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AUTUMN!

SCORE BIG DEALS AT THE FLEA MARKET

COLORFUL DECOR · COZY PORCHES FARM–FRESH RECIPES

Get More Style in a Small Space page 26

RUSTIC PRIMITIVES—

AND OTHER COLLECTIBLES WE LOVE

Fall 2020

Vol. 41, No. 3

COUNTRY HOME FALL 2020

TABLE OF CONTENTS

14 Southern Comfort 26 Into the Woods 36 Road Trip to Round Top 44 Tree House 52 Call of the Wild 58 Ranch Hands 70 Instant Classic 80 The Hands-On Home 88 Inspired by Land & Sea 94 Can-Do Spirit 104 A Fondness for Fronds

7 Our Style Makers 12 An Autumn Porch: Dressed to Impress 110 Recipes 111 Resources 112 Look What I Found 2

COUNTRY HOME FALL 2020

FROM THE EDITOR

AUTUMN USHERS IN BRILLIANT COLOR, COOLER TEMPS, AND THE URGE TO NEST.

P.S. We’re thrilled to

report that Country Home® magazine is available four times a year. As always, it’s on newsstands, and we’ve added a subscription option so you don’t miss a single issue. Visit TheMeredithStore.com to sign up today.

As we enjoy the crisp fall air and kaleidoscopic world outside, now is also the season to start thinking about going inside to play. So it’s only natural to want your interiors to be ready for whatever level of hibernation your psyche and climate suggest. For those of us who relish preparing our personal spaces in anticipation of cozy days ahead, it’s go time. No matter the scope of your home improvement dreams, we’ve packed these pages with inspiration from creative home decorators from coast to coast. In the mountains of Southern California, we follow Carol Estes to the forests of her youth, where she has refurbished a tiny cabin into a modern-rustic retreat that is at once charming and sophisticated (page 26). On the ﬂatlands of southern Illinois, longtime collectors Dan and Jeff Weaver-White couldn’t ﬁnd the just-right old house to showcase their antiques, so they built a classic saltbox (page 70) from the ground up. It’s a place that lives for today but looks as if it’s been there for decades. Budget-conscious Stefania Skrabak, on the other hand, took a sledgehammer to a derelict 1880s farmhouse in the Catskills (page 94), knocking it back to the studs before rebuilding it board by board, refashioning it into a sunny home tailor-made for her and her young son. Autumn is inspiring in other ways as well. The annual—and glorious—last hurrah of the growing season yields an abundance of decorating materials. We’ve got fresh ideas for bringing nature’s beauty inside to savor. You’ll love the inventive wreaths and stunning foraged arrangements of Todd Carr and Carter Harrington (page 52). They left the Big Apple to immerse themselves in the natural world, then turned that love into a growing business—literally. This time of year presents opportunities for another type of hunting and gathering that’s close to our country hearts. In our special report on the Round Top Antiques Show (page 36), we grab seasoned showgoer Courtney Warren and head to Texas to create an insider’s road map for where to go, what to collect—even where to eat! From collecting to crafting, refreshing to remodeling, we offer a bounty of creative ideas on these pages. We hope they help you realize your own dreams for a more personal, inviting haven. In the fall—or any season—there’s no place like home.

SAMANTHA HART, EDITOR

MEREDITH SPECIAL INTEREST MEDIA Vice President & Group Publisher SCOTT MORTIMER Vice President, Group Editorial Director STEPHEN ORR

Editor SAMANTHA HART Designer KIMBERLY MORGAN METZ Contributing Editor SANDRA S. SORIA Copy Editor ANGELA RENKOSKI Proofreader ERIKA BJORKLUND Administrative Assistant RENAE MABIE

