Country Living August/September 2024

There is a children’s picture book I love, published in the 1990s, called The Big Orange Splot. In the book, a paint can-carrying seagull (just go with it) splashes a big orange splot on the main character’s roof, and the homeowner, Mr. Plumbean, decides to embrace it. Instead of painting over the orange, he adds reds and blues and all sorts of embellishments. He also plants a few palm trees because, why not? “This used to be a neat street!” the neighbors exhort, to which he replies: “My house is me and I am it. My house is where I like to be and it looks like all my dreams.” One by one, neighbors stop by to talk him out of his so-called nonsense, but after sitting with Mr. Plumbean…

Golden Hues With its glowing warmth and timeless appeal, Radiant Dawn SW 9661 invites you to bask in the beauty of a late summer afternoon. Order up to 10 FREE color chips of crisp whites and versatile neutrals to enhance its depth and create a sense of balance. Laid-Back Blues Like the light blue expanse of a clear sky, Upward SW 6239 exudes a relaxed, lived-in vibe that effortlessly complements a variety of interior styles. Use Peel & Stick samples to trial this gorgeous color, where every day feels like a sun-dappled adventure waiting to unfold. Simple Country Pleasures Joy of Color Edition! 1 How the first midsummer dahlias get us all aflutter (pictured: Floret Flower Farm in Washington’s Skagit Valley) 2 The eternal sunshine of a yellow pantry (The shade is…

Perfectly Imperfect Gardens Gone Wild Whether borderline unruly or just a wee bit neglected, there’s something about a lush, late-summer cottage garden that speaks to the beauty of letting nature run its course. There are some gardens that take pride in their exactness—think meticulously sculptured hedges, satisfyingly symmetrical plantings, paths laid out with precision, nary a pebble of pea gravel out of place. And then there’s the cottage garden. This more jumbled, happenstance style of gardening grew out of necessity, when English peasants used every inch of their land to grow just a little of everything—fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers—to feed their families and make the most of their literal lot in life. If the formal garden is a realist painting, the cottage garden is more abstract, with misplaced thrivers and…

1 High-Contrast Trim To bring this 1912 home back to life, designer Frances Merrill (reathdesign.com) crafted a palette of primary colors with a slightly off-kilter kick, starting with the vibrant blue used on the trim and peg rail, which feels unabashedly bold against the white beadboard walls and ceiling (James White by Farrow & Ball). Underfoot, a light blue-gray painted floor provides more calm among the color. GET THE LOOK: Cook’s Blue; farrow-ball.com 2 Statement Stove A 1953 Chambers stove brings another pop of primary color to the kitchen, courtesy of its pristine porcelain enamel coating. Produced from 1912 to 1988, the Chambers appliance was one of the most popular in 20th-century America and noted for its patented “daisy” burners and teardrop-style gas handles. A vintage red pendant light above the…

The CL Fixer-Upper Scale MOVE-IN READY NEEDS MINOR IMPROVEMENTS INVEST IN A DECENT DRILL PUT THAT CONTRACTOR ON SPEED DIAL $349,900 Danielsville, GA 3 BR; 2 BA; 2,384 SQ. FT. WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT: A trio of peaked gables and a red front door charm up this picturesque Gothic Revival surrounded by towering pecan and magnolia trees. Inside, 10-foot-high painted wood ceilings rise above heart-pine floors and multiple fireplaces. There’s also a workshop out back just begging to be a she-shed. AGENT: Michael Redwine; atlantafinehomes.com WORK REQUIRED: $259,000 Selma, AL 6 BR; 4 BA; 3,616 SQ. FT. WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT: Rock your cares away on the welcoming porch of this historic property. The home includes a screened-in back porch, original built-ins, an updated kitchen, and a primary bedroom with…

Growing up, Kate E. Richards was surrounded with animals of all sorts—dogs, cats, rabbits, a pig—but never chickens. “I wanted them badly,” she says. Fast-forward to about 15 years ago when she and husband Jonathon Ragsdale bought a house in a Los Angeles suburb and “dove right into backyard chickening,” she says. Of course, back then she didn’t know she was on the verge of becoming a full-time hen-fluencer, but that’s precisely what happened in 2016. While watching her feathered friends gallivant about the yard as she sipped a cocktail, she was inspired to start her lifestyle blog, “Drinking with Chickens” (drinkingwithchickens.com), and the internet was soon all aflutter. “Unbeknownst to me, we weren’t the only people who spent time drinking with our chickens,” says Kate, whose recent move to…