Humble & Perfect

May 13

I did paint samples in the garden cottage. Does it feel like this project is taking forever? It has been taking forever.

I was so excited to start working on it in April, and then work got busy and life got busy and then I needed to do my backyard garden right this minute. And so it was pushed to the side.

If you’ve already forgotten all about it, here’s the refresher: First Look at The Garden Cottage Renovation Plans.

It’s a 325-square-foot cottage with a bedroom, tiny living area, tiny bathroom, tiny laundry room. It would be the perfect size for a squirrel or an art student in New York. It is so little! But it is precious, as are so many tiny things.

Gardenia & Leaflet

The walls and ceiling will be a creamy white called Gardenia, and the wood floors and trim will be a garden green called Leaflet. I can’t think of a better color combo for a garden cottage.

I’ve never painted wood floors before. It feels like kind of a deranged choice after having spent lots of money removing paint from floors to put down a beautiful stain. However, this space is very humble, and I think paint will actually feel more appropriate in this tiny little shack of a cottage than stain would.

The older I’ve gotten, the more appreciation I have come to have for context and scale. A humble home does not suddenly become grand because you put down gorgeous stained oak flooring. Things are allowed to be humble and still be perfect.

I think the green floors will be so pretty, especially with a worn vintage Persian rug on top. Lived in and loved on, just like I hope this space will feel.

I am pretty positive painting will be done by this time next week, so I hope I can show you by the next email.

The reason I’m calling the project the “Garden Cottage” is because it opens directly out onto my new backyard garden. It’s so quaint to open the double doors and see the rows of beds now very very full with plants that are growing so fast in this hot and rainy New Orleans spring weather.

Oh, and I have already have made something using the herbs from my garden!

Roasted potatoes tossed in the herbiest green goddess dressing. It is so good. I put a good bit of mint in it, along with tarragon, dill, parsley, and chives. It’s so bright and delicious. I think I’ll be sharing that recipe with you next week, too.

Thanks for stopping by, and I’ll see you on Wednesday!

xoxo
Beau