Innholdsfortegnelse for Summer 2012 i The Cottage Journal

When I think of summer, I picture lazy days lost in a backyard garden or spent perusing flea markets. And I envision sweet summer nights on the porch under the stars and patio parties rich with friends, family, and fireflies. I long for the restfulness of a sleepy lakefront retreat and the cheeriness of a breezy coastal bungalow. These are the scenes that inspired this issue of Summer Cottage. Just as the very thought of summer can paint lovely picture in our minds, its beauty can grace every inch of our dé cor. From light and airy open spaces to bright and cheerful color palettes, the homes featured within these pages bring the outdoors in with details both big and small. Beach cottages whisk us away on a journey of…

When Hurricane Isabel destroyed their old riverfront abode, this resilient Virginia family decided to rebuild. The wife, a designer, found an ideal house plan that would offer water views from every room as well as plenty of porches perfect for easy-breezy river living. Throughout the home, the farmhouse style is peppered with Moroccan and West Indies influences, creating a lively blend of bright colors and basic neutrals. The décor as well as the open floor plan is ideal for casual living. The flow from one area to another makes it easy for family members and guests to interact. French doors in the dining area open onto the screened-in porch, enlarging the living and entertaining area. fine dining Beloved pieces, such as this antique oak table in a complementary dark stain,…

A home designed in a pale palette is particularly pleasing to the eye. No matter the room, a white-on-white scheme appears airy, clean, and restful. And without the distraction of bright and bold color, white can also be quite dramatic. Yet, it’s easy to confuse stark-white sofas with the unapproachable plasticcoated couches of the past. The key to creating inviting spaces—cozy, not cold; stylish, not sterile—is to select fabrics and accent pieces that add warmth and comfort. When accessorizing a mostly white room, be mindful that it won’t be as forgiving as more colorful spaces. Focus on a few carefully curated pieces. Fresh flowers, sumptuous throws, patterned pillows, and a few gilded baubles add interest rather than clutter. mirror, mirror on the wall Throughout the home, glorious larger-than-life mirrors work…

Style Idea Contemporary elements, such as a modern industrial fan and a row of ruby red chairs, are bold yet complementary in this scenic cabin setting. After searching for quite some time for the perfect vacation property, these homeowners were giddy when they grabbed up this waterfront sanctuary on a nearby Georgia lake. Once they finalized the purchase, the busy professionals had one request of their beloved interior designer: to have them in their new lake home by the start of summer. Time was short—the couple closed in April, and the project was completed in June, just in time to savor the season. But no one anticipated the work that would go into a full interior and exterior renovation. Mountain décor needn’t always mean kitschy, but here the designer dealt…

Inspired by country villas in Italy and France’s Provence region, the garden rooms of this lovely stucco home start with the architectural elements—a terrace off the dining room, a covered walk along the front of the house, a wall enclosing the backyard. Vines and shrubs soften these features and ease the transition into the outdoor living areas The garden rooms expand the home’s entertaining space by drawing guests out to the terraces, loggia, and courtyard, where ivy-clad walls and neat rectangles of lawn create a feeling of privacy and intimacy. Focal points, such as a wrought-iron table on the terrace and a fountain framed by towering arborvitae trees, anchor the rooms and create a sense of destination. Vines and shrubs offer fragrance as well as color and texture: Roses and…

Tips for Setting Your Summer Table Cover your folding table or picnic table with a cloth. Don’t have a tablecloth big enough? Try using a sheet or washable piece of fabric. Consider using melamine for your dinnerware. It’s inexpensive and just about kid proof. And like cloth napkins, it can be used over and over again, saving money in the long run. If you don’t have enough of one napkin color, mix and match colors. Clip a few flowers and stems of greenery from your yard for your centerpiece. Arrange them in a large glass jar or several small jars instead of a vase. Blooming or green vines can also add a botanical touch to the table. Tease diners with dessert right from the beginning. Here, cupcakes placed on cake…

Growing up near the beaches of Southern California, Molly Hyde English was always intrigued by the mountainous areas of the Golden State, particularly Yosemite and Lake Tahoe. Though she later enjoyed success in the corporate world, she dreamed of leaving it behind to start her own store with a focus on the style of 1920s–40s lakeside living. Camps and Cottages in Laguna Beach, California, has fulfilled that vision. This charming store blends vintage and contemporary styles and is filled with distinctive one-of-a-kind items and furnishings. Molly carefully hand selects each piece, making sure every one is American made, and showcases many items from local artisans. Her customers furnish their primary homes as well as vacation homes with her unique cottage- and lake-style finds. When you peruse this shop’s eclectic wares,…

Few of us live in castles today, but slipcovers have stayed with us throughout the years. In recent times, the popularity of Shabby Chic style, founded by Rachel Ashwell, brought these practical covers to the forefront of home decorating. Though they can still be used to protect expensive upholstery, now we’re more into covering up our old and worn fabrics. The style of an old chair or sofa becomes new again with the addition of this simple furniture accessory. And if by chance you have kids, pets—or messy friends—you can remove the covers to wash them or take them to the cleaners. Today, slipcovers are synonymous with casual, comfortable cottage living. Before & After french armchair A chair with an upholstered back, seat, and open arms is known as a…

This welcoming cottage provides a serene retreat from life’s hustle and bustle. As you enter the foyer, you’re greeted by striking pecky cypress walls, which contrast with the painted pine walls of the adjoining areas. The console table is made from an old iron balcony. On the limestone tabletop, a piece of blue coral brings in the accent color used throughout the home. Windows climb the twenty-foot-high walls in the living room, welcoming sunlight and beach breezes. Pecky cypress is used again, this time for the fireplace mantel. Tabby, a perfect building material for a beach home, is made of crushed shells and lends texture to the fireplace wall. In the master bath, elegant marble floors, walls, and counters are balanced by the warmth of wood cabinets and exposed ceiling…

