Spaces
“Designed to be lived in, loved in, and used daily.”
Not every beautiful space starts that way—some just need a little vision and intention.
The photo above shows how this spot looks now—but it didn’t start that way. The image on the left captures what it looked like before: a bare, shaded corner with good bones and a lot of potential.
Now, it’s one of my favorite places to start the day, check emails, or just watch the birds. It’s peaceful, shaded, and pulled together with pieces that hold a little meaning—even the plant table was a $30 Facebook Marketplace find. The tablecloth? Just a spare bedsheet.
I’m starting the tour here because this space reflects the heart of our design style: simple, useful, and thoughtfully put together. Scroll on to see more corners we’ve created—each one designed to work hard, feel good, and reflect what we care about.
🪴 Native-ish Refresh After taking stock of my garden, I realized I wasn’t growing many true California natives. So when my artichoke gave up in the round garden bed, I decided to pivot. I made a trip to City Farmers, where butterflies were everywhere—mating midair, landing on flowers, and making the whole place feel alive. I had to step carefully just to avoid interrupting them. I picked up a mix of plants—seaside daisy and narrowleaf milkweed (both true CA natives), plus Santa Barbara daisies and a Gaura hybrid, which are great for pollinators but not technically native. I also added Lavandula × intermedia ‘Phenomenal’ to that bed—definitely not native, but reliable in the heat. To balance it out, I tucked some California buckwheat into other parts of the yard—one of the most important native plants for local pollinators. It’s a mix, but it’s a start.
Sometimes all you really need is a hammock, the perfect light, and your pup. This little setup has become one of our favorite ways to slow down—especially when Goji climbs in first and claims the best spot. The hammock itself was just $60 on Amazon and folds up easily for travel, but honestly, it feels like a luxury every time we use it. No fancy setup. Just a breeze, some filtered sun, and a happy dog
This shady corner used to have a strong front display, but the back always gave it away—just a few exposed pots and empty space. I finally filled it in with shade-friendly plants to make the whole bed feel intentional and complete, matched to the shifting sunlight throughout the day. A hosta is currently taking center stage, surrounded by blooming hydrangeas and a backdrop of citronella for a bit of texture (and mosquito control). Several calla lily bulbs are also planted here, though they’ve been cut back for the summer heat—they’ll reemerge in cooler weather, hopefully after a good rain. The rest of the bed, out of frame, holds sun-loving bursts of sage, impatiens, caladium, kalanchoe, and more. Between drip lines and a tucked-away olla, everything here has its own rhythm of hydration.
Not every space needs a plan. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is step back and let nature take over. This part of our homestead wasn’t shaped or planted—it just is. No design, no structure, no pressure to be anything other than what it already is. The trees filtered in on their own, the ground softened with leaf fall, and the light does all the styling. All we did was build the stairs—just enough to invite you in without disrupting what was already working. It’s raw, peaceful, and real. A reminder that sometimes, doing nothing is exactly the right move.
This is where the breakfast crew lives: Maple, Butter, and Cinnamon. Built under the trees for natural shade and tucked into a quiet corner of the yard, our coop setup is equal parts cozy and functional—with just enough personality to match the hens who call it home. Who says you can’t build a large structure on a slope? Jose knocked out this custom chicken run in just two days—leveled, secured, and fully integrated into the hillside like it was always meant to be there. We added little upgrades to make it safer, easier to clean, and way more fun to live in (for chickens and humans). Want to see how we pulled it off? Head over to our DIY Projects page for the full build and behind-the-scenes tips.
This was the first big garden enclosure we built, and over time it’s become one of the most alive corners of our yard. I kept adding more plants around it—little by little—until the space just started blooming in every direction. That terracotta-colored pot on the left? That’s stevia growing—one of the sweeter surprises we’ve planted. If you look closely, you’ll spot a hole on the lower left. Some local wildlife helped themselves to the sea lavender (lunch, apparently), but it always bounces back stronger. It happens. And honestly, I’ve learned to make peace with it. These days, I’m more focused on finding ways to share the yard than to fence it off entirely.