Innholdsfortegnelse for Janary/February 2022 i Country Living

There’s a lot of talk of “new year, new you” around this time, but that phrase doesn’t resonate quite as well when you have a serious soft spot for all things old. I want my year to come prepackaged with a little patina, which is partly what inspired this issue devoted to embracing blank-slate neutrals in a soulful and storied way. There’s a distinct blend of calm and collected in these pages, best showcased by serene-schemed, antiques-filled country homes that masterfully invoke the peace and quiet of the countryside. Don’t you just want to sip your morning coffee on Chris and Lauren Tomlin’s tranquil Tennessee porch (pg. 72)? Designer Rachel Halvorson, who worked with the Tomlins on their thoughtful renovation, says neutrals are actually the key to a country house…

Object Lesson Humble Roots: Keeping rooms tidy for centuries, the peg rail traces back to the American Shakers, a religious offshoot of the Quakers known for furniture designs defined by minimalism and utility. Peg rails wrapped the perimeter of most every room and were typically hung high on the wall—with pegs placed six inches apart—to hold everything from brooms to chairs. European Embellishments: Makers around the world also put their own spin on the peg rail. European craftsmen favored shorter detachable racks and introduced an accordionstyle variation (below). Victorian-era Brits elevated the simple pegs with porcelain endcaps, while the French added delicate flourishes to the woodworking, including faux bamboo. Modern Mainstays: A renewed interest in the versatile clean lines of Shaker design—and a newfound national obsession with home organizing—has contributed to…

OBJECT LESSON: Aladdin Oil Lamps WHAT TO KNOW: In 1908, Victor S. Johnson founded the Chicago-based Mantle Lamp Company of America, selling his first incandescent burner “Aladdin” lamp the following year (the name was inspired by the story of Aladdin in Arabian Nights). His company was one of the first to manufacture a kerosene lamp that burned without noise, odor, or smoke. In 1926, Mantle changed its name to Aladdin Industries and purchased the Lippincott Glass Company. Soon they introduced their glass chimneys and began making glass lamps in a range of colors such as clear crystal, ruby red, amber, cobalt blue, and green. Some favorite models included the “Colonial”—often referred to by the hobnail-imprinted design of the oil reservoir (in clear crystal, left)—and the “Washington Drape” plain-stem lamp (in amber,…

Around the Table: “My husband, Matt [Shapiro], and I left the city [San Francisco] five years ago and love to host intimate weekly dinners in our rural home surrounded by redwoods and oak trees. (See more on Instagram: #occidentalsquarehouse.) Summers in Sebastopol are hot and we spend most evenings outdoors, but in the winters we hunker down in our midcentury cabin with a small group of close friends and our semi-feral cat, Bart.” On the Menu: “Matt was a chef for over a decade, so I am essentially the sous chef in our home kitchen. He bakes fresh bread every week, which we love to use to sop up the juices from a Roast Chicken with Tarragon-Braised Fennel. The farm stands in Sonoma are incredible, so we always eat a…

“Shop antiques in an old train depot…” …and 14 more unexpected ways to enjoy a chilly winter day Go for the Berries: The best Whitefish mornings begin with homemade doughnuts and pancakes slathered in huckleberry compote at Farmhouse Inn & Kitchen. Slightly more tart than a blueberry, this wild fruit is a celebrated local specialty. Strap On Your Snowshoes: Whitefish is just 25 miles from the western entrance to Glacier National Park, where the one million acres of protected terrain offer 700 miles of hiking trails, just as many glacial lakes, and the chance to spot moose and mountain goats. Take a Drive: Open March through October, Polebridge Mercantile is a Flathead Valley institution. Locals and tourists alike stop in to the 107-year-old general store for exploration essentials—and delicious bear…

1 Flexible Furniture The antique butcher block island is on casters, so it moves around depending on cooking and entertaining needs. “Every time we come over, it’s in a slightly different place,” says Lynn. GET THE LOOK: Boos Island 30" Butcher Block in Maple $1,695; williams-sonoma.com 2 Checkerboard Floors For a timeworn look, Lynn installed new white oak flooring with top nails, which transitions nicely with the rest of the home’s original wood floors. Decorative painter Caroline Lizarraga used Benjamin Moore’s Timid White to create a harlequin checkered pattern. 3 Timeless Materials The apron-front sink, bridge faucet, and marble surfaces are period-perfect details. Curvy, corbel-inspired “side splashes” connect the counters and backsplash behind the range and add a touch of femininity. 4 Textured Walls “You’ll often see brick used in utilitarian kitchens in the…

