Thursday, June 19, 2008


“Now that I have built a palace, I wish I lived in a cottage.”
The First Duke of Westminster


In his editor’s letter for the latest issue of House Beautiful, Stephen
Drucker extolls the value and the beauty of the small room. I was tickled to read it and I heartily agree. Through my travels and my profession, I have been fortunate to visit many styles and many sizes of rooms. While the large and grand is often breathtaking, and inspiring - one thinks of the library at Biltmore House in North Carolina for example - I find that the small and cozy is often infinitely more inviting. I’m reminded as I write this of Beatrix Potter’s enchanted home at Hill Top, or Franklin Roosevelt’s Little White House, both tiny places, both simply lovely. Between Mrs. Muir’s charming seaside cottage or Rebecca’s grand Manderley, I’m afraid the choice would be an easy one for me. Bigger is most certainly not always better. My own home is an old one, rabbit-warren cozy, and I often feel as content as a rabbit myself as I curl up before my stone fireplace in winter with a mug of something hot and Edward at my feet, or perhaps sneak a nap by an open window on a late spring morning, with Edward sharing a spot at the end of my chaise lounge as the breeze ruffles his white fur. There is indeed something about a smaller room, a smaller house, that just seems to gift us with a cozier atmosphere. After all, cozy is defined by Webster as “snug, warm and comfortable”. Now who doesn’t need a wee bit more of that?

17 comments:

  1. I agree, cozy is the key!

    Your posts are a joy to read. I am absolutely loving your blog, Pamela! :D

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  2. I totally agree.. Big is beautiful. But, there is only so much space that you can sprawl out onto. This was so well written.. Kayce

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  3. Agree with you whole heartedly. Dwellings that are to large feel like public spaces, the intimate soul gets ripped away. Yes to small and charming!
    Thanks for visiting yesterday.
    Happy to know about your blog.
    Welcome to blogland!
    Constance

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  4. Me too. At a certain size, a room becomes a little overwhelming and not cozy. But of course, I've got a smaller home so I'm not very objective. But I've always yelled about McMansions with thier giant open floorplans and vaulted ceilings. No thank you! :)

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  5. Amen. I'll take cozy any day! Very well put!
    Becky

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  6. Pamela, thank you for visiting my blog and for writing sweet comments. I love this painting on your blog, and I heartily agree with your sentiments here!

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  7. You are right. Wherever I've lived, it is invariably the smaller cozier rooms of the house that my friends and I gravitate to when they visit. Nicer to sit and chat there, for some reason....which you have so amply described...

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  8. Cozy is perfection!! What a lovely post and illustration! You worded it so perfectly!!

    blessings,
    kari & kijsa

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  9. Oh my goodness!!! What a wonderful post! And I agree 100%! In fact, in April, I wrote this little memoir of our little cottage!
    http://bunnyrosecottage.blogspot.com/2008/04/reflections-from-little-blue-cottage.html

    Thank you so much for stopping by my blog! I will be back to visit you!

    Edward is just beautiful!!!

    Hugs,
    Amy

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  10. thanks for visiting my blog! i am so glad to have found you as well. when i came to your blog i had a feeling you came to my blog from willow manor and i see she is on your blog roll.

    edward is a charmer! i'm off to read more of your posts!! are the illustration si see here yours? i'd love to see some of your art!

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  11. LOL! Speaking as someone who lives in a picturesque rabbit hutch, I would trade my Grandmother (if I ahd one) for some more space! But who knows, maybe I would hanker after our little cottage again...I certainly wouldn't require a palace.

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  12. Thank you. The McMansions might be popular but nothing feels so cozy as a cottage. I can't believe that you mentioned Mrs. Muir! It is absolutely one of my favorite films...from the Priscilla curtains to the view of the sea. Another inspiration for me has been the description of the cottage in the Shell Seekers.

    Your blog reminds me to close my eyes now and again and just imagine.

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  13. Hello Pamela!

    Thank you so much for your visit! I am happy to discover your blog as well. Cooper is howling a hearty Hello to Edward as well!

    You have a magical writing style that creates wonderful images. I will be back often for a visit. :)

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  14. Hi Pamela,
    I see you feature(love) your Edward as much as I do my Alfie. Thanks for dropping by my blog today. I really enjoyed this post. Not that my small living space is by choice mind you but I sometimes feel you have to be so much more clever to make a smaller space work. And when it does it's like a coziness of a soft blanket, warm fire and cup of tea kinda feeling all rolled into one. Well said!
    Lisa & Alfie

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  15. I would have to say I agree also. I have been in my home for 18 years and never once wanted something bigger. Thank-you for such a nice post.
    ginger

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I love to read your comments! Each and every one! Though I'm always reading your comments, I may not respond in the comment section. If you want to write me directly, you may do so at pamela@pamelaterry.net. Thank you for reading!