Cottage Minimalism

A California cottage offers a refreshing twist on farmhouse style.

- Jennifer Blaise Kramer

FOR ANYONE WHO SUMMERS IN AN IDYLLIC, FARAWAY LOCALE, THERE’S ALWAYS A JOLT OF POST-VACATION REENTRY ONCE BACK HOME. To ease that reaction, homeowner Lyla Clyne decided to pull the best of her family’s seasonal French living into her American farmhouse, which she shares with her husband, Alex, and their two schoolage daughters. The result is a slice of Côte Sud in the heart of Santa Barbara, California, offering a family of four an everyday dream retreat.  White Paradise

Before the transformation, the interior of this 1937 home was very dark.There were only a few windows, and wood floors were hidden under shag carpeting. Working within the footprint of the 2,000-square-foot house, Lyla, a realtor, and Alex, a contractor, blew out every wall they could, replacing windows with seven sets of French doors, which are usually left flung open to let in the Central Coast sunshine.

“I don’t need a lot of color,” Lyla says. “I need a place to reflect, then go out in the world and travel.” They treated the walls with plaster for a worldly look and painted every wall in flat white paint. This, along with white cotton draperies and white slipcovered furniture, gives the home a fresh, bright look, contrasted with rustic beams and wood furnishings throughout.