HOME & GARDEN Executive Editor SAMANTHA HART Senior Editors BRIAN KRAMER, SALLY FINDER WEEPIE, KRISSA ROSSBUND Senior Associate Editor NATALIE DAYTON Design Directors KIMBERLY MORGAN METZ, MICK SCHNEPF Group Art Director NICOLE DEAN TEUT Associate Art Director JESSICA ENO Assistant Art Director EMILY BUTTERWORTH Senior Graphic Designer BRITTANY MUELLER Administrative Assistants RENAE MABIE, KATIE MORT, KIM O’BRIEN-WOLETT Photography Coordinator ALYSSA RICHARDSON Better Homes & Gardens Test Garden® Manager SANDRA GERDES FOOD Executive Editor JAN MILLER Senior Content Manager JESSICA SAARI CHRISTENSEN Senior Editor CARRIE BOYD Design Director STEPHANIE HUNTER Associate Art Director RAE DANNEMAN Administrative Assistant COURTNEY BUSH Director, Meredith Test Kitchen LYNN BLANCHARD Culinary Specialists SARAH BREKKE, JULI HALE, COLLEEN WEEDEN Senior Food Stylist GREG LUNA Food Stylists KELSEY BULAT, LAUREN MCANELLY, SAMMY MILA

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FOR EDITORIAL QUESTIONS, EMAIL COUNTRY.HOME@MEREDITH.COM OR WRITE US AT COUNTRY HOME, SPECIAL INTEREST PUBLICATIONS, MEREDITH CORP., 1716 LOCUST ST., DES MOINES, IA 50309-3023

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Vice President, Marketing JEREMY BILOON Executive Account Director DOUG STARK Director, Brand Marketing JEAN KENNEDY Associate Director, Brand Marketing BRYAN CHRISTIAN Senior Brand Manager KATHERINE BARNET FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION Associate Business Director JENNA BATES Business Managers LISA CARLSON, MARISA CLARK CIRCULATION Consumer Marketing Managers LAURA KROGH, ED LICHINSKY ADVERTISING & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Garden Sales & Marketing Director MARTY WOLSKE marty.wolske@meredith.com National Account Executive TYLER SMITH tyler.smith@meredith.com National Account Executive TOM HOSACK tom.hosack@meredith.com National Account Executive ALI PELTIER ali.peltier@meredith.com Regional Account Executive BRIAN KEANE brian.keane@meredith.com Regional Account Executive COLLIN COUGHLON collin.coughlon@meredith.com Sales Assistant DIANA WEESNER diana.weesner@meredith.com Do It Yourself Advertising Sales Director AMY GATES amy.gates@meredith.com Project Supervisor BETHANY PETERSON bethany.peterson@meredith.com Account Executive BRIAN KOSSACK brian.kossack@meredith.com Sales Assistant ASHLEY JACOBS ashley.jacobs@meredith.com Home Senior Vice President & Group Publisher STEPHEN BOHLINGER stephen.bohlinger@meredith.com Brand Homes Director NICOLE HENDRICK nicole.hendrick@meredith.com Eastern Advertising Director BROOKE VLADYKA brooke.vladyka@meredith.com Advertising Sales Assistant CHERYL CORBIN cheryl.corbin@meredith.com Food & Holiday Executive Vice President & Group Publisher CAREY WITMER carey.witmer@meredith.com Advertising Sales Assistant MOLLY MONAGHAN molly.monaghan@meredith.com ADVERTISING OPERATIONS 1716 Locust St., Des Moines, IA 50309-3023 Production Director JOHN BEARD Associate Production Manager ANNA BELKNAP DIRECT MEDIA Sales Director TYLER HUB tyler.hub@meredith.com

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Country Home? FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM. @COUNTRYHOMEMAGAZINE

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OUR STYLE MAKERS

PHOTOGRAPHS: (PAGES 7–9) ANGIE WENDRICKS; (PAGES 10–11) FROM FRENCH COUNTRY COTTAGE INSPIRED GATHERINGS BY COURTNEY ALLISON. REPRINTED BY PERMISSION OF GIBBS SMITH.

In Angie Wendricks’ kitchen, a rough and tough vintage farm table boasts unique folding legs. The primitive shelf unit was just $50 at a nearby flea market, but Angie treasures it for its spare form. Ceramics and books take turns living on its shelves.

