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Houzz Tour: Cottages Connected by a Courtyard Make a Cosy Home
Two adjacent old buildings are transformed into a family home with sleeping and living spaces linked by a small garden
When interior designer Jody Lewis purchased adjacent, dilapidated 1920s cottages in quaint Ojai, California, she envisioned a village-like setting with multiple structures connected by open space. So she hired architectural designer Vina Lustado of Sol Haus Design and they worked together closely for more than three years, navigating the tricky permissions process while essentially rebuilding the structures – largely with reclaimed materials – from the foundations up.
However, as renovating and permissions costs escalated, Jody’s funds ran out and she had to sell the property before construction was complete. Luckily, she found a like-minded buyer, interior designer Lawren Howell, who saw the project through and added her own antique-meets-modern furnishings. The finished home bears all three women’s signatures, but it looks and feels holistic thanks to their shared vision and harmonious styles.
However, as renovating and permissions costs escalated, Jody’s funds ran out and she had to sell the property before construction was complete. Luckily, she found a like-minded buyer, interior designer Lawren Howell, who saw the project through and added her own antique-meets-modern furnishings. The finished home bears all three women’s signatures, but it looks and feels holistic thanks to their shared vision and harmonious styles.
Jody knew the two structures, which were built around 1925, needed work. But the extent of the disrepair was a shock. The walls had no insulation and were riddled with dry rot, the floors were sloping and some ceilings were less than 7ft tall.
“You had to duck down to enter the doorway,” Vina says. “It was like an elf’s house!”
What’s more, the foundations were substandard – in places, the wood floor was set right on top of dirt.
What you can see of the inside in the previous photo looks as if it could have been there for the past century. In fact, it was all painstakingly rebuilt to current planning standards without losing the original charm in what Vina calls a “surgical procedure”.
“You had to duck down to enter the doorway,” Vina says. “It was like an elf’s house!”
What’s more, the foundations were substandard – in places, the wood floor was set right on top of dirt.
What you can see of the inside in the previous photo looks as if it could have been there for the past century. In fact, it was all painstakingly rebuilt to current planning standards without losing the original charm in what Vina calls a “surgical procedure”.
Upon entering the “living” side, you make a left to turn into the galley kitchen, which remains in its original spot. This is the view from the far end of the kitchen, looking back towards the entrance. You can see the kitchen windows above the outdoor table in the first photo.
One of Vina’s design challenges was incorporating Jody’s finds, which included wood from a Northern California barn that she’d shipped to the site. The floors seen here and throughout the home are made of that reclaimed wood.
Jody originally wanted the kitchen to have a Moroccan feel with concrete worktops, but after purchasing the home, Lawren installed a kitchen with a more traditional design, including white, Shaker-style cabinetry, a farmhouse sink, cup handles and wood worktops with an integrated draining board.
More: How to Start a Kitchen Renovation
One of Vina’s design challenges was incorporating Jody’s finds, which included wood from a Northern California barn that she’d shipped to the site. The floors seen here and throughout the home are made of that reclaimed wood.
Jody originally wanted the kitchen to have a Moroccan feel with concrete worktops, but after purchasing the home, Lawren installed a kitchen with a more traditional design, including white, Shaker-style cabinetry, a farmhouse sink, cup handles and wood worktops with an integrated draining board.
More: How to Start a Kitchen Renovation
Lawren also chose details such as the cabinetry with brass mesh cabinet door inserts, the black tile splashback and many of the rustic wood accents.
“It’s a little bit different from what Jody had originally envisioned, but it’s still beautiful. It’s more in keeping with the old character,” Vina says.
“It’s a little bit different from what Jody had originally envisioned, but it’s still beautiful. It’s more in keeping with the old character,” Vina says.
To the right of the entrance is the dining room, shown here styled by Lawren with rush-seat dining chairs and a midcentury Tulip-style table.
The structure was previously a tiny two-bedroom, one-bathroom cottage. Vina took down several walls to open up the dining and living areas.
