The Tiny house Blog

The Ultimate Guide to Tiny Home Design Trends in Santa Barbara

By
Jason Francis
Designed and built over 100 custom tiny homes, lived on a sailboat for 9 months, and loves to live life to the fullest with his wife and their 4 kids.
Updated on:
February 6, 2024
tiny home design trends in Santa Barbara

Image Source: Canva

Santa Barbara, California, is one of America’s best cities to settle down in a beautiful tiny home. The environment, social climate, and scenery all lend themselves to chic but downscaled living, encouraging thousands of people to start making the switch from regular to tiny homes across the state.

Typically, Santa Barbara-style architecture and design is infused with the spirit of Spain, and is characterized by red roof tiles, white stucco walls, and large, sunny courtyards. But when it comes to tiny homes, those trends have evolved to fit a more minimalistic view of both space and style. 

Making your tiny home stand out with impeccable interior design trends is a great way to celebrate these uniquely sustainable and affordable modern homes. Here, we’ll contemplate all of them!

What Is The Tiny Home Community In Santa Barbara Like?

Overall, the tiny home community in California is thriving, and it’s considered one of the best states in America to live in one of these trendy. minimalist homes. 

The ample building space, easy accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and laid-back culture mean that people wanting to downsize their living space in the Golden State already have strong incentives to do so. But the bustling interior design scene and the adoption of emerging trends make this decision even easier. 

Top Tiny Home Trends In Santa Barbara

Because tiny homes are small in comparison to regular homes, your approach to interior design requires more intentionality. 

The limited space means that every section of the tiny home needs to be used wisely and with purpose. Fortunately, this also means you can get really creative about how you choose to decorate and lay out your tiny home, especially with the constant flow of exciting interior design trends to pick from. 

French doors 

French doors are large glass patio-style doors with large paneling. This sophisticated yet modern-looking door style has long been a tiny home trend, but with the warmer climate, it’s become even more popular in Californian homes. 

The paneling and use of glass in French doors allow them to let plenty of light in while still adding structure and dimension to the side or front of tiny homes. Small homes almost always benefit from more glass, so it’s no surprise that French doors are at the top of this tiny home design trend list!

Vertical kitchen herb gardens 

Another trend that is making its rounds in the Santa Barbara region (and in many cities across the US) is vertical kitchen gardens. Kitchen gardens are an environmentally friendly, practical, and fun way to keep your green thumbs active while adding life to the inside of your home. 

Tiny homes can feel a little boxy without the right indoor decor, and plants offer both functionality and beauty in this area. You can plant herbs that thrive in Santa Barbara’s climate, such as sage, thyme, oregano, basil, and any others you’d like to see growing on your kitchen wall. 

Neutral colors and textures 

The right color palette for your tiny home is crucial for making it feel as spacious and comfortable as possible. Neutral tones are a stand-out design trend for tiny homes due to their simplicity and versatility. 

Not only do neutral colors such as ivory, beige, stone, light green, and muted gray keep your house cool in warmer months, but they also add to the illusion of space. If you live on the coast of Santa Barbara, the mellow colors will complement the natural beach environment your tiny home is located in. 

Green appliances 

Investing in green appliances is a home design trend that has made its way through all types of home setups in recent years, and there are several amazing reasons why. 

Not only are many green appliances very easy to compartmentalize, but they also tie in with the sustainability theme of tiny homes and create a cohesive look and feel throughout these climate-friendly housing models. You can get green washing machines, dishwashers, fridges, and more.  

Image Source: Canva

Loft beds 

Loft beds are one of the biggest tiny home design trends right now. Not only do loft beds save you precious storage space in your home, but they are also extremely cozy and easy to install. 

You can set up a loft bed space quite quickly and affordably in the California region. People enjoy all the ground space it frees up, and if you’re located in a scenic area, you can hopefully get some great views as you go to bed at night and wake up every morning. 

Skylights

Santa Barbara is, after all, a Californian city abundant in sunshine and good weather. As such, it only makes sense that tiny homeowners make the most of this natural gift by allowing it into their space as much as possible. Skylights are a very effective way of letting natural light in and are always a trend worth embracing.

Plus, the more natural light you have in your tiny home, the more spacious and airy it will feel. 

Skylights can be fitted to flat and sloped roofs and they not only allow light in, if they can open, they allow for increased ventilation. They can even be used as an entry or exit point if you have a rooftop space you can use. Which brings us to the next design trend…

Decks

With the Santa Ynez Mountains forming a dramatic backdrop and a stunning coastline, property in Santa Barbara is always going to be sought after for its views. By adding a deck, porch, or rooftop garden with a chair or two, you can enjoy these coveted views, too. And if your tiny home is mobile, your view can change regularly. 

A small outdoor space where you can relax is a timeless, trendy addition to a tiny home and it enhances the feeling of space and creates more flow. Incorporating this feature into your design will add value in so many ways as it aligns with the Californian lifestyle.

Embrace A Trendy Lifestyle

Tiny homes are growing in popularity all over the world for their affordability, trendiness, and ability to align with changing environmental and sustainability needs. California is home to one of the world’s most active tiny home communities—for many of these reasons and more. 

Santa Barbara’s tiny home trends embody all things light and fresh—neutral tones, lush indoor plants, and no short supply of natural light. Knowing these key tiny home design trends, anyone can settle down in this part of the US and enjoy their small but stylish little home. 

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