Bigger is not always better, and when it comes to creating a cozy nook, that is definitely true. And it is our personal opinion that some of the best spots in any house just so happen to be the reading corners, breakfast nooks, and everything in between. Luckily, plenty of the houses we’ve toured around the world have myriad gorgeous nooks within the rooms, but some of our favorites are all in one place: Marin County, California, where designer Chloe Kalk and her family live.
There’s something particularly charming about a nook in an old house, especially one with as much character as Kalk’s, which was built in 1911. “Cozy is like my favorite word in the dictionary. I just want everyone here to feel cozy at all times,” she says. And nowhere is that sentiment more apparent than in the home’s smallest spaces, where every inch feels thoughtfully considered.
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Make Clever Use of the Wall Space
Situated at the top of the staircase, this little landing could easily have been overlooked. Instead, Kalk turned it into a charming sitting area with two antique armchairs from Elsie Green, a vintage rug, and a cricket table inherited from the home’s previous owner. Though there’s barely enough room for the furniture, the surrounding gallery wall gives the space an unexpectedly grand feel.
As for the nook itself, she opted for two antique chairs, both from Elsie Green, a vintage rug, and a cricket table, which she sourced from the home’s previous owners. They’re like a local—they do antiques and the table, so I like to shop from them. Vintage rug. I bought two things from the previous owner. It was that light I mentioned in the living room and this cricket table. “It’s so cute, and it’s perfect for landing.”
Give the Smallest Room Some Personality
Most powder rooms are small, but this one is extra tiny. It’s just wide enough for a toilet and a console sink on a metal stand that exposes the underside of the basin. In such a small room, Kalk’s sink choice makes sense because a pedestal or vanity would take up way more physical and visual space. As for the decoration, she kept it light and airy so as not to make the room feel smaller than it is. “A powder room is always a good moment for wallpaper, and this is one is Robert Kime, one of the greatest of all time,” she says. The mirror, a charming find from OKA, completes the space without taking too much attention away from anything else.”
Kalk furnished the new nook with a custom table from Elsie Green, wide dining chairs, and a vintage light fixture from the Mart Collective in Los Angeles. An assortment of patterned pillows makes the banquette especially inviting, but it’s the way the family uses the space that makes it so successful. From breakfast to afternoon coloring sessions, this little corner has become one of the hardest-working spots in the house.
Add a Built-In
Sometimes, the nook is pre-existing, and sometimes, you have to create one yourself. In this case, Kalk took the latter route. “This built-in wasn’t here, and it was calling for a built-in,” she says. “With windows like this, it’s the perfect opportunity for a nook.” We agree. Plus, don’t let the size of a nook fool you; a lot can happen in a nook! This, for instance, is where most of the Kalk family activity happens. “Everything happens here. When it’s the four of us, we eat here, we color here, we’re just always here,” she admits.
Since she added the built-in banquette herself, she designed the rest of the nook around it. She snagged the table from Elsie Green and opted for a vintage light from her favorite place to shop: the Mart Collective in Los Angeles. OF course, there’s no shortage of pillows to make meals (and coloring sessions) more comfortable.
