I thought you’d like to tour Susan’s 423 sq. ft. tiny cottage studio with an upstairs loft.
It’s in the East Bay area of California. When you walk inside there’s a ground floor area with a living room, bathroom, and plenty of open space for a kitchenette if you wanted to add one.
When you go upstairs there’s a spacious loft bedroom area. In total, there’s one bedroom and one bathroom. Susan, the owner, uses the space in many ways. She’s quite flexible with it, in fact, as you’ll learn below.
469 Sq. Ft. Tiny Cottage in California

Images: New Avenue Homes










Images: New Avenue Homes
“This little cottage is all about bringing family together.
It is located on a quiet East Bay block that is lined with cute California bungalows. Susan, the owner, will initially use this as extra space when her daughter, son-in-law, and grandchild, are visiting from their home in Israel. Susan’s daughter is contemplating moving back to the Bay Area. If that is the case, this cottage may become Susan’s home while her daughter, son-in-law and grandchild move into the main home. Susan has entertained renting her main home while she travels to Israel, but for now she is using her main home just as she always has. Currently she’s running the cottage as a busy bed and breakfast that is generating up to $3,000 per month in rent!
This cottage was designed for two people. It has a separate loft and tons of built-in storage. It was oriented to face a shared backyard patio for outdoor dining, and it’s just a few steps from the big kitchen in the main home. Most importantly, there is an area that can hold a big enough table for weekly dinners that have been a tradition for the family and the family’s friends for decades.”
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Alex
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I liked it very much at first glance. I would even deal with the stairs, which look much better than a straight-up-and-down-ladder. However, going back and studying it I realized there was no kitchen, then I read about sharing dinners from the big kitchen of the main home. I would like to see something similar but with kitchen facilities.
What Brand and shade of yellow was used outside on this home?
I think this color is called “Buttercream”. But the best thing to do is to go to a paint supplier and look at samples. Lowes, Home Depot, and other such places usually always have stock cards with paint samples on them. The colors we see on our computer monitors often don’t match the colors in real time, but going to a paint supplier and you will get to see the actual color, maybe even take a couple of samples home to hold up against the house to decide.
i love the paint job, yellow ext with blue door and windows and white trim looks so good together. No kitchen??? wtf?
When I last visited that area a few years back, cottages/studios could not be permanent living spaces, so no kitchens.
Soooo attractive on the OUTSIDE… I’ll leave it at that
No tub/shower and no kitchen? Hmm? I would be willing to bet that this is due to some sort of city code thing, or something that would cause taxes on the property to be ridiculously high. This is too well planned for this to be an oversight.
Love the color, the simplicity of the design and the furnishings. This is not my style, but I could see myself paying to stay there when visiting the Bay area. Colors and layout are all peaceful.
I thought that was a little strange too (no shower, no kitchen) but could see how it could be added. Thanks LK!!
The lack of kitchen facilities and a shower is rather intriguing. Possibly due to city codes as already mentioned because it might then be considered full rental property and raise her property taxes sky high?! Or could it be that starting to add a shower/tub….washer/dryer……and kitchen amenities wasn’t in the budget at the time? Although it sounds like it’s generating a significant enough amount of income to justify the expense by now. At any rate, it is darling and apparently is working well for her until she makes up her mind what it’s final actual use will be.
Surely this tremendous build has no kitchen nor bathroom as its EXTRA accommodation to the owners already well established B&B for family to live in whilst visiting or indeed the owner whilst the family make use of her home, maybe it’s just me but I thought this was made VERY clear in the write up?? That aside its a stunning example and a little more “house” looking is it not of a bathroom were required a small extension on the rear possibly encircling the patio that’s shared with the main house could easily house a kitchen & bathroom without disturbing either home, and simply built off site either craned in complete or in pieces to be easily rebuilt on an already pad !!!
(Is it really just me that reads the bumf on the homes completely ?? Surely not, as usually only by reading this which after all is supplied with them all can we possibly know what they are about, in these cases a quick squint at the images does NOT suffice as this is where all the silly questions are created)
Cute, cute, cute. Love it.
Sweet Home……California. What matters is the commitment, that remains is the Feeling….
This is such a large space and, once completed, will make a great little house.
Don’t they eat?? Where is a place to prepare some kind of food?
OK, it’s good…., the three different sizes progressively: small, medium, large. The care of the outsider is pleasant, quiet.
This is nice. Outside is classy. Blue door and windows stands out. Love the ground stones or tiles? Love pavers too. Nice and roomy looking. Traffic can be a bear in the Bay area. Tourists usually walk around. I love it.
Thanks, Sheila!