"Rose Zilber’s cottage, located in a small town in Monterey County, California, could easily be the setting for a rom-com, capturing the quintessential charm of every beloved main character’s home. It has the signature lived-in, well-styled look with just the right amount of personality that we’ve grown to love on screen. Rose, drawing inspiration from her picturesque seaside surroundings, has crafted a coastal sanctuary with rich textures, thrifted treasures, and pops of soft blue. Despite the open and airy feel, this dreamy cottage is actually a 500-square-foot studio apartment. Rose has skillfully maximized the space, creating a home that reflects her personal style while staying true to its coastal setting. Keep scrolling for a full home tour of Rose’s stunning seaside retreat and her top tips for decorating a home that feels authentically you, no matter the size.
Rose Zilber’s California Cottage Tour
The details:
Name: Rose Zilber
Location: Monterey County, California
Square footage: 500 square feet
Rent/Own: Rent
You’ve moved several times over the last few years. What about your current location feels like home?
I grew up not too far away from here, so that’s probably partially why, but alongside that, I’d say this coastline just feels like home. It always brings a sense of calm and familiarity, even within all its ruggedness.
As is the case with many apartments, you don’t have much of an entryway to speak of. How did you carve out space for a dropzone inside your front door?
It kind of happened by accident! My couch was the first piece of furniture to make its way into the cottage, and it happened to line up with the coat hooks that were already there when I moved in. I wasn’t sure what to put under my coats for a while; I considered a side table but ultimately ended up with a huge basket and threw all my go-to shoes in it, and it naturally evolved from there. After I added some art above the hooks, it felt more pulled together and like its own section of the room. I like to joke that it’s my mudroom (it does get muddy there during the rainy season), but really it’s just 2 feet of the cottage being put to maximum use.
“This coastline just feels like home. It always brings a sense of calm and familiarity, even within all its ruggedness.”
Your apartment itself is stunning, with vaulted ceilings, exposed beams, and tons of natural light. How did you end up with this amazing place?
This is probably the question I get the most (alongside “Where is your bedding from?”), so I actually wrote a whole blog post about it. You can read an in-depth answer there, but in summary: lots of patience, lots of vision boarding, getting really clear on what I valued and what I could live without, being flexible, creating a clear budget for myself, and searching on apartment listing sites multiple times a day every day for months.
Your sofa was thrifted and came upholstered with red floral fabric. How did you make this piece work with your style?
The internet is super divided with love and hate for how I styled my couch. When I saw the couch at the thrift store, what initially drew me to it was the smaller size, how comfy it was, and the bones of it. The price tag was also 50 percent off, making it a steal at $60. The only part I didn’t love was the red floral fabric (it just wasn’t the vibe I was going for in this space), but I loved everything else about it.
I originally thought I would get it professionally upholstered, but after I got it home and cleaned it, I thought for the time being, I’d just use a few extra linens I had lying around the house to drape over the cushions and create more of a blank canvas to flow with the rest of the room. After living with that for a few weeks, I kinda fell in love with it, and now that’s what I still have going on! When the time comes to sell this couch (if I ever do), then the next owner can choose if they want to keep the red floral pattern, cover it like I did, or invest in reupholstering.
Living in a small town near the California coast, do you find that where you live has influenced your decorating style?
Definitely! I think that design and decorating should be reflective of the area that surrounds you (and, when possible, reflective of the specific house or apartment, too).
You also thrifted your coffee table and refurbished it yourself. What was that process like, and was the work worth it?
It was so long and so tiresome. I have major respect for people who restore furniture as a full-time job. While I don’t think I’ll seek out flipping furniture again, I do think it was worth it!
In addition to being a content creator, you are also an artist and have several of your own pieces displayed throughout your home. How does your decorating process compare to your approach to art?
When creating traditional art (whether it’s painting, ceramics, drawing, beading, or something else), I really don’t plan ahead and just let it flow in the moment. I’m also extremely tuned out, and it feels very meditative. When working on a space, I’m thinking about the bigger picture (“if I put this here, then I have to move that” or “if I add a pop of color here, then maybe I need to balance it out with a neutral texture over there,” etc). I am way more in my head and thinking about the end result rather than enjoying the moment. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy the moment, but I am definitely not as Zenned-out as I am when creating traditional art.
Where do you turn for creative inspiration?
Nature, books, rest, a walk around town, and Pinterest.
Your apartment is technically a studio with a bookshelf that divides your living area from your bedroom. How did you make this small space look and feel larger?
It is! Something that I learned through trial and error is that smaller spaces will actually feel smaller if you don’t furnish them with enough furniture or decorate them with enough art. Adding art (big and small, functional and decorative, high and low) is a great way to draw the eye all around the room. It creates an expansive feeling and gives off the illusion that space is bigger than it actually is.
Another big one is adding more furniture than you think you should (but not too much—there’s a balance). For example, I knew I didn’t have enough space for a traditional dining table with chairs, but I thrifted a smaller drop-leaf table, and I used it to divide the “kitchen” from the “living room” even though it’s all just one room. The table also adds more food prep space, a mini eating area, and storage underneath as well. It’s a win-win-win.
You’ve styled your bookshelf so beautifully. Where did you source the accessories displayed here, and how did you go about styling them?
Thank you! I’ve collected the items I have displayed over many years. Some items I’ve thrifted, some I’ve collected out in nature (like shells, driftwood, or rocks), some items were made by me or a family member, and all of the books have been collected over time from local bookshops or thrift stores.
