Innholdsfortegnelse for Christmas Cottage 2014 i The Cottage Journal

Cottages with open fireplaces, cozy spots to nestle, and warm conversations welcome the holiday season. Plans for new home projects are put aside for the moment to enjoy one another and focus on the present. Collections of everything from ornaments to tree toppers shine during the holidays. In the story “Open Heart, Open Door” on page 65, the homeowner shares her love for using treasured antiques and collectibles like shiny icicles to create memories for her children. The cottage featured in “Red & White Holidays” found on page 39, has a clean, white palette with bright red accessories. From simple to lavish, the many charming interiors featured in this issue can inspire your family’s celebration too. Here are some of my favorite ideas for Christmas décor: trees with tiny white…

Jody Clineff was faced with a dilemma. Given the simplicity of the un-retouched circa 1680 home she bought with her husband, Steve, she is sensitive to the primitive mood of the place. Communing with the timeworn patina and imperfect plaster of a First Period New England home has become a way of life for the couple who often scours flea markets to find just the right furnishings. The ambience is kept plain on purpose, but the holidays beg for a special splash. Jody finally came up with a fitting solution to her decorating dilemma: when it’s time to deck the halls, she pulls out her growing inventory of feather trees with a slew of period ornaments to match. It should be said that Jody’s antique–acquiring inclinations don’t stop at feather…

Style Idea With a little planning you can easily deck the halls in holiday colors. Change out chandelier shades to your favorite accent color, and find chair cushions to match. Using coordinating ribbons when hanging wreaths and garlands and while wrapping gifts are just a few ideas. Ed and Freda Epp visited their daughter, Cheryl Krecsy, in White Rock, British Columbia, for years enjoying the salty air and picturesque scenery before finally purchasing this charming cottage. The Tudor style home was only 25 years old and with the exception of a much-needed kitchen tune-up, was in good condition. Since Cheryl is a designer and owns a home furnishing shop in town, help for this project was only a phone call away. The remodel included replacing some cabinets and adding new…

Wreaths speak a timeless language, conveying an instant message of welcome, remembrance, and celebration. Depending on the materials used, they can extend that welcome in a variety of ways. Such versatility is what makes wreaths a universally appealing decoration for the holidays. You can use what you have on hand to express your own personal style. Floral designer Jon Martinez of Bloom flower shop in Birmingham, Alabama, draws from an array of garden and florist materials to capture the holiday spirit in fresh, inventive ways. Combining traditional elements such as pinecones and crab apples with succulents, herbs, and fresh flowers, he assembles wreaths that invite a closer look. Contrasting textures and subtle colors make even the simplest wreath engaging. When Jon works with fresh flowers, he uses an Oasis wreath…

While you may not be able to squeeze a 20-foot Christmas tree, like the one showcased in the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond, Virginia, into your living room, you can take cues from their team who works tirelessly to decorate the annual Dominion GardenFest of Lights glistening centerpiece. GardenFest team leader, horticulturist Shannon Smith, and Children’s Garden horticulturist Heather Veneziano share their tips and tricks on creating a cohesive tree that captures the beauty of nature and the glamour of the season: * Look all around for inspiration. In addition to the gardens she works in everyday, Shannon looks to fabric, fashion catalogs, interior design, magazines, and Pinterest for inspiration for the tree. * Take cues from your space, as scale and lighting are critical to the overall design.…

When Jeff Solomon and interior designer Bill Aroosian decorate their home for the holidays, they have a rich history to uphold that was established by the original homeowner. “Our house was built in 1928 by an enterprising woman named Julia Cummings,” Bill explains. “You could literally say that she was from the wrong side of the tracks but managed to convince the owners of Lakewood Estates to sell her a lot.” Bill goes on to add that Julia designed and built the house as she had the money, often undertaking the construction by flood lights at night. With this much care and commitment, she made sure that once the place was finished, it was equally adorned in like devotion each year for Christmas. Since the house evokes an English cottage…

What started as a side-of-the-road fruit stand in a pre-Civil War dairy barn in the 1960s has transformed into a well-loved nursery and gift shop sitting on 7 acres in Chattanooga, Tennessee. After the untimely death of his father, Jim Webster took over the family business. He slowly added flowers, trees, and more plants to the inventory and learned the nursery business from the ground up. Jim’s wife, Cindy, says that one of The Barn Nursery’s taglines is “gardens, gifts, and home.” In keeping with that motto, the gift shop is filled with décor, jewelry, gifts, and vintage finds. “We’ve always stayed true to our nursery— the garden center part of it with flowers, plants and shrubs, and houseplants—but also we’re diving into gifts and home décor, and, of course,…