Country Home

STYLE MAKERS ®

COUNTRY IS MORE THAN AN ENDURING STYLE. AND IT EVEN TRANSCENDS PLACE. AS THESE TWO TASTEMAKERS DEMONSTRATE, COUNTRY IS, ABOVE ALL, AN ATTITUDE, ONE THAT EMBRACES THE SIMPLE JOY OF CONNECTING—WITH THE PAST, WITH NATURE, AND WITH EACH OTHER. WRIT TEN BY

SHAILA WUNDERLICH COUNTRY HOME FALL 2020

OUR STYLE MAKERS

1 1 / Angie Wendricks lives, works, and gardens on her Indiana farm. 2 / Her husband, Alex, built this window seat in the kitchen for extra seating and storage. Its top lifts up to reveal a hollow interior. Angie swaps out its cushions and pillows as the seasons and photo shoots call for it. 3 / Angie’s talent for mixing multiple textures and finishes while sticking to one or two colors hails directly from American Shaker inspiration. 4 / The sliding-track barn door separating the living room and bathroom came from an old horse barn; the couple discovered it at an architectural salvage shop in southern Indiana. The black front door is an old library door they bought at an estate sale for $50.

ON A COUNTY ROAD WITH

Angie Wendricks

A photographer and stylist discovers the beauty of simplicity found in classic American design. ANGIE WENDRICKS PREFERS A

“skimp and splurge” lifestyle. The tiny, sparsely furnished Indiana farmhouse she shares with her husband, Alex, definitely lands on the spare edge of the spectrum. But amid its clean, all-white lines are moments of decadence. “I love nice textiles,” Angie says. “Instead of having a lot of so-so pieces, I invest in one or two really good ones.” Angie first subscribed to a simple yet character-rich aesthetic during visits to her grandma’s house in Frederick, Maryland. “I love the Shaker and Colonial architecture out there,” the lifestyle influencer and stylistphotographer says. “The design was so basic and pared back but still stylish. They knew what they were doing!” The look was in direct contrast to the Midwest houses she was raised in— rambling suburban brick ranches, surrounded by more of the same. “The house Alex and I lived in before this one was also a brick ranch,” she says, “and we really only lived in two of its rooms.” The layout and square footage of those two rooms were the basis for the design of their new farmhouse, which Angie drew on a piece of paper and submitted to a local contractor for construction six years ago. “You get used to not needing the instant gratification that comes with having a bunch of stuff,” she says, “and it’s a fulfilling feeling.” RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 111.

COUNTRY HOME FALL 2020

3 5 / Two of Angie’s “excesses,” peg racks and vintage bread boards, make for a pretty vignette in a corner of the kitchen. She shares images of her favorite things on Instagram (@countyroadliving). 6 / Bubba the cat peers out a window from his perch on the kitchen window seat. “We joke he’s part dog because he’s so cuddly and loves to take walks with us,” Angie says. An oversize glass jar from one of Angie’s clients, Bloomist, holds a bouquet of freesia clipped from the garden. 7 / Shiny finishes on the countertops and glossed floors subtly play off the flat white of the walls. “We splurged on the quartz countertops and KitchenAid stove and saved on the IKEA cabinets,” Angie says.

4 5

OUR STYLE MAKERS

ON THE LIST WITH

Courtney Allison

“THE ONLY RULES FOR FLOWERS ARE THE MORE THE MERRIER, USE WHAT YOU HAVE, AND USE WHAT INSPIRES YOU.”

Courtney Allison wears many hats: photographer, stylist, blogger, author, mom of three, party girl.

—COURTNEY ALLISON

MAKERS COME IN MANY FORMS. On top

of the many meals, table settings, and photographs stylist Courtney Allison creates on a regular basis, she’s also a big list-maker. “My mom and grandmothers and great-grandmothers were all big entertainers and big list-makers,” she says. “I guess I inherited the gene.” As they did, Courtney sticks to old-school pencil and paper, on which she scribbles groceries and daily chores. Her favorite lists, though, are for parties. Mom and Grammy’s parties centered around food, but Courtney’s are about ambience. “I’m more interested in the feeling a get-together leaves with the people who were there,” she says. Onto her lists go the tangible components to those intangible feelings: setting, lighting, music, flowers, and time of day. She likes her tables textile-free, flowers plentiful, and music jazz or country. Her settings are created with vintage objects she corrals from around the house, items like Mason jars, buckets, and flatware in a mix of silver and gold. Courtney’s gatherings often take place anywhere but a formal dining room—in, on, or alongside the barn, greenhouse, or pea-graveled patio surrounding their 1940s Northern California cottage. And they often begin with visual inspiration. She says, “Usually, the same things that inspire me to pick up my camera are the things that inspire my entertaining.” RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 111.

