The Cottage Journal French Cottage 2022

A Provençal Feel Welcome to French Cottage, the newest special issue from The Cottage Journal magazine. Within this issue, we tour several homes that provide a welcoming sanctuary and display a true love of the French style, whether with a mix of décor or a collection curated over time. Join us as we visit cultivated gardens of wonder and cottages embellished with flea market finds that exude everything from European elegance to rustic country style. With a look at Florentine décor, our feature “Echoes of the Renaissance” on page 11 is a lovely tribute to this Italian style, popularized during the late 1800s when curves and gilded accents were—as they still are—beloved across the globe. The collections review shares new ideas for styling furniture and artwork in a range of…

Even if you don’t know the ins and outs of Florentine décor, chances are you’ve stopped in an antiques store to admire the curved legs of a table or the gilded edges of a tray from this style. Rooted in the Italian Renaissance, solidified by the tourist trade of the late 1800s, and revived during the Hollywood Regency period, this style retained its iconic carved detailing, elegant silhouettes, and wide range of colors accented with gold paint to remain a staple in many homes even today. Glean expertise from stylist Melissa Smith on collecting and styling these time-tested pieces in your own home.…

Striking a balance between elegance and ease, architect-design duo Brooke and Steve Giannetti thrill readers with the latest installment in their Patina series: Patina Homes, featuring designs infused with their signature style marked by a certain je ne sais quoi interwoven throughout. Subtle, timeless touches mingle with a pared down palette to breathe a distinct and versatile look into each design. Drawing from French roots, the philosophy of this husband-and-wife team emphasizes architecture, blends old with new, and showcases natural textures—all while staying true to the desires and needs of their clients. Each of the 12 homes highlighted in the book’s 288 delightful pages demonstrates Steve’s brilliant ability to solve unique architectural challenges without sacrificing beauty or functionality. With a variety of styles ranging from classic to contemporary, Brooke and…

When Sherrie Friday-Knight and her husband, Jerry Knight, purchased their 1992 ranch home in Central California, they had quite a project ahead of them—removing burgundy-colored carpet throughout, taking down walls to create a more open concept, vaulting the ceilings, gutting the kitchen, and so on. Luckily, with Sherrie, who is a designer, and Jerry, who is a woodworker and furniture builder, the task was in capable hands. “This home was very outdated—stuck in the ’80s even though it was built in the ’90s,” Sherrie says. “It [was] easy for me to see past the ugly, knowing what the possibilities could be for this home. It had good bones and is located in a wonderful neighborhood, which made it worth putting in all the work of the renovations.” Sherrie loves soft…

Moving into a home a block away from the street where she grew up was a dream come true for Janet Solomon. “I always wanted to raise my kids the way I was raised,” she says, recalling a childhood spent on the California coastline. Thirty-two years later, she and her husband, Larry, still reside in the ranch-style cottage they raised their daughters in—a space they long ago made their own. “We wanted it to be homey and cottagey near the beach,” Janet says, and it was her fondness for the ocean that inspired the color palette of soft blues and lavenders, sea-salt whites, and sandy linens. But when a trip to a new place sparked a fresh passion, the home’s décor took on another spirit. “We were mostly about the…

Marlène Zimmerman is a kind, humble, smiling woman who never leaves a flea market empty-handed; she knows how to find a special object hidden under mountains of the ordinary. And her house is a reflection of her generous heart—large and ready to welcome forgotten things. The centuries-old farmhouse where Marlène lives with her husband, Thomas, and their son, Charles-Henri, was completely renovated, even if the home seems to have remained as it once was. “For three years, we looked for a house to meet our needs and tastes,” Marlène says. “Then, by chance, in 2005, we found the announcement of this 18th-century farmhouse, which needed to be completely restored. I recognized it immediately because it was the house next to the one I lived in with my parents in high…