This open and airy cottage is a compilation of a lifetime of treasures collected by the homeowners on various trips with family and friends. Plenty of large windows draw the eye to the outdoors and allow soft natural light to blanket each room, showcasing the collectibles and antiques. Sweetsmelling bouquets of fresh-cut blooms placed here and there make the space truly inviting. An intimate dining area with all the charm and character of a faraway countryside welcomes friends and family to gather around the table. Soft butter walls, which are accented by gentle pops of color found on the china cabinet, dining table, and seat cushions, showcase the exquisite collection of white china, crystal, and silver pieces. The homeowners enjoyed carefully selecting pieces for their home in antiques shops, flea…

When the homeowners first spotted this spacious screened-in patio, the do-ityourself duo envisioned a chic and playful patio overlooking Florida’s lush landscape. Unable to find outdoor furniture to suit the space perfectly, the couple designed and built the lounge furniture themselves, creating low-profile platform beds ideal for reading, relaxing, and, yes, even napping. Organic materials, such as a sea grass mat, wicker vases, and woven stools, add to the patio’s appeal. For the dining area, the couple repurposed a table and chairs that they already owned. A striped tablecloth and the fabric on the chairs carry out the open-air room’s fresh citrus palette. Style Idea Although screened-in porches get plenty of natural light during the day, mix and match sconces and chandeliers to illuminate spaces for evening entertaining.…

Life Lessons The life and care of plants offers a parallel to human nature, says Dr. Blum. “As long as we harvest the fruit or vegetables, the plant continues to produce until the first frost. In the same way, as long as people continue using their mind and skills, they feel productive and needed and they flourish.” Dr. Blum and his wife, Suzanne, enjoy cooking with the fresh vegetables and fruits they grow in their half-acre garden. And Dr. Blum appreciates the workout he gets from planting, hoeing, and harvesting. But he especially relishes the parallels he finds between gardening and life. Just as seeds must be nurtured, watered, and weeded to become fruitful plants, so must children be nurtured to become responsible, well-rounded adults. And just as maintaining a…

To find out more about product sources or to contact the design professionals, see addresses listed below. Front cover goblets from Juliska; plates by Richard Ginori from Bromberg’s; napkins from Couleur Nature; metal tray from The Briarcliff Shop; small fruit bowls from Belk Enchanting Details Pages 10-11–table and chairs from Trex Outdoor Furniture; dinnerware from Vietri Feather Your Nest Pages 12-13–blue glass vases from A’Mano; striped linen napkin from Tessitura Pardi; turtle pillow from Sandy by the Sea Designs; blue and green wine jars from Europe 2 You; red creamer and rectangular dishes from Jars Provence Design USA, Inc.; Riviera bags from Catstudio; Redneck wineglasses from Seibels; yellow bowls and plates from Vietri; red folding table and chair from American Country Home Store; slipcovers from Sew Sheri Designs Pages 17-18–slipcovers…

If you have baskets filled with these treasures just sitting around the house, consider the many possibilities for showing off your collection. Welcome visitors and the season with a display of shells in the entrance hall. Scatter sea biscuits and starfish on an outdoor table, and you’ll feel like you’re dining at the beach instead of on your own porch. Small shells make charming paperweights. And for a whimsical touch anywhere in the home, pour a little sand into a bottle and slip small shells inside. Nest Idea Use larger shells as bookends, or prop a starfish on a bookshelf as an accent piece.…

A sky blue ceiling, a mossy green island, botanical curtain trims, and loads of light—this stunning Virginia kitchen was designed with a master gardener in mind. “Although any gourmand would be very happy in this kitchen, with its state-of-the-art appliances and generous work areas, elements throughout sought to satisfy the gardener rather than the cook,” the home’s designer explains. watch your step In the kitchen, the oak flooring possesses the timeworn character of the more-than-acentury- old grain silos from which it was reclaimed. Natural materials, such as reclaimed oak floors and Vermont soapstone and marble counters, combine with brilliant bay windows to bring the beauty of the great outdoors into this creative space. When dinner is ready, an exquisite dining pavilion greets guests year round with playful colors and plenty…

For the French, flowers are as essential as fresh baguettes. Open-air flower markets like this one, the Marché aux Fleurs, which is just a short stroll from the palace of Versailles, offer mixed bouquets and bunches of gorgeous cut blooms as well as potted herbs and flowering plants. Canopies held aloft by metal poles create temporary shelters for flowers and shoppers. From the plank tiers of buckets holding cut stems in clear plastic sleeves, bunches of Fuji mums, peonies, lilies, ageratum, and lisianthus beckon passersby with vivid colors and intoxicating fragrances. At another stall, potted herbs are ready for planting in kitchen gardens, which may be as simple as a container garden on a windowsill. The presence of plants is so fundamental to everyday life here that even apartment dwellers…

It started out as a hobby covering boxes and frames with shells and giving them as gifts. However, in a short time, some of his shell crafts were featured in a national magazine, and shop owners and decorators around the country were placing orders. Johnny has collected shells on beaches from Key Largo to Key West. He also orders shells from wholesalers and has even talked a Florida restaurant owner into saving oyster shells for him. His biggest job to date has been creating three 4-by-8-foot oyster shell mirrors for the casino in the Atlantis Hotel in the Bahamas. When not working his day job, Johnny continues to work in his studio, the Shell Shack, creating beautiful picture frames, mirrors, boxes, and even chandeliers covered with treasures from the sea.…