Sarah's Refined Rental in St. Helena, CA - Remodelista
I grew up in nice houses, both new and old. My father, an architect (who continues to practice well beyond retirement age), had us on the move more times than I care to remember. Photography by Matthew Williams for Remodelista. At one time, we owned a house in San Francisco and had an architect design plans for a second floor, but when we outgrew the space, in lieu of renovating, we sold it, left the city, and downsized to a 1,200-square-foot rental. My whole approach to our cottage has been to neutralize the space within the confines of our lease: a cosmetic (and cost-conscious) makeover. I resolved not to buy specifically for the rental and to look for things that will be with us for the long haul, such as the extra-long sofa (a custom Erin Martin snagged on sale) that runs the length of the room. Since I don’t have much space to play with, I like to create small vignettes. The original interior was painted a very creamy white with just a tad too much yellow. It took me several months to find the right shade (Benjamin Moore Wind’s Breath with double the white), but repainting was worth the investment. I knit the chunky blanket that hangs over one of the living room chairs. Next on the list are cushion covers. I could easily be a hoarder, but living in smaller rooms means less stuff and a more rigorous approach to what comes in the house. We have lots of books, but I have learned to keep the shelves fairly open to create a sense of space. Although I prefer a neutral backdrop, I like to layer on a bit of texture. The Caravaggio light by Cecilie Manz was the reason I rented the house. The chairs are the classic Arne Jacobsen Series 7, also bought 15 years ago, and easy to stack and store. The tray stand is made from a folding laundry basket frame picked up at the Alameda flea market with a wire tray added on top. A built-in cabinet houses my ever-growing collection of pottery that I started during my years living in Japan. Stackable Japanese ceramic bowls. The kitchen was the hardest part of the rental. While I could change the veneer of just about anything in the rest of the house (window treatments... ...fixtures, paint), I really had a hard time with the checker-board gray linoleum and mottled gray granite counters. The new plywood counters work well with the existing white wall tiles. The kitchen is not big on storage space, so I hang as much as I can and turn it into a visual display.You can read the full kitchen remodel story and see many more details in the Remodelista book. Since the master bedroom is small, side table lamps would make it feel cramped... ...and drilling holes in the wall was not an option, so I sourced some hanging bulbs and used metal prongs intended for telephone wire to attach the lamp cord to the ceiling. Molding is a great way for renters to display art, hang bags, and clothes without having to hammer nails into a wall. My secret to the rental bathroom is to make everything white. I removed the milky glass shades on the light above the mirror and replaced them with silver-tipped light bulbs, which not only look better but also provide nicer light. One of the great things about old houses are the built-in cabinets, like this one in the bathroom. Early in my leather-tie obsession, I replaced the plastic rings of the shower curtain with these rawhide pieces tied into knots. If we owned the cottage, I would have used the whole surface of the wall as a pinboard in my home office. I bought this Brendan Ravenhill pendant light at the first Remodelista Market he took part in (and I even nailed it into the wall).