Woman Transforms Ordinary Garage Into Living Space Nicer Than Some People's Homes

Aug 10, 2021 by apost team

Whitney Leigh Morris is a designer, blogger, and "small space living consultant," living in the gorgeous Venice Canal District of Venice Beach in Los Angeles, California. Her secret to living in such an expensive neighborhood is to create your very own tiny living space for a fraction of the cost of a typical home.

The garage that Morris converted into her home was built in the 1920s as part of a much larger building. The space is now a 362-square-feet home that she shares with her fiancé, Adam Winkleman, their young son, West, and their two beagle-mix rescues, Stanlee and Sophee. This seems like a lot of inhabitants for such a small space, but somehow they make it work.

The home is complete with a bedroom, kitchen, and living area. The kitchen area features beautiful stainless steel appliances, wooden cabinets, and artwork. The bedroom is partitioned off from the rest of the home for privacy. Morris has also placed a small yet perfectly functional desk near the door to use as a workspace.

One major change was replacing the house's wide entrance and doors with spacious panels and a glass door that let in natural light, bathing the whole space in a warm glow. Morris added an L-shaped couch to section off the space from the kitchen area without making it seem too closed-off. Some other tricks Morris uses to utilize all of the space is by draping a simple tablecloth over the coffee table to transform an ordinary living room into the perfect dining room. 

There is even a lovely little patio in the backyard! Morris and Winkleman converted the small outdoor space into a good-sized sitting area, as well as added to the décor with fairy lights and whimsical ivy. Keep reading to learn more about this tiny house!

Morris chose the color palette for her home very carefully, going with paint and furnishings in whites and neutrals. She said to One Kings Lane, "A bright, consistent palette makes the space look far larger than it really is." Morris also said that she and Winkleman never disagreed on how to furnish the home. "What works for the space is obvious!" she added. 

Morris mentioned that she prefers to decorate with leafy green branches over flowers. "They tend to last longer, make less of a mess, and have a way of making spaces look simple yet wild at the same time," she explained. There is also a sizable wall mirror in the living area that makes the room appear larger. "Whenever we take it down to clean it, we realize what a difference it makes," Morris said.

Morris and Winkleman have constantly changed the space to maximize their storage needs. She recommends, "Hanging storage has been extremely helpful for us. We use hanging trays, wall ladders, and S-hooks on branches to go vertical. Put things up high that will be pleasant to look at and also serve some purpose." Morris adds that whatever you decide to decorate with or hang you should make it functional as well.

The family did not want to compromise their location for an affordable home, so they built one. Now, they can spend time enjoying everything Venice Beach has to offer. Morris said, "We always want the focus of our home to be the people in it or the neighborhood around it. Here, we have this amazing beach community and each other—and Stanlee."

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Would you ever live in a tiny home like this? Do you know anyone who has done something like this? Let us know and pass this along to your friends and family.