Perfectly Imperfect PAGE 7 Designers Frank Muytjens and Scott Edward Cole; theinnatkenmorehall.com. PAGE 9 Designer Plum Sykes; @therealplumsykes. Country Classic PAGE 18 Designer Urbana Kitchens; urbanakitchens.ca. PAGE 19 TOP Designer Erin Francois; francoisetmoi.com. BOTTOM Designer Leanne Ford; leanneford.com. In with the Old PAGES 23-25 Tramp Art: Steve Wallace, awkwordbirdco.etsy.com; Judy Frankel Antiques, judyfrankelantiques.etsy.com; Patina, Rust and Bling, patinarustandbling.etsy.com; VerSacrum Studio, versacrumstudio.etsy.com; A Good Influence, agoodinfluence.etsy.com; Recovered Relics, recoveredrelics.etsy.com. Copper Molds: Vintage Home by Maria, vintagehomebymaria.etsy.com; Satisfy Your Desire, satisfyyourdesire.etsy.com; Traditions on Trenton, traditionsontrenton1.etsy.com; Sweet Wings Vintage, sweetwingsvintage.etsy.com; Roma Arellano, romaarellano.etsy.com; Full Sail Finds, fullsailfinds.etsy.com; Christy Lou’s Vintage Treasures, christylouvintage.etsy.com; Vintage Brings Joy Shop, vintagebringsjoyshop.etsy.com; Berkshire Shop Girl, berkshireshopgirl.etsy.com. Cricket Stools: Blue Rover Vintage, bluerovervintage.etsy.com; Pine Springs Cottage, pinespringscottage.etsy.com. Shorebirds: Raven’s Way Antiques, ravenswayantiques.com; Americana Antiques, americanaantiques.etsy.com; Ada’s Vintage Treasures, adasvintagetreasures.com; Perry Malito, perrymalito.etsy.com. Transferware: The Thrifted Table, thethriftedtablemarket.com; The Polohouse,…

1 How “recluttering”—think rearranging your collections—sparks more “new year, new you” joy than decluttering 2 The way a fresh blanket of snow offers ample excuse to hibernate 3 The anticipation of spring just around the bend—and the planning of the pretty garden that comes with it 4 Returning home to the enticing smell of something simmering on the stovetop or in the slow cooker 5 Curling up under a cable-knit blanket with a hot tea in your favorite mug 6 Working your way through stacks of seasoned firewood 7 The satisfaction that comes with baking bread from scratch 8 Getting lost in the pages at a cozy small-town bookstore 9 Flush-faced children all bundled up in puffy jackets and handmade mittens 10 Wonderfully woolly comforts of the coat and critter variety…

ANTIQUES & TREASURES FOR A MORE COLLECTED LIFE. Tramp Art Boxes Made with simple tools such as pocket knives and from whatever materials the artist had readily available—most likely discarded shipping crates and cigar boxes—these elaborately layered and notched wooden boxes flourished as a largely anonymous art form during the Great Depression. Pieces from the period featuring brass hardware and intact fabric accents (top left and middle) can fetch $500 and up, while wood-only options (top right and bottom left) typically range from $100 to $300. Fun Fact: CL’s antiques appraiser Helaine Fendelman published the first book on the subject in 1975. Copper Molds Available in an abundance of shapes, styles, and sizes, these pretty pieces make for a brilliant starter collection. Originally used to create gelatin and jelly dishes…

“NOTHING SAYS ‘Happy Flippin’ New Year!’ like a pancake party,” says designer Lela Rose (lelarose.com), who typically sets up flip-your-own flapjack fixin’s on her Texas ranch as soon as she can shake the New Year’s confetti out of her cowgirl boots. Armed with her trusty cast-iron cookware, Lela gamefully dishes out short stacks alongside infused syrups, sweet-and-savory bacon, and beverages of the hot and cold (and tipple and teetotal) varieties. “Cooking breakfast over a campfire is an especially empowering, wilderness-girl way to kick off a year,” she says. In true Lela fashion, she puts a sophisticated spin on the pancake theme (read: no lumberjack kitsch) with sophisticated neutrals in the form of brown wool blankets (foundbham.com), pretty patterned linens (generalbham.com), and pottery with just a little hint of color. Here’s…

IN SEASON Hellebores Dainty yet sturdy, hellebores (also referred to as Lenten roses) bloom throughout winter, with petals in cream, green, and pale pink pushing up through the frost. Brighten up gray days by grouping single stems in vintage bottles clustered together in an antique crate. COAST TO COAST Country Calendar Let it snow! Bundle up for winter fun at these cold-weather carnivals. Saint Paul Winter Carnival Jan. 28–Feb. 6 Saint Paul, MN Ice fish, snow tube, or go on a city-wide scavenger hunt at the oldest winter festival in the United States. wintercarnival.com Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Feb. 4–13 Saranac Lake, NY Visit the ice palace and take part in classic Nordic sports like snowshoeing and skiing at this 125-year-old festival in the Adirondack Mountains. saranaclakewintercarnival.com Steamboat Winter Carnival…