The structure was previously a tiny two-bedroom, one-bathroom cottage. Vina took down several walls to open up the dining and living areas.
The bathroom at the opposite side of the dining room is also in its original spot. It’s behind a reclaimed original door set into a wall panelled with more of the old barnwood.
Inside is an antique-looking claw-foot cast-iron basin found by Jody. Lawren juxtaposed it with more modern-looking black hexagonal mosaic tiles and a botanical black-and-white Old Oak wallpaper (seen in the mirror) designed by her sister, Stevie Howell.
The opening to the right of the barnwood wall is a reclaimed sliding pocket door collected by Jody. (If you look back at the first photo, it’s the door that’s slightly ajar on the far right.)
In addition to retrofitting salvaged finds, the contractor painstakingly
repaired many of the two cottages’ existing doors and windows. Through that sliding door is the courtyard, which we’ll get back to in a moment.
In addition to retrofitting salvaged finds, the contractor painstakingly
repaired many of the two cottages’ existing doors and windows. Through that sliding door is the courtyard, which we’ll get back to in a moment.
An opening on the other side of the dining room leads to the living room, pictured here as furnished and styled by Lawren.
There, Jody and Vina removed a low ceiling to create an open-vaulted ceiling with recessed lights, as well as skylights that flood the room with natural light.
“We [laboured over] that ceiling,” Vina says. “Is it going to be a big collar tie with wood? Is it going to be exposed wood, or is it going to be painted? What size are the rafters going to be? We also had to put insulation in. It was a huge undertaking, because there were low ceilings, and so even the top plate was not to [planning regulations].” And all of that work had to be completed while costs were escalating.
The original houses had no heating or cooling systems, so the team installed mini-splits (a type of ductless air conditioner) in this living room and the bedrooms.
There, Jody and Vina removed a low ceiling to create an open-vaulted ceiling with recessed lights, as well as skylights that flood the room with natural light.
“We [laboured over] that ceiling,” Vina says. “Is it going to be a big collar tie with wood? Is it going to be exposed wood, or is it going to be painted? What size are the rafters going to be? We also had to put insulation in. It was a huge undertaking, because there were low ceilings, and so even the top plate was not to [planning regulations].” And all of that work had to be completed while costs were escalating.
The original houses had no heating or cooling systems, so the team installed mini-splits (a type of ductless air conditioner) in this living room and the bedrooms.
One is discreetly installed in the triangle in the top of the bookshelves and the built-in reading bench, which were made from the rough-hewn barnwood.
Vina says Jody prized all of the wood’s knots and imperfections. When Jody decided to sell, Lawren instantly fell in love with the barnwood floors and understood the level of detail that went into the design.
“When Lawren looked at it and she loved it,” Vina says, “that’s when Jody thought, ‘OK, she’s the right person, because she loves the rustic qualities of these finishes.’”
Vina says Jody prized all of the wood’s knots and imperfections. When Jody decided to sell, Lawren instantly fell in love with the barnwood floors and understood the level of detail that went into the design.
“When Lawren looked at it and she loved it,” Vina says, “that’s when Jody thought, ‘OK, she’s the right person, because she loves the rustic qualities of these finishes.’”
Jody found the antique rolltop desk salvaged from a bank (complete with panic button) that fits nicely inside a little niche at the other side of the room.
Now look back at the second photo and picture standing with the entrance at your back. This is your view across the courtyard to the end of the bunkhouse, which has a covered patio along its length and an inviting hammock swaying in the breeze.
Lawren added the courtyard’s gravel and olive trees, as well as a beautiful dining table made with fallen trees by local woodworker Jackie Stewart.
Lawren added the courtyard’s gravel and olive trees, as well as a beautiful dining table made with fallen trees by local woodworker Jackie Stewart.
Here’s another view of the same end of the bunkhouse looking north, with the scenic Topatopa Mountains in the background.
