guest House

Our secret to creating this dramatic, playful guest house/pool house near the beach, on a tight budget, was to use lots of color! We started by painting all the walls a brilliant color named “spa”. Our simple layout required few structural changes; however, the patio was extended by several feet with basic modifications to the hardscape, landscape, and trellis. This enabled the creation of an intimate and inviting exterior dining area that expanded the space functionally as well as beautifully. Climbing roses, drapery panels and vintage candle chandeliers add interest and romance to the new covered patio. French folding chairs have slipcovers made in outdoor fabric that coordinates with the interior dining chairs and can be interchanged for flexibility. Inside an inexpensive Ikea dining table becomes special with the addition of a whimsical bird chandelier fabricated by a French artisan. The color palette extends throughout the entire tiny cottage, expanding the space. In the cozy bedroom, various simple, mail-order linens were used in an unlikely mix and enhanced with an antique trim. A second patio adds charm and usability to the guest cottage. Doves coo in their decorative cage among the climbing roses and lantern-lit trees. A folding picnic table and sunflowers say, “Welcome guests to a happy home!”