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With no closets in the small cottage, Nolet devised creative storage solutions: a handsome living room cabinet for outerwear, clothing racks in the attic, and cleverly designed cabinetry in the bedroom and bath. "e house has a relatively small footprint, so every inch matters," she notes. "ere isn't much room for an idea that doesn't earn its place." en she filled the house with both contemporary furniture, antiques, artisan-made pieces, art, and vintage finds, many gathered on her far-flung travels around the world. "I have always believed that the most memorable homes aren't decorated, they're collected," Nolet notes. "Today, the cottage is both my home and a very personal expression of my work — an example of how I approach design by respecting a home's history without allowing it to become frozen in time, mixing periods and provenance rather than designing to a formula, and creating rooms that reveal something about the people who live in them," she says. Nolet is pursuing a historical designation for the house through the City of Encinitas, a painstaking process that includes research, documentation, and significance to the community. "For me, the motivation is stewardship. I may be the person fortunate enough to live here today, but the house was here for many centuries before me," she reflects. "I like the idea that part of my chapter with it can be helping ensure that its history and character are recognized for the people who will come after me. ere is something lovely about knowing that long after I'm gone, this little house might still be sitting here, watching the sun set over the Pacific." Nolet is not only a talented designer, but she is also a gifted writer who is completing a memoir, beginning with her childhood in Vietnam, her escape by boat to the United States after the war, and her life in the United States. "In a strange way, the book and this cottage have become companions," she says. "Both have required me to look carefully at what came before, decide what deserves to be preserved, and make room for what comes next." e title of the book? Again, I Begin. julesnolet.com OPPOSITE PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Nolet designed a delightful patio for relaxation and entertaining featuring a firepit, fruit trees, and an herb garden; The cozy front porch, one of Nolet's favorite spots, offers ocean breezes and sunset views; The well-appointed kitchen, once a backyard patio, features a marble backsplash and counters, laminate cabinets, a sleek farmhouse sink, and a La Cornue range THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT Nolet's son calls the chaise in a cozy corner of the living room his mother's "life station" — a place to work on her laptop, read, write, and listen to music. She describes it as "the most Zen" space she has ever experienced, with golden light streaming through the windows at sunset. The "palm tree" is from the former Maison Jansen in Paris famous for blending 18th century styles with 20th century modernism; The dining room, centered with a petrified wood table and leather chairs, is decorated with artwork acquired during Nolet's world travels. "Homes should reflect the person who lives there," she says. "I like to have a little bit of fun!"; The living room features a curvy chaise, built-in bookcases, and a stacked stone fireplace crafted from stones collected on Cardiff beaches. The late Wyoming-artist Jenny Booth carved the dramatic sculpture above the hearth @ranchandcoast RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2026 87