University Hills Cottage —
A Livable Luxury Home Tour
Interior Design: Kate Bendewald
Photos: Jeff Jones and AJ Canaria
This Photo: Jeff Jones
Welcome to our University Hills Cottage — the most personal project I’ve ever designed,
Welcome to my home. What began as a 1950s ranch with very little charm has slowly evolved, one phase at a time, into a warm, layered, livable space tailored to the way our family moves, gathers, cooks, creates, and rests.
We bought this home sight unseen during the pandemic (10/10 don’t recommend), knowing we would eventually renovate the kitchen. What we didn’t anticipate was how much heart and soul we’d pour into every corner — from the outdoor dining patio to the laundry-craft room that now supports endless creativity.
This tour is the big-picture overview of the whole home, with links to deeper dives for each space. I hope it brings inspiration, joy, and a reminder that small homes can feel incredibly luxurious when designed with intention.
Photo: Jeff Jones
Soft Kitchen: A Soulful Redesign
The kitchen renovation was years in the making — three years of sketches, re-sketches, and over 2,000 saved Pinterest pins. The original layout packed every appliance into one tiny corner, which made mornings… crowded.
The new design embraces clarity, softness, and function. We created five feet of uninterrupted prep space, added custom cabinetry in a gray-blue-green inspired by the Blue Spruce outside, and built what I call a “soft kitchen”: integrated appliances, soapstone counters, warm taupe trim, and thoughtful millwork.
👉 Read the full Kitchen Tour (coming soon)
Photo: Jeff Jones
Photo: Jeff Jones
Dining Room–Library: From Porch to Multi-Purpose Magic
What used to be an uninsulated porch is now our dining room–library. I designed wall-to-wall built-ins for books, enclosed cubbies for backpacks and shoes, and layered it all with art, blue-and-white ceramics, and a delicate tree-patterned wallpaper that feels like a gateway to the garden.
It’s where we dine, work, do puzzles, play games, tend houseplants, and occasionally play the piano. IYKYK.
👉 Tour the Dining Room–Library (coming soon)
Photo: AJ Canaria
Living Room: Cozy, Collected, and Full of Personality
Our living room is what soulful mornings are made of — a curated art collection, reupholstered vintage furniture, and a view of evergreen trees where birds dance around the feeders.
The palette is quiet but rich. The art is collected over time. Every nook tells a little story.
Even with its modest footprint, this room lives large because of intentional layout, scaling, and light.
👉 See the Living Room Reveal (coming soon)
Photo: AJ Canaria
Laundry & Craft Room: A Multi-Purpose Basement Workroom
This room began as a dark and dingy utility room. Today, it’s one of our hardest-working areas — a multipurpose laundry room and dedicated craft studio where we make candles, slime, kombucha, body scrubs, and more (Enneagram 7 over here).
Every good design plan starts with a thoughtful layout. Then I selected humble materials like butcher-block countertops, beadboard walls, and mosaic floor tile to transform the space. It even doubles as our backstock pantry, which keeps the main kitchen uncluttered and running smoothly.
👉 Explore the Laundry & Craft Room Makeover (coming soon)
Photo: Jeff Jones
Outdoor Living: A Parisian-Inspired Patio & European Cottage Garden
Our outdoor spaces were once overgrown and overlooked — especially the side yard, which was swallowed by a massive hedge of dead bushes. Once we removed it, I instantly envisioned a Parisian café inspired for morning coffee and a place to host friends for dinners.
We laid a foundation of herringbone brick, planted repeating ivy along lattice panels, hung café lights, and added raised garden beds filled with herbs, vegetables, and seasonal cut flowers. The whole space now has a charming European cottage-garden feel.
Just beyond the dining patio is our backyard seating area overlooking our in-ground stock-tank pool — one of our favorite COVID projects and a family staple in the summer.
And off the patio is the door to my outdoor design studio, where KBID lives and breathes.
👉 Tour the Outdoor Living Spaces (coming soon)
Photo: AJ Canaria
A Home Built Slowly, With Intention
This cottage will never be the biggest house on the block — but it may be the most loved. Every inch has been shaped with intention and soul. Designing a home for my own family has been the most personal and rewarding project of my career, and I’m grateful to share it with you.
If you’re beginning your own renovation journey (or dreaming about one), I’d love to help you create a home that feels deeply, beautifully like you.
Warmly,
Kate