Decorating & Design
See How This Cinematographer Is Living Large In 800 Square Feet
Published on February 15, 2021
What do you get when you have two creatives working towards a common goal? Pure design magic. A young cinematographer’s 800-square-foot home, located amongst the scenic hills and valleys of Sebastopol, California, needed a serious facelift, so designer Elizabeth Albert stepped in to get the job done. “It was such fun working with someone who is also very creative,” says Elizabeth. “The owner had his own vision and brought me on board because he wasn’t exactly sure how to execute it.”
The compact space was dated not only in style and design, but in its structure and layout, too. Elizabeth led the two-year renovation, stripping it down to its original bones. Since the house is so small, there was no room for cutting corners — every detail was well-thought out, from the exposed wood ceilings to the bubble gum pink dining chairs. “The homeowner wouldn’t settle for less than his dream,” says Elizabeth. “He appreciates beauty and quality.”
Scroll down to see the results of this gutted-to-gorgeous small-space renovation!
An exposed wooden ceiling with a large skylight floods the living room with an abundance of natural light.
With a keen eye for detail, the homeowner selected most of the art seen in the home.
All of the black casement windows were custom made for the house. “They feel like a picture frame to the beautiful landscape,” says Elizabeth. With such a small indoor living space, leading the eye outside is a clever design trick.
Maximizing closet space is an absolute necessity, especially for small spaces. “Anything that’s not needed for either visual design or practicality can be put away so that the space can be clear of clutter,” she says.
The kitchen window captures a picturesque barn in a meadow just outside. “We went to great lengths to flatten out the wall and move all sorts of structural obstacles to make sure that we can make that window as big and square as possible,” says Elizabeth.
“The space was too small for certain furniture, so we had to embrace the logistics of what we had,” she says. “All sorts of compromises go along with the territory — it’s just part of the process, but the home has everything you need.”
In one of the bedrooms, the neutral palette doesn’t fall flat thanks to layers of texture: stalks of pampas grass, natural wood accents and touchably soft pillows.
Hits of black in the principal bathroom and other areas of the home stand out against the space’s crisp white envelope. “You can have a complex yet visually easy design in any small space.”
Treating the house like a blank canvas, she added subtle pops of color through textiles and artwork.
David Duncan Livingston
Elizabeth Albert