A 696-Square-Foot Beach Bungalow Maximizes Small Space Brilliantly
Name: Madison Bess, Husband Carter and 80-lb Old English Sheepdog
Location: St. Petersburg, Florida
Type of home: Beach Bungalow
Size: 696 square feet
Years lived in: 3 years, owned
Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: When my husband and I first saw the listing of our home online it read, “Don’t let the modest curb appeal fool you.” Seeing it for the first time I realized there was a lot of work that needed to be done but even more than that, the potential of this beach bungalow was staring me right in the face. I couldn’t say no and next thing you know we are in our very first home. I could just envision my family living here for many happy years!
Our beach bungalow is only 696 square feet, however, adding our own style and touch to it, it no longer feels like an itty-bitty, dingy home. Our beach bungalow is now a welcoming, mindful, cozy place where we create memories and love. In such a small place, being mindful of every design decision is so important! There isn’t a piece of furniture or a paint color that I don’t question beforehand to make sure it helps enlarge the space. Being under 700 square feet can seem cramped, however, we’ve been able to maximize the space with a built-in breakfast nook, wall shelves, and purchasing apartment-sized furniture!
Since moving in we’ve done a lot to the home. From the outside in, we’ve done projects like adding a driveway, a fenced-in landscape, remodeled our kitchen and bathroom, and so much more! We often get asked if we are going to move from the small bungalow anytime soon. I feel like instead of outgrowing our bungalow as our family gets bigger, we will grow into our bungalow and find ways to make it work for us. This is our home and no matter the size we have learned to be happy!
Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Modern, Boho, Coastal, Cozy
What is your favorite room and why? My favorite room would have to be the kitchen. When we first moved into the home I knew I wanted to update the kitchen as soon as possible. I love spending time in here cooking and since I work from home our kitchen table becomes my office every single morning. My husband and I spent 14 days over his Christmas break as a student remodeling our kitchen. It took 12-hour days and lots of YouTube videos! Luckily for us everything went smoothly and this is the room I spend the majority of my day.
What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? Living in a small home I absolutely love small side tables and stools. I have about five in my home right now! And I could use another five. Having small side tables and stools makes it so easy to maximize every square inch of your home. Here are my top five favorite small side tables and stools right now:
Any advice for creating a home you love? If you’re trying to create a home you love my first piece of advice is don’t wait. Don’t wait for a huge budget, don’t wait for more time, just quit waiting and start doing! I have learned that if there is a look that I like and I can’t afford at it the time, there’s always a way to accomplish the same overall style by getting creative and doing it yourself. And lastly, enjoy the process! It’s easy to get caught up on Instagram and all the perfect styled spaces, nonetheless, creating a home you love takes time and so I say enjoy every single minute of it!
This submission’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
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