The Cottage Journal Best of 2016

The Cottage Journal magazine began as a Christmas publication in 2010. With the popularity of that issue Hoffman Media decided to make the magazine available five times a year—each issue focusing on a different season plus a Christmas issue. Over the years we have added special issues created just for the newsstands, such as Coastal Cottages, Cottages of White, and French Home, bringing the total to as many as 12 issues a year. All along we have gathered homeowners’ stories from Carolina to California. And it’s these stories of personal decorating style and relaxed cottage living that have always been our focus. As our fifth anniversary approaches, we are excited to revisit some of your favourites as well as ours. As you peruse the Best of The Cottage Journal, we…

Artist and interior decorator Pandy Agnew’s 1,100-square-foot cottage has helped teach her the importance of streamlining. “Editing out the clutter keeps me breathing,” she says, adding, “I have come to that place in my life where good health and happiness are my priorities. All of the lovely ‘things’ in my home are just that.” Originally built in the 1800s, Pandy made a few modifications (like the addition of closets) to the cottage’s existing floor plan. But regardless of her home’s small stature, Pandy insists that it’s the perfect size for herself and her young grandchildren who visit often, as well as the casual get-togethers she regularly hosts. Pandy’s move toward simplification influenced her choice of furnishings and décor. “What speaks to me in furniture and accessories is true comfort and…

Cascading layers of creeping fig drape the entrance to the enchanting countryside home that Avery Rhodes shares with her husband, Chris Akins, and their four children. It gives the house a magical fairy-tale feel, one Avery likens to Sleeping Beauty’s vine-covered castle. “I like to think we have a slightly ‘sleepy’ household,” says Avery.“We try very hard to slow things down when we are at home and just enjoy each other and our moments together.” The open and airy interiors of this cottage definitely offer a tranquil retreat, and the pretty and polished furnishings belie the fact that an active family lives in every square inch of these sunlit spaces. Avery has created a kid-and-pet friendly abode where their children, along with a menagerie of pets, are free to…

After graduating from college and living in Atlanta for 25 years, this business professional decided to move back to her hometown. She had lived in a new house in Atlanta, but was hoping to find a home in her parents’ charming older neighborhood. After checking out three disappointing possibilities, her father encouraged her to look at the cottage around the corner that had been empty for several years. “I took one step in and fell in love with it,” she exclaims, “and it’s walking distance to my parents.” With the help of old friends, builder David Camp and interior designer Lauren Conner, the cottage’s metamorphosis began. The front of the house was reworked by David to create a little portico and charming entrance. To continue the inviting welcome seen from…

It’s no mystery that as our lives evolve, our needs change as well. With that said, sometimes an opportunity may roll around that, only a few years ago, would have seemed impractical. And when good fortune comes along in the form of a wonderfully planned community, such a discovery may be hard to pass up. Washington homeowners Brian and Colleen Ducey not only have found the right place, but they’ve also adjusted their daily routines accordingly. It took some settling in for them—and lots of decluttering— to make their new location an ideal choice. “Before moving here, Brian and I were living in a 2,400-square-foot home in Seattle,” Colleen explains, “and although we had talked about downsizing many times, our options seemed limited.” Because their children are grown and out…

W hen planning their vacation home, Joanne and Bruce Montgomery knew exactly where to look for inspiration. Their property on Whidbey Island in Washington state was once home to a summer inn used by fishermen from 1905 to 1947 when Holmes Harbor was a famous fishing spot. “We wanted the interior to have the look and feel of a classic fishing lodge with a great room like a lobby, and the fit and finish to be evocative of the original structure,” Bruce says. The Montgomerys presented architect Ross Chapin with old photos of the inn and shared its history (the original structure was torn down after a fire). “The historic inn was a classic white clapboard building with a hipped roof and wraparound porch,” Ross says. “Those were our design…