HOMES, GARDENS, & OTHER HAPPY HABITATS Chalk it up to a primal instinct a few millennia in the making, but there’s something about a roaring fire that draws humans in like moths to a, well, flame. Famed decorator Dorothy Draper once referred to the fireplace as the heart of any room, insisting it “should be kindled on the slightest provocation.” (It comes as no surprise that West Virginia’s Draper-designed inn, The Greenbrier, is outfitted with more than five stately fireplaces throughout the property.) A well-worn hearth is a beautiful indicator that a home has weathered a fair share of winters, repeatedly welcoming friends and family in from the cold with a calming melodic crackle. Even the act of building a fire is an expression of love—one that requires frequent tending…

Drink Your Flavonoids “Flavonoids are natural dietary compounds that have been associated with heart-health benefits. Tea is one of the best sources of flavonoids in the diet,” explains Joy Dubost, Ph.D., R.D., head of nutrition and science at ekaterra. Unsweetened Lipton Green or Black Tea contains about 150 mg to 170 mg per cup (compared with 3 mg in a cup of broccoli and 45 mg in a medium apple). Stay Hydrated Unsweetened Lipton Black or Green Tea is 99% water, with zero calories. By drinking enough healthy fluids, such as water and unsweetened tea (hot or iced), you’ll help your heart pump blood more easily through blood vessels, which promotes circulation and keeps your body running at its best. Get Moving The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of…

Petite Lamp Bring a touch of whimsy to a bedroom dressing table, craft table, or atop the kitchen counter with a small spool lamp. Search for an 8-to 10-inch spool on websites such as Etsy, then take to a local hardware store to have it wired. A sweet fabric shade (alicepalmer.co) adds a soft touch. Placecard Holders Make these table toppers by wrapping a 10-inch length of black craft wire around a broom handle four times, leaving a two-inch length of wire at the end. Slide off handle, and insert the two-inch length (trimming, if necessary) into the top of your spool or bobbin to secure; add placecards. Towel Rod To add a little patina to a bathroom or kitchen, hang an oversize spool (this one is about nine inches…

Plan Ahead. Prepare the yeasted batter for Overnight Pancakes in advance, and on the day of you’ll be more focused on perfecting your signature pancake flip. (See pg. 86 for the technique.) Brown Sugar and Rosemary Glazed Bacon will help lure guests to the cookout coordinates. Lela opts for vintage-inspired glass bottles to serve Lavender-Infused Honey Syrup, Caramel-Maple Syrup, and Pumpkin-Spiced Maple Syrup. Hand-written tags are attached with a gold velvet ribbon. Set a Wintry Scene. When temperatures allow, layered plaid wool throws make for a comfy outdoor picnic spread. “I also like to drape sheepskin throws over chairs—it just makes everything feel so cozy,” says Lela. Vintage maple syrup tins from Vermont make for on-theme flower vessels. Diversify Your Drinks. Made with fresh grapefruit juice, refreshing Ginger Greyhounds have…

PURSUITS & PASTIMES FOR FINDING JOY IN EVERY DAY If you’ve recently spotted a well-behaved pup in a Budweiser commercial, or a turtle escaping its cage as you binged Schitt’s Creek, there’s a good chance Jordan Worrell was involved. As the founder of Toronto Animal Wranglers (torontoanimalwranglers.ca), she and partner Sam Adams raise, breed, train, and source a variety of four-legged “talent” for TV, commercials, and film. When they’re not working on top secret projects on big-budget sets, Jordan and Sam spend their time tending to the occupants of Strange Farms, their 49-acre animal farm in Kawartha Lakes, Ontario. “Everything here is kind of odd,” Jordan says of the name. “Most people who raise sheep and cattle don’t also have emus and 100-pound tortoises.” Once she realized veterinary school wasn’t…

Baked Onions with Fennel Breadcrumbs WORKING TIME 10 minutes TOTAL TIME 1 hour, 20 minutes MAKES 6 servings 6 medium-size onions, peeled and halved crosswiseKosher salt and freshly ground black pepper6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus 2 tablespoons melted2 teaspoons fennel seeds½ cup panko breadcrumbs2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme 1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place onions, cut-side up, in cups of a standard-size muffin tin. Season with salt and pepper. Top with butter pieces, dividing evenly; place on prepared baking sheet. Bake until onions are tender and brown, 50 minutes to 1 hour. 2. Meanwhile, toast fennel seeds in a small skillet over medium heat until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Crush with a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. Combine breadcrumbs,…

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