The patio flooring and walkways are all made of the bountiful stone dug up when building the new foundation.
Another set of salvaged and re-engineered sliding glass doors leads to the main bedroom.
“I do small spaces all the time,” Vina says. “You need to find a way to allow as much natural light into a small space and make the room feel expansive.” The sliding glass doors help to accomplish that, she says, and are also a way to “have the wall disintegrate to the outdoor space”.
The patio flooring and walkways are all made of the bountiful stone dug up when building the new foundation.
Another set of salvaged and re-engineered sliding glass doors leads to the main bedroom.
“I do small spaces all the time,” Vina says. “You need to find a way to allow as much natural light into a small space and make the room feel expansive.” The sliding glass doors help to accomplish that, she says, and are also a way to “have the wall disintegrate to the outdoor space”.
The main bedroom’s simple white walls, white enamel sconces and white iron bed (all chosen by Lawren) are foils for the reclaimed-wood shelves and rustic ceiling beam.
“Again, this is [Jody’s] barnwood,” Vina says. “She would use the barnwood everywhere, and it gave it a vocabulary. That gives the consistency throughout the design.”
The entrances to the primary bathroom and a wardrobe are on either side of the headboard. Doors and walls were removed to help the small room feel more spacious.
“Again, this is [Jody’s] barnwood,” Vina says. “She would use the barnwood everywhere, and it gave it a vocabulary. That gives the consistency throughout the design.”
The entrances to the primary bathroom and a wardrobe are on either side of the headboard. Doors and walls were removed to help the small room feel more spacious.
The double vanity unit is also made of rough-hewn wood. Brass fixtures and hexagonal marble shower tiles elevate the humble material.
A second bathroom has penny tile walls, a pedestal basin and simple sconces.
The penny tiles continue around the original black-and-white claw-foot bath with vintage-style brass fixtures.
The second bathroom is accessible from two children’s bedrooms. In each, Lawren installed a stable door and softened the concrete floors with natural fibre rugs topped with colorful rag rugs.
The other kids’ room has built-in bunk beds.
Lawren, who has children of her own, saturated the room with character, styling it with Don Quixote-esque wallpaper, a vintage wood chair and a 1960s-era travel poster from Mallorca.
The stable doors open to a side garden shared by the kitchen. (In the first photo, the garden is in the upper left.) Lawren installed the raised planters for growing fresh vegetables and also renovated two original sheds (not pictured).
Vina had signed off even before Jody sold the property, so it wasn’t until Lawren recently contacted her about a potential collaboration that she was able to see these photos. And while Vina is sorry that Jody had to sell the home she poured so much heart, design and money into, she couldn’t have been more pleased to see how well Lawren integrated their vision into her own.
“It’s such a sweet project,” Vina says. “Looking back, I wouldn’t do anything differently.”
Tell us…
What do you like about this home transformation? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Vina had signed off even before Jody sold the property, so it wasn’t until Lawren recently contacted her about a potential collaboration that she was able to see these photos. And while Vina is sorry that Jody had to sell the home she poured so much heart, design and money into, she couldn’t have been more pleased to see how well Lawren integrated their vision into her own.
“It’s such a sweet project,” Vina says. “Looking back, I wouldn’t do anything differently.”
Tell us…
What do you like about this home transformation? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
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Who lives here? The home is currently rented
Location Ojai, California, USA
Size 153 sq m combined
Designers Vina Lustado of Sol Haus Design (architecture) and Jody Lewis and Lawren Howell (interior design)
Photos by Stephanie Helguera
When Jody lived in nearby Santa Barbara, she loved how her neighbours’ gardens were all connected, so the children (including her three daughters) could run freely between their friends’ houses with a communal play space in between. So when she found two cottages being sold together in Ojai for a relatively affordable price, she was hooked on the idea of recreating that feeling for her family.
This photo shows the result: an L-shaped “living” side and a bunkhouse, connected by a private courtyard.
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