Guest cottages are a practical luxury—a welcoming respite for overnight guests to relax and unwind and have their own hideaway in someone’s home. Laura Umansky envisioned the detached cottage as a charming writer’s retreat, where a global traveler from the 1920s had settled in at Villa de Luxe to craft a novel of his worldly adventures. Umansky designed the space to maximize every inch of the small chalet. White walls, sheets, a chest of drawers and an armchair lighten and brighten the room. A bed suspended from organic ropes takes center stage with a richly upholstered bookcase to anchor the space and serve as a headboard and sideboard of sorts to hold both necessities and personal treasures. “Playing on our traveler concept, we chose accessories and fabrics that could be found at world markets abroad,” says Umansky. A Suzani bedspread bursts with color, and an antique anchor table adds a touch of quaintness to the delightful space