Innholdsfortegnelse for Summer 2016 i The Cottage Journal

“We believe that beauty and sustainability are intricately linked and that time-honored and environmentally friendly techniques are of the utmost importance to us.” —STACY BOROCZ Homeowners Stacy and Joe Borocz share an affinity for just about anything that combines European history with everyday objects. In fact, through their Atlanta-based company, Europe2You, they frequently explore the outdoor markets and curio shops of the United Kingdom, France, and other European countries for accessories and furnishings that exemplify the quintessential Continental lifestyle. As expected, the couple’s own abode abundantly reflects this joie de vivre spirit. Yet, as with most things, there’s a twist. “The story of our house is interesting and a bit backwards when compared to most people’s appreciation for older homes,” Stacy admits. “Initially, we searched for a place with old…

Before Marie Mealor bought and worked her magic on it, this charming 1930s cottage was hiding beneath aluminum siding. Marie, looking for a smaller space now that her children were grown and on their own, spotted the home’s potential anyway. After stripping off the siding and replacing the front windows with a floor-to-ceiling arched pair salvaged from a French hotel, the outside was totally transformed. Then the real fun started. As an interior designer and owner of a custom framing business, Marie has been collecting art for 40 years and now specializes in helping her clients display their own collections. After enlarging the dining room and kitchen, she turned her practiced eye to the interior design of her own cottage. She confesses her art collection did not necessarily inspire the…

Cutting and pasting is a normal classroom activity for young children, but Ben Busko continued beyond the classroom. At the age of 6 he decoupaged his mother’s coffee table, making it definitely one of a kind. His love of flowers and fascination with words inspired him to make decoupaged notecards with pressed flowers, herbs, and quotes. “I considered them artwork,” Ben says, “and I would sign the cards. What I was too young to know then was no one ever wants the signature of the artist to be confused with the sender of the card.” That did not deter him for long. He continued creating and soon was selling to Smith & Hawken and New York Botanical Garden catalog. But being an elementary school student, he couldn’t even cash a…

“We made a house that would really blend the outside and inside.” —AVEREE HICKS As the couple prayed about the right place to raise their family after finishing medical school, they were ultimately led back home, where their young boys could fish and swim and have a good place to grow up, surrounded by both of their families. “It was the best move we ever made,” Averee says. Before their final move they had lived in several houses that had not been suitable for their lifestyle so they figured they could design their dream home if they had somebody to help them with the specifications. “We knew we wanted to build a house that would sustain us through children, empty nesting, grandchildren, and old age,” Averee shares. “And we actually…

Go ahead and pinch an herb. Crush the leaves or just brush against the foliage as you stroll through the garden, and herbs will emit a rich redolence. Best known for the essential oils trapped in their leaves, herbs are harnessed as the workhorses of the garden, imparting their aroma to make everything from teas to casseroles more flavorful. You can fold herbal potpourris into your linen drawer for scented bedding or drink an herbal tea when you are coming down with a sore throat or just want to decompress before tucking in for the night. Herbs put the scrub in cleaning products while making tidying up a more tolerable task. These plants have been grown since ancient times, entering into folklore and figuring in mythology. But above and beyond…

Cover—Glass bottle and handmade yellow jar from Europe2You. Page 9—Felted pillows and round vases from Europe2You. Page 11—Pillows from Ox Bow Decor. Page 12—Blue circle and white square melamine plates from Christine’s. Table linens from Couleur Nature. Water’s Edge Pages 25–30—Architectural design by Tom Bateman of Imagineered Homes, LLC, and Robert G. Dooley, Jr. Built by Imagineered Homes, LLC. Timeless Appeal Pages 31–38—Décor pieces from Europe2You. Tidewater Transitional Pages 49–56—Interiors by Jamie Merida and Denise Perkins, Bountiful Interiors. Hand in Hand Pages 57–64—Interiors and custom framing by Marie Mealor, Marie Mealor and Associates. All in the Family Pages 73–82—Built by Benchmark Specialties, LLC. Landscape design by Brent Donaldson, Donaldson Landscape & Design, LLC. Page 77—Kitchen cabinets by Mike Cannon, Cannon Custom Woodworks, Inc. A New Life Down South Pages 83–86—Built…

Barbara and Jobay Cooney thought they had seen every house on the market, but then Barbara came across this one. “I walked into the house and made them an offer,” Barbara says. “I instantly knew what I wanted to do.” The Cooneys had done a number of renovations before so this wasn’t their first “rodeo.” In this cottage-style ranch they butted out the living room 2 feet but otherwise kept the same footprint. Within the original shell they took down several walls and added others to rearrange the room placement. Barbara shares, “It all allowed the family to live a lot bigger.” And living bigger is something to consider when you have mom, dad, four children, and two dogs living under the same roof. Upon entering the house you find…

Cantley & Company is a successful kitchen design business Keith and Cyndy Cantley began early in their marriage. With Keith as the cabinetmaker and Cyndy the designer their hands-on experience served them well in creating kitchens for others. When asked how they planned their own kitchen redo, Cyndy laughs and says, “We never even drew it. My husband and I stood there one night with our tape measure, which I would never do with a client. But it’s a small space and it worked fine.” Their bespoke cabinets are painted Cantley White, a custom color the couple describes as classic and timeless. “It’s funny, people say ‘White is coming back,’ but that’s almost all we’ve ever done,” Cyndy shares. The charming glass-front cabinets help to keep the room light and…

When Barbara and Len Ashford bought their 1920s cottage 27 years ago, the sloping hillside behind the house became Barbara’s canvas for creative expression. “From day one, I was out planting in the garden,” she says. She installed an arbor and an English-style bench as a focal point in front of the existing pierced-brick wall. She also replaced a crumbling garage with a hip roof garden shed that looks so inviting that visitors often ask if it’s a guesthouse. Over time she put in paths, picket fencing, and boxwood hedges to “give the garden shape and structure so I can then go crazy with my flowers,” Barbara explains. Her experiments with plants and plant combinations were often inspired by gardens she saw on buying trips to England for her shop…

When Salt Lake City residents Patti and Curt Hussey began thinking about where they wanted to retire, they had their hearts set on moving back to the South. “I actually saw a spread about Fairhope in Cooking with Paula Deen magazine and decided to go check it out,” Patti recalls. “When I came down here, I was just in a little dream world. I called Curt and said, ‘You just can’t believe this place, it’s just like a little paradise.” Patti returned to Salt Lake, and two weeks later the couple came back to Fairhope ready to house hunt. Now, more than five years later, the city that captured their hearts and imagination still makes them feel like they’re on vacation every day. Looking back, the couple recognizes the blessing…