Whitney Leigh Morris, her husband Adam, and their rescue beagle StanLee moved into their 400-square-foot, Craftsman-style cottage in Venice, California, almost nine years ago. “Since then, we’ve gotten married on our front stoop, adopted our second dog Sophee, and welcomed our child West into the world,” says Whitney. “We’ve always loved our home, but it suits us now more than ever.”

When Whitney and Adam first discovered the 1924 cottage, it checked off all their boxes. Two skylights and several windowed doors flood the tiny home with light; there’s a small outdoor space; and the house is close to the beach and the Venice canals.

“There’s easy upkeep—a perk when raising a young child—and overhead is low,” Whitney says. “You don’t have to invest much when there’s limited square footage and only a handful of appliances and fixtures to update, and it keeps us physically and emotionally close at a time when it’s easy to get distracted by both consumerism and digital noise.”

Whitney—an author, blogger, and sustainable small space consultant— partners with her husband in business, and their tiny cottage serves as their full-time office, too. “Our company exists to help individuals, couples, families, and businesses adapt to, and ultimately embrace, life in a smaller footprint,” she says.

According to Whitney, tiny living used to be quite common in Venice. “There were numerous small homes, true beach bungalows, that were huddled shoulder-to-shoulder under sweeping blue skies, sharing in community resources and attractions,” she says. “These days, they’re swiftly being leveled and replaced with multi-story, zero lot-line behemoths. Our home and the neighboring tiny home on the property are still standing after about 100 years.”

Two tiny houses occupy the Venice property, and Whitney’s neighbor is just eight feet away, separated by a porch. The residences share exterior thoroughfares, which double as outdoor living spaces, and are set back from the canals, allowing for more privacy.

Having lived in New York City; Aveyron, France; and Charlotte, North Carolina, Whitney chose to plant roots in Venice because “the town has its own lively heartbeat,” she says. “While it has changed immensely in the past decade, Venice is still unlike any other place I’ve ever lived. I appreciate the art, the access to the natural world, and the independently owned businesses sprinkled throughout the funny little beachside community. As a family, we are grateful for access to so many community resources and events, as well as the ability to ditch our shared car and instead travel around by cargo bike as a family, including the pups.”

Before: Kitchen

After: Kitchen

Before: Living Room

“The living room is in a constant state of transformation due to the multiple roles it plays throughout the day,” says Whitney. “But it’s always outfitted with richly textured, neutral-toned linens, including a vintage rug and custom banquette cushions. By mounting a large mirror on the one stretch of open wall, we’re able to amplify the light and depth within this chameleonic room. And by creating custom drawers to fit the cubbies in the built-in couch, we’re able to maximize storage without visually crowding the compact area.”

After: Living Room

After: Bathroom

The bathroom appears mostly as it did when the couple first moved in. “We simply removed the store-bought towel racks and holders and replaced them with found objects,” says Whitney. “Our towel rack, for example, is a branch we found on a walk during our sister’s wedding in Idaho. By suspending it from the ceiling and outfitting it with a few simple S-hooks, we’re able to hold the entire family’s bathing linens on one small stretch of wall.”

A collection of baskets, tins, and buckets hold everything from sewing kits to spare shampoo bars, and from medicine to dog food and spare candles. “We realized that the built-in cubbies in our bathroom can quickly make the kitchen and even living space look cluttered, as they’re visible through the pocket door,” she says.

Before: Bedroom

After: Bedroom

“[The bedroom is] small but highly functional thanks to the built-in bookshelf headboard and the concealed storage beneath the bed,” says Whitney." layout="wide" credit="Courtesy of Whitney Leigh Morris" photoUserId=""/>“We removed select built-in features, such as a shoe rack, and painted the wood white in order to make the space more flexible and cheerful,” she says. “Our son now sleeps on our built-in couch thanks to a simple bumper pillow and a set of dedicated sheets, and the closet is once again where we keep all of our clothing as a family.”" layout="wide" credit="Courtesy of Whitney Leigh Morris" photoUserId=""/>

Before: Rear Garden

After: Rear Garden

Every room in the tiny cottage except for the bathroom opens to an outdoor area. “There are three outdoor spaces in all,” says Whitney. “There’s an eight-foot-wide porch, a side garden that leads to our front door, and a back garden off of the bedroom.” The rear garden is marked by a canopy of red trumpet vines and an outdoor shower, where the family, including the beagles, rinses off after trips to the beach.

“There’s also a custom, eight-foot-wide couch and mirror set that transformed not only the garden, but our bedroom since they’re only a few feet apart,” she continues. “It was crafted locally with reclaimed wood and was designed to accommodate our entire family without being too deep, so we’re able to stroll easily through the garden without bumping into furnishings.” The custom sofa’s proportions also allow the family to set beverages, books, and phones on its back and armrests, eliminating the need for a coffee table.

Before: Side Garden

After: Side Garden

Whitney outfitted the side garden with a vertical green wall, laundry lines, a bistro table for work and crafts, and West’s fairy garden and basketball net attached to a wooden gate.

Before: Porch

After: Porch

“Our porch used to be our exterior dining area, but it’s now a grow zone,” she says. “Farm stands made of recycled plastic circulate water through two six-foot-tall towers that hold 36 plants each, allowing us to grow an abundance of leafy greens, fruits, and vegetables. Our son’s activity bench is here, too, alongside our potting bench, allowing us to blend work and play naturally throughout the day.”

As climate change continues to impact the way we live, Whitney believes small spaces can work spectacularly for a variety of family structures with different income levels.

“Living within a modest floor plan can help folks lead a greener existence,” she says. “The average American home is about 2,500 square feet and uses a commensurate amount of energy. Homes in the U.S. account for 38% of the country’s energy usage—and that amount surges to 80% when indirect usage is factored in. A small space runs on a sliver of energy by comparison. After all, it doesn’t take much to warm up, cool down, or illuminate a 400-square-foot home. Through our work and our home, we’re striving to be a resource for those who are interested in self-sufficient and restorative small space living, requiring less of the earth while also giving back to it.”

Shop the Look

More Before & After:

An Art Nouveau Carriage House Is Reborn as a Luxe Barcelona Loft

A Thoughtful Kitchen Remodel Balances Flourish and Function in a Portland Victorian

A Humdrum Midcentury in Vancouver Gets an Origami-Like Addition

Project Credits:

Interior Design: Whitney Leigh Morris / @whitneyleighmorris

Landscape Design: Whitney Leigh Morris and Big Red Sun

Appears In

Before & After: An Eco-Friendly Family’s 400-Square-Foot Cottage Teems With Plant Life