“It was right after Christmas,” Carol began. “I was putting all of my decorations away, and I just started formulating this idea in my head: I really wanted to create my own Santa Claus.” And not just any Santa Claus would do; Carol wanted to create a life-size, vintage representation of her favorite holiday. She immediately got to work and started crafting a face for her Santa from papier-mâché. “I thought if I could just create the face then I could go find all of the fabulous coats and old clothes that St. Nicholas would wear,” Carols says, admitting she doesn’t sew but enjoys hunting for the perfect vintage attire for Mr. Claus. The clothes she finds dictate the period or country her Santas hail from. “For example, I’ve made…

When you enter the shop White Flowers in Homewood, Alabama, you think perhaps you understand what Alice felt when she fell through that rabbit hole. There is something rather other worldly about the atmosphere with its white painted tree branches, fireplace, mirrors, doors, floors, and furniture. Then there are the pristine displays of gifts and accessories and stacks of the signature T-shirts that started it all. “I originally designed these floral prints to hang in our house,” says shop owner Diana Hansen. “Then I decided to make the prints into T-shirts so I could wear them. People kept asking me where they could get them.” Before she knew it, Diana and her husband, photographer Eric Hansen, were making T-shirts out of his studio space and working around the clock to…

Step into Sherry and Johnny Eldridge’s home at Christmastime, and their love for the holiday is unmistakable. Every room shines with treasures and trimmings, antique knickknacks, and symbols of the season, all unified by a pale, shimmery palette that adds an appealing top note of winter. “It’s my favorite time of the year,” Sherry says. “[I love] getting to see all of the things that we’ve collected. To me, it’s when our home looks the best.” The couple’s holiday style wasn’t always so ethereal. When they first bought the home in the late 1990s, they decked the halls with classic jewel tones. But gradually, Sherry lightened the décor and infused it with cottage flair: painted and distressed furniture, soft textures and silhouettes, and pale hues. As the look of the…

From an adorned front door to a year-round back porch wiThplenty of seating, the Brandts’ home is warm and inviting, accented by an eclectic collection of fine furnishings and rustic accessories. Found throughout the house the simple nods to nature—grapevine, cedar, pinecones, and berries—bring the Tennessee countryside inside. Ellen’s grandmother was raised in Paris, and her grandfather was from Germany so her affinity for international antiques began early. Yet Ellen’s style is anything but showy. “Nothing simply goes on display in our house,” she explains. From old bone cutlery to warm copper pots, she says, “They’re not just pretty to look at—it all gets used.” Christmastime is an especially cheery season in this welcoming home, as Ellen kicks off the holidays each year with a festive brunch for 100 beloved…

Chocolate Temptations Makes about 2 dozen 6 (1-ounce) squares bittersweet chocolate, chopped 4 (1-ounce) squares semisweet chocolate, chopped ½ cup heavy whipping cream 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom ¼ teaspoon fresh ginger ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger Unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting 1. In a medium bowl, combine bittersweet and semisweet chocolate. 2. In a small saucepan, heat cream, confectioners’ sugar, and all spices over mediumhigh heat until mixture boils. Remove from heat, and pour over chocolate, whisking until melted and smooth. 3. Pour chocolate into an airtight container; place in freezer. Freeze for 6 to 8 hours. 4. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Using a 1-inch spring-loaded ice cream scoop, scoop truffles and place on prepared baking sheet;…

The Fancher brothers always had their eye on Burr Farm. Although the farm’s old dairy barn had already been transformed into a garden center, the essence of the farm that is more than 100 years old was still very much intact. To find the Shakespeare’s Garden driveway off the main road in Brookfield, Connecticut, you’ll have to navigate a few hairpin curves and pass several pastures until you see Burr Farm. The garden center is the cow barn, offering evergreen roping spilling from wooden carts. Kissing balls hang from the eaves of the former milking parlor, wreaths wrap around the Fresh Eggs sign, and all the rusty old milk canisters are wearing garlands. Generous bundles of berries, seeds, and conifers are poised in the former paddock outdoors waiting to come…

Cover—Felted ornaments and red tree skirt from Arcadia Home. Tree from Laurel Springs Nursery, LLC. Burlap throw from Peacock Park Design. Antique horse figurine from Tricia’s Treasures. Candlesticks and basket from Ruby Ansley Interiors, Inc. Pillow from Olde World Acquisitions. Floral design by Jon Martinez of Bloom. Page 10—White stocking ornament from Arcadia Home. A Very Texas Christmas Pages 55–64—Floral design by Gypsy Floral and Events. Page 60— Burlap stockings from Elgies. Page 62— Painting by Tara Royer Steele. Page 63—Painting by Aaron Hequembourg, purchased at Round Top Antiques Fair. Carrying on the Holiday Tradition Pages 75–80—Interior design by Bill Aroosian. Page 75—Copper candlesticks from Habitation. Empress Ruby teacup and saucer from Wedgwood. Page 77—Custom cypress bookshelves designed by Bill Aroosian, manufactured by Lane Woodworking. Page 78—Painting by Rosalie Pettus…