Innholdsfortegnelse for June/July 2023 i Cottages and Bungalows

CLEAN SHEETS BILLOWING IN THE BREEZE, the aroma of fresh-cut grass and suntan lotion, barefoot days and starry nights are just a few of summer’s pleasures. I adore this light and bright season! To enchant and inspire you, we are delighted to present five well-designed homes surrounded by blooming gardens (pages 34, 46, 58, 70, 82), a patriotic tablescape you can recreate (page 90) and ways to bring more whimsy into your life from author/entrepreneur Wendy Conklin of @chairwhimsy on Instagram (page 106). We’ve expanded our Cottage Kitchens feature for this issue so you can feast your eyes on six stunning kitchens starting on page 22 and fresh ways to add classic copper to your kitchen (page 18). You’ll find even more inspiration from a chic en-suite makeover (page 94).…

Hi, Cottage Friends! What do you love most during the summer months: abundant sunshine, picnics, warm breezes, barbecues, outdoor fun, being near the water, vacations or staycations? Summer is the perfect time of year for so many things! At our home, we anticipate lake days with boat rides, swimming, paddle boarding, sunsets, time to relax and unwind, and, most of all, making sweet memories with family and friends. Many of our days center around outdoor living and entertaining. Creating comfortable, cozy and fun spaces where people can gather is on the top of my list for to-dos this time of year, and I’m excited to share my tips with all of you! Must-Haves for a Perfect (and Easy) Summer Picnic 1. A picnic blanket or tablecloth and napkins. I love…

Seven years ago, Tracy Van Volkinburg and her husband walked onto a piece of property in Dorr, Michigan, on a chilly day in the middle of winter. They’d been searching for a property out in the country with plenty of acreage, dreaming of a house built off a road and a big yard with space for gardens, a greenhouse and a pool for the grandkids. They trudged through snow to the highest point on the land and immediately knew they were standing in the place where their future home would be built. “I remember that day,” Tracy, a passionate gardener, home décor enthusiast and Instagram content creator, says. “The angle was just right for a home with two porches: one to watch the sunrise from and one to watch the…

When Erin and Dan Clark met,they both had children and Dan owned an extensive property with good bones, but with an aesthetic best described as “man cave.” The couple fell in love and have spent the past 12 years sharing life and loss. Sadly, one of Dan’s sons passed away, but he lives on in their hearts. Turning the former bachelor pad into a home complete with stunning gardens that thrive thanks to Erin’s green thumb has been healing for the family. Under Erin’s guidance, a bevy of garden plots, courtyards and structures were planted and installed. “I like to refer to myself as a garden artist,” says Erin, who is a self-taught gardener. “My starting point is a visual in my head. I know how I want things to…

Hot summer days are best spent with a refreshing drink, a cooling dip in the water and your favorite people to be with. To make this vision a reality, a family based in Washington State commissioned Stuart Silk Architects to build a retreat on Lake Chelan large enough for their friends and family to enjoy for years to come. “They wanted it to feel like an old camp cabin on the lake where everybody could be together,” says Amanda Cavassa, partner at Stuart Silk Architects. “It’s reminiscent of Early American lake houses on the East Coast.” Despite its size and young age, the architects were able to give it a historic look and make it feel homey and relaxed on the inside with classic details on the outside. HISTORIC DETAILS…

Talk about reusing and upcycling: The author asserts that she’s never bought a new piece of dining-room furniture. “All the tables I’ve had are ones I’ve refinished, and, of course, I’ve had a revolving door of different chairs that I’ve used over the years,” she writes. There is of ten a misconception that once you're an adult your life is officially serious and there’s no time to “play.” Wendy Conklin debunks that theory in her new book, Life Whimsy: How to Think, Play, & Work More Creatively. Throughout her years of teaching multiple grades, Conklin strove to lighten up her classrooms, infusing lessons with out-of-the-ordinary materials and ideas. After being ignited with inspiration at an upholstery class in 2012, Conklin is now chief fun officer of her successful chair-reupholstery business…

WHEN YOU’RE AN INTERIOR DESIGNER and your client has a growing family and frequently hosts dinner parties, but their kitchen, built in the early 1900s, is not up to the task, what do you do first? You make the kitchen as fresh as the food. “We completely renovated the kitchen, not only by bringing in more light, but by adding more counterspace and storage—there are now three large pantries!” say Lina Galvao and Erin Coren, principal designers at Curated Nest Interiors, a full-service firm specializing in family lifestyle design based in Cos Cob, Connecticut, and serving Southern Connecticut, Westchester, New York and New York City. “The family loved the idea of an open kitchen, so we opened it up to the eat-in area significantly and created a wide peninsula, which…

extra Style It Right Research has found that a good night’s sleep is as important to your overall health as your nutrition. Cynthia Villegas is a busy stay-at-home mom of four, blogger and DIY enthusiast—someone who needs, and has found, ways to get her much-needed sleep. You can follow her at vintageandgraceliving.com, where she shares her inexpensive creative ideas. Here are Cynthia’s do’s and don’ts for getting your best rest. Do’s Cynthia’s Slumber Secrets • Invest in a good mattress. We spend one-third of our lives sleeping, so it’s worth it. • Make your bed every morning. After a long day, it’s a welcome relief to walk into your bedroom and see your bed already made. • Keep it clean and organized. A clean, clutter-free room can help you relax…