COUNTRY HOME FALL 2020

1 / Author, photographer, and style influencer Courtney Allison shares her style philosophy on her Instagram page (@frenchcountrycottage) and spotlights her ideas for creating memorable gatherings in her most recent book, French Country Cottage Inspired Gatherings. 2 / A glimpse into the barn reveals one of Courtney’s mood-setting musts: blingy vintage chandeliers. The all-white barn, original to the property, suits intimate gatherings. Antique dining chairs upholstered in nubby chenille surround the narrow table, crowned by a sparkling chandelier.

F R E N C H C O U N T RY C O T TA G E I N S P I R E D G AT H E R I N G S

Stylist, photographer, and blogger Courtney Allison’s book (2020, Gibbs Smith, $35) features her favorite entertaining spots and party ideas. The vignettes are photographed by Courtney through the seasons around her Northern California home.

3 3 / A champagne bucket brimming with garden roses and foliage Courtney has foraged on her property makes a grand statement at the entrance to the party barn. Pumpkins in pale hues are equally elegant. 4 / Courtney prefers bare tables—their neutral patina sets off her vintage china and flatware. Fresh fruit, greens, and flowers add color and texture. 5 / One of Courtney and husband Ray’s favorite spontaneous getaways is to the nearby vineyards, where they ride on old bikes laden with cheese, wine, and, of course, grapes.

SEASONAL STYLE

an autumn porch

DRESSED TO IMPRESS

COUNTRY HOME FALL 2020

PHOTOGR APHED BY KRITSADA; PRODUCED BY MAT THEW MEAD

FALL BRINGS A BOUNTY OF NATURAL DECORATING MATERIALS, PERFECT FOR MAKING A GRAND ENTRANCE AND A BEAUTIFUL SPOT TO ENJOY THE CRISP AIR AND THE COLORFUL VIEW.

3 4

1 /A R T F U L A B U N D A N C E Give your porch the charm of a pumpkin patch with a casual display of gourds and fall flowers. To create an appealing landscape, choose gourds of various types and sizes, boosting some onto stools, boxes, or small tables to stagger heights. For a peaceful setting, avoid stark contrast and choose fabrics in complementary shades of butterscotch and orange (and golden retriever!). Finish with spheres of mums for more warm texture and color. 2 / T H E R I N G E R Cute and colorful, mini varieties of pumpkins and

gourds make ideal ornaments for an autumn wreath. Start with a 12-inchdiameter wire wreath as a base. Use an awl to pierce the fruits, then thread florists wire through each and secure to the base in a random pattern. Tuck in moss to fill the gaps between the gourds and hot-glue in place. A covered porch is an ideal spot to display your work, either hung on a door, window, or wall, or placed on a table. 3 / T O P D R A W E R A vintage drawer can be used as a portable bin to

corral leaves and gourds. The drawer offers a deep well to hold the little beauties yet has enough space to allow them to be fully seen. The rich, worn wood is a natural backdrop for highlighting their color. 4 / B O W L E D O V E R Before Jack Frost snatches away the vibrant hues

in your garden beds, clip a mix of flowers and foliage, and assemble them into a bowl arrangement. You can also purchase small potted perennials and fall annuals to add to the mix. To create the grouping, fill a large crockery bowl with pea gravel to hold the plants in place and provide drainage. Tuck in the sturdiest stems and any planted material first, then add small and delicate varieties. Our arrangement includes cut dried sedum, plus planted mums, succulents, and coleus.

