Nostalgic Cottage Style

This small guest cottage on a large historic ranch was redesigned to add comfort, charm, character - and notes of nostalgia.

- Meryl Schoenbaum

The owners of this guest cottage nestled on the property of a Spanish-style ranch in picturesque Santa Ynez, California, wanted it to reflect the enchanting views of its pastoral surroundings and the character of their main home's historic ranch while providing the ultimate comfort and functionality for their guests. To achieve their desired look and feel, they brought in local designer Jess Landis of Studio JL Design to reimagine every space, inside and out.

The two-bedroom, 1,000-square-foot guest cottage was built in 1928 as the caretaker’s quarters on a large ranch in the bucolic Santa Ynez River Valley. Celebrities including James Stewart and Dean Martin were among the property’s owners who enjoyed it as a quiet retreat from the Hollywood lifestyle. The small cottage was envisioned by the homeowners and designer to come out from the shadows of the large main house, taking inspiration from the sprawling views of the valley and offering an inviting respite and home-away-from-home functionality to guests.

“They wanted this forgotten little space to be completely transformed into a welcoming getaway,” Jess recalls. “Their hope was that every guest who stayed there would feel happy, relaxed and at ease. It was about creating a thoughtfully curated environment that felt both charming and comfortable, a place where people could slow down, enjoy the view and feel truly at home. The goal was to transform it into a fully functional and beautifully detailed guest cottage that feels inviting and full of character.”

INSPIRED DESIGN