Every kitchen has a unique personality. Some are bold and daring while others are simple and subdued. From paint colors and cabinetry to lighting fixtures and refrigerators, many elements must come together to create a cohesive style. Since the kitchen is one of your main prep spaces—and a place where you will be spending a significant amount of time—it should be both fun and functional. Learn how these professional designers achieved that goal. GIVE IT THE GREEN LIGHT Located in Silver Spring, Maryland, this kitchen used to be a cramped area that lacked adequate counterspace and cabinetry. The homeowners knew there was room for improvement, so they asked Aidan Design to come to the rescue. According to Kelly Emerson, senior designer, the vision for the project was “to create a…

Laura Chubineh has turned her love of creating unique, interesting tablescapes for her family into something thousands of her social-media followers now emulate. Sharing her ideas through the seasons has garnered Laura national media attention. In fact, she was the winner of our first tablescape contest! After hundreds of tablescape submissions were narrowed down to the Top 10, our community selected Laura’s red, white and blue tablescape as their favorite. We couldn’t resist sharing several more of her summertime tables because we know you will find them as inspiring as we do! “I love to create a memorable, magical experience for my friends and family. I truly believe food is love—and that extends to tablescapes. I show love to my friends and family by creating a beautiful table, meal…

CHARMED, I’M SURE. If Cara could use one word to describe the exterior for The Fox Shop, it would be “charming.” A striped awning adds instant charm as well as a classic feel. It’s painted in Old Navy by Benjamin Moore. “I think navy is the most classic and timeless of all the blues, so I ultimately chose a bright navy for our exterior,” she says. Anyone can get a little bit of The Fox Group’s refined design aesthetic at its brick-and-mortar shop, aptly named The Fox Shop. With its stunning blue façade and a diverse collection of wares, including custom furniture, European antiques, lighting, rugs, dresses, jewelry and art from international artists, the shop is a transportive experience, whether you’re a customer or just a local passing by. And…

COTTAGE KITCHENS Page 26 For more on Aidan Design, visit aidandesign.com or follow them on Instagram @aidandesign. Backsplash: Ann Sacks; annsacks.com Cabinetry: Wood-Mode; wood-mode.com Cabinet Hardware: Top Knobs; topknobs.com Countertops: Norwood Marble & Granite; norwoodmarble.com For more on Case Architects & Remodelers, visit casedesign.com or follow them on Instagram @casedesignremodeling. Backsplash, countertop: Cambria; cambriausa.com Cabinetry: Crystal Cabinets; crystalcabinets.com Cabinet Hardware: Top Knobs; topknobs.com Faucet: Brizo; brizo.com Hood: Hoodsly; hoodsly.com Lights: Zeev Lighting; zeevlighting.com For more on TriVistaUSA, visit trivistausa.com or follow them on Instagram @trivistausa_design_build. Appliances: Avalon and KitchenAid; ferguson.com Backsplash: Mosaic Home Interiors; mosaictileco.com Cabinet knobs and pulls: Top Knobs, topknobs.com Cabinetry: Wynnbrooke Cabinetry; wynnbrooke.com Dining light: Pottery Barn; potterybarn.com Disposal, faucet, sink, soap dispenser: Kohler; build.com Flooring: Thadson Flooring, thadsonflooring.com Pendants: Shades of Light, shadesoflight.com PentalQuartz countertop: Architectural…

If you remember this darling bedroom from our Project House Louisiana, you may not have even noticed the sleek, wall-mounted air handler on the left from MRCOOL®. That’s the beauty and ingenuity of it—and that’s why we love it! Available in four sizes for rooms from 500 square feet up to 1,500 square feet, it’s an innovative, quiet and efficient solution that blends in and doesn’t distract from your décor. The 4th Generation DIY® Ductless Mini-Splits were installed in all eight units at The Villas at Spanish Court and the owner couldn’t be happier with them. With an ability to remove humidity from the air as it cools, this remote-controlled unit is the best option for those hot and sticky days. The Kentucky-based company offers one of the best warranties…