Portland Garden Cottages – Intimate Spaces from Recycled Building Materials

There’s an ongoing debate in my house over what constitutes a “too small” dwelling, so I’m always on the prowl to bolster my position that we can live well in small spaces. Evidence: The Portland Garden Cottages designed and built by Jeffrey Gantert and Brad Bloom.

Gantert and Bloom built two small, (364 square-feet) cottages from mostly used building materials. The cottages took advantage of an empty lot in the Mississippi Historic District of the upper Albina neighborhood of Portland. They are designed to fith with the history and character of the neighboring structures, a mixture of ordinary working-class homes and ornate Victorian-style architecture.

From the outside, the little houses are charming with attention to detail and just a bit of color to accent the more natural-looking wood exterior. Tiny front porches and little patios integrate the cottages with their garden surroundings and the world beyond. Though Portland is not known for its sunshine, its residents have an affinity for gardens and the outdoors in general.

The cottages, which were included in the Build It Green! home tour in 2008, don’t allow smoking or pets, rent by the month. More information is available on the Portland Garden Cottages webpage.


References: Trend Hunter | Portland Garden Cottages