COUNTRY HOME FALL 2020

L E F T A vintage safe on casters

doubles as an end table. For the stairs, homeowner Ashley Schoenith chose a custom stainless-steel railing with a grid inspired by chicken wire instead of spindles for an edgier, modern look. A B O V E Burnished brass doorknobs from the late ‘40s–early ‘50s nestle in a vintage wood bowl. O P P O S I T E White shiplap walls and a painted brick fireplace keep the family room light and airy. Oak floors in planks ranging from 3½ to 7½ inches wide ground the space. A chocolate Chesterfield-style leather wing chair is paired with French-style chairs upholstered in Belgian linen and a chunky wood table Ashley purchased just after college. The deer painting by local artist Dawne Raulet nods to the outdoors.

SOU T H E R N COM FOR T

ASHLEY AND SHANE SCHOENITH PAY HOMAGE TO HANDMADE ENDEAVORS FROM THE PAST AND TO THEIR ANCESTORS IN A NEWLY BUILT GEORGIA HOUSE. WRIT TEN AND PRODUCED BY

COUNTRY HOME FALL 2020

ELAINE MARKOUTSAS

PHOTOGR APHED BY

JEFF HERR

ST YLED BY

JESSICA BRINKERT HOLTAM

ON ANY GIVEN DAY, SWEET OR SAVORY AROMAS WAFT FROM ASHLEY SCHOENITH’S KITCHEN. SOMETIMES SHE SHARES THE RECIPES FOR HER TREATS— such as the lemon-coconut macaroons she’s baking on this day— with her thousands of followers on Pinterest and thousands more enthusiasts of her Heirloomed lifestyle blog. Other days, she might pass along gardening tips or sewing projects from her Atlanta-area home. Ashley’s simple life of domestic passions—scratch cooking, housekeeping, and especially sewing—was fed by her maternal grandmother, Cele. It was around the table in her Tallahassee, Florida, home that Ashley would gather friends for apronstitching brunch parties. Ashley began selling aprons, along with handwritten family recipes, through IceMilk Aprons, the

company she founded in 2006. Five years ago, it evolved into a lifestyle brand, and now her website offers licensed collections of table and bed linens as well as vintage finds. Her husband, Shane, an accountant by profession, shares Ashley’s appreciation for craft and contributes his woodworking projects, a skill he learned at the hand of his grandfather on the family’s Monticello, Georgia, farm. The Schoeniths wanted to honor their roots in the home they built for their children, Wyatt, 8; Sawyer, 6; and Waylon, 5. It started with the perfect setting. “I fell in love with the property,” Ashley says of the woodsy site dotted with oaks, poplars, pines, magnolias, and apple trees, and a creek bubbling along the back perimeter. “There was a place for kids to run around—so cool.” Kona, their vizsla, enjoys the space too. The couple were mostly in sync in their dreamy vision of a modern farmhouse—except for the exterior. She favored a

F A R L E F T Charcoal walls and linen draperies frame the 14×15foot keeping room. Ashley was enthralled with a mantel at an architectural salvage shop, but it didn’t fit the firebox, so she had a carpenter replicate it. Low-slung distressed leather chairs and an Amish wood rocker pull up to a slab maple table Shane made. L E F T Mint julep ingredients sit next to an old liquor bottle that serves as a decanter. Ashley’s dad gave them the elk-embellished Arte Italica pitcher. B E L O W A nearly 8-foottall blackened-steel industrial cabinet with French-style hardware stands in as a liquor cabinet. “When we have people over for a drink, there’s always something to comment on,” Ashley says.

romantic white painted frame; he nixed it because of practical concerns about upkeep. Brick won out, but they paired it with a Southern-style wraparound porch framed by a cottage garden planted with lots of edibles. For the interior, Ashley wanted a mostly open plan, and she had a few must-haves: a gracious foyer (“we never had one”); a big kitchen island; a separate dining room (“we still sit down to family dinner every day”); lots of windows; and a big screen porch. Architectural details—such as shiplap walls, six-panel doors, furniture-inspired built-ins, and wide-plank oak floors stained gray-brown—were chosen to give the new construction a sense of age. Other elements counter with a modern punch, like a stainless-steel staircase with a metal