The Cottage Journal Autumn 2013

Happy fall to you! Crisp air and vivid outdoor colors inspire me to hang a new wreath on the door and brush off the welcome mat. I enjoy replanting flower boxes and planters on my porches with deep purples, rustic oranges, and soft blue-grays. With this issue, I hope you are inspired to add a little more color to your life—either by simply bringing rust- and golden-leaved branches into your foyer or by adding a new paint hue to the front door or hallway entrance. See our ideas and inspirations for creating warm greetings for guests throughout the issue. One of the homes featured in this issue, “Bespoke Beauty” on page 23, is a charming Scottishstyle cottage with lovely blue kitchen walls. The homeowner’s collections of antique pottery and family…

On a recent scouting trip, our editorial director, Cindy Cooper, and stylist, Yukie McLean, discovered one of the great sources for antiques and unique home furnishings and accessories—the Brimfield Antique Market. Three times a year, the little town of Brimfield, Massachusetts (population 3,300) becomes a shopping haven for thousands of antique dealers and bargain hunters from around the world. Started in 1959 by Gordon Reed Sr., about 67 exhibitors drove their trucks and station wagons into his field and unloaded their wares. Now more than 6,000 dealers set up across 100 acres, creating possibly the largest antiques market in the US. If you’re searching for an odd chair, unusual lamps, or pretty much anything else on your list, you’re likely to find it here. When you go to Brimfield, heed…

an artist’s eye Susan’s creative calling is evident throughout her home where pretty vignettes abound. Nature is invited inside via dried-flower wreaths, sets of deer antlers, and a tray lined with botanical offerings under glass domes. Sentimental pieces fill the home, including her father’s handsome oversized leather sofa that holds sway in a seating area. When artist Susan Ferguson stepped into a circa 1926 Scottish-style cottage located in a revered neighborhood, she was surprised—and immediately smitten—with its myriad charms. She knew she had to have it. The whitewashed and exposed-brick exterior and terra-cotta tile mosaic threshold are just the first clues that this home is steeped in character. Open the door, and that impression is echoed by sun-washed interiors that are a beautiful blend of Old World and eclectic styles.…

This completely updated 1930s cottage was a lucky find by the Edgeworth family. Carla and her husband, Alex, were delighted that the only work necessary was cosmetic. So once the painting was complete, the hunt for unique but practical decorating items began. “Three children under the age of 7 will keep you practical,” Carla says, but it hasn’t stifled her sense of style here. The kitchen-family room combination is done in neutrals with washable linen slipcovers and white walls. With the sophisticated touches of dark gray on doors and trims, as well as the far kitchen wall, the room is far from being ho-hum beige. Large, comfy furniture is just right for adults to relax in and for little ones to climb. Style Idea Hang a gallery of family photos…

Style Idea Mixing old and new while maintaining the cottage’s overall appeal, the couple found a newly crafted dining table by artisan Steve Reed in a “harvest table” style and surrounded it with Old Hickory dining chairs, which have woven-cane seats and backs. For Molly and Rich English, calling their home an “English cottage” makes perfect sense, even though it’s located in Carmel, California. Built in 1925 by renowned Bay Area builder Gustav Laumeister, their tranquil abode is a magical retreat filled with early-20th-century furniture, artwork, and accessories. “The place had been rental property for 20 years when we bought it,” says Molly, “and was in dire need of being restored. Rich and I brought it all back, inside and out, which included updating the plumbing and electrical work, building…

When Austin and Whitney Lutz moved into their circa 1901 New Orleans cottage in 2009, the newlyweds were smitten with the home’s open floor plan and historic charm. Growing into the house has been a joy, says Whitney, whose eye for neutral tones and natural textures complements the unique architecture of their 1,100-square-foot abode. Widely popular in the South from the end of the Civil War through the 1920s, shotgun-style homes are designed long and narrow with rooms one behind the other. Here, guests enter into the dining room, where a welcoming table is accompanied by a handcrafted buffet. “Storage is limited in these older homes, so we decided to build our own,” Whitney says. Her mother made the linen skirt, which hides tableware and dining accessories, while a mirrored…