Styling these items was semi-difficult because there is no back to the bookshelf (I later added the white curtain behind it to help divide the room, but it technically doesn’t have a back), so there was nothing to lean items up against. It just took a lot of trying and retrying until I found the right layout for the items that I had.
You have so many thrifted pieces throughout your home. What types of items do you look for when thrifting, and what are your best tips for finding high-quality pieces?
When I go thrifting, and I have a specific piece that I’m looking for—say a chair or a side table—I go in with more of a general mood board for the space I’m working on rather than looking for a super-specific piece of furniture or decor. This allows me to be more flexible and work with what the thrift stores have available, rather than being tied to one narrow idea, while still working within the overall style that I’m going for. Sometimes, it does still take a few visits, but I find much more flexibility with this mindset.
How did you make your kitchen feel like your style without making any changes to the existing cabinetry, countertops, and fixtures?
A few of my favorite tips for making cold spaces feel warmer are: layer various textures (wooden spoons in a ceramic jar, a jute rug in front of the sink, woven basket to hold coasters, etc.), add decorative and functional lamps with warm toned bulbs (and/or candles if it’s a fire-safe environment), change out the knobs/handles if possible to something a little more playful (I couldn’t do this in my kitchen, but have done it in other rooms), make “nests” (oil, salt, pepper on top of a marble tray, or a vase of flowers next to a stack of cookbooks, etc.), and, of course, art!
Instead of hiding everything away inside cabinets or drawers, you have all sorts of utensils, cookbooks, and other kitchen essentials displayed on the counter. How do you make these items look intentional instead of like clutter?
It takes some playing around with for sure, but I think one of the main ways to make countertop styling look intentional is by grouping similar items and showcasing items made from organic materials (wood spoons vs. rubber, a ceramic refillable olive oil container vs. one from the store with a label on it). All of this takes time to collect and doesn’t happen overnight, but once you have these items (if they’re made well), they should last you a lifetime.
Storage is always a struggle in small spaces. How do you manage to keep your place so organized?
I’m super selective with what I bring into my home, and what I do bring in has a spot! If I don’t use it, I give it to a friend or someone in the community (I’ll list it as “free to a good home” on Facebook Marketplace or Nextdoor). I have had to be super creative with stuff I do need to store, using boxes for storage on my bookshelf and in my closet and a waterproof bench for “garage” items that I keep outside. I also shove some stuff under the couch—I’m not perfect!
Your bed looks so cozy and inviting. What tips do you have for creating a beautifully layered bed?
Thank you! I think my biggest two tips would be to 1) use two duvet inserts inside your duvet cover. This just makes everything so much fluffier and also feels like a weighted blanket (which I love). If you live in a hot climate, this might not be the best option for you, though. And 2) don’t be afraid to mix patterns, colors, and textures! When someone asks me where my bedding is from, it is usually a long list of various brands that I’ve collected over many years. If you’re able to find sheets and other bedding that can interplay with each other, then every time you make your bed, you can try out a fun new combo without buying a whole new set of sheets.
Warm neutrals and soft pops of blue appear throughout your apartment. How did you land on this color scheme?
It kind of developed naturally. I just played into what I was gravitating toward, and I was also inspired by the color palette of the nature around me and what I grew up near. The blues and cooler tones of my decor balance out the warm/orange tones that come out in the ceiling and various wood items I have around the cottage.
You’ve mentioned previously that you believe art goes beyond the traditional pieces you might think of, like framed prints and paintings. What are some of your favorite non-traditional pieces of art to decorate with?
I think of my whole living space as a canvas. I think that furniture, textiles, and even the music you play within a space is a chance to express yourself and how you feel and see the world. Some smaller examples of this could be a dish of shells collected over time, hanging a purse intentionally on a dresser knob, styling a beautiful blouse on an old silk hanger, filling a vase with flowers, the mugs and other ceramics in your cupboard, a candle on your coffee table—the list goes on!
We love how you updated your bathroom vanity with removable wallpaper and new hardware. How did you approach this space and make it your own?
The bathroom was very gray when I moved in, and I knew I wanted to make it feel cozier and more welcoming. Like you mentioned, I added my own hardware to the vanity as well as wallpapered it in a renter-friendly way, which I think made the most dramatic change to the room. I also brought in new brass hooks, colorful towels, a ruffled shower curtain, woven baskets to hold toilet paper, and a few other items to further “warm up” the space.
Your outdoor space is so idyllic. How do you like to spend your time out here?
Thank you! It’s been a major work in progress, and I’m still constantly futzing around with it (especially as the seasons change). When I’m not rearranging things or gardening, I’ll enjoy a coffee or a meal outside, look through a coffee table book, or sometimes just close my eyes and enjoy the weather. It’s the first time I’ve ever had a garden space like this, and I’m so grateful for it every single day.
What does an ideal day at home look like for you?
An ideal day at home would probably start with coffee on the patio, followed by a walk on the beach or in town. Then some gardening, maybe reading a book or working on a fun project, inviting friends over to cook a meal together, and enjoying it all together outside. Then maybe going down to the beach to catch the sunset and coming back home to watch a feel-good movie before bed.
Anything else we should know about you or your home?
While I’m so so grateful for this space and the life I’ve worked hard to create for myself, do still remember that social media is a highlight reel, and you’re most definitely not getting the full picture of anyone’s life from behind a screen. I love sharing and inspiring, but what you see online is not my whole life. I think it’s OK to share beautiful images and videos online, but just remember that everyone is human, and we’re all going through our own non-beautiful things alongside all the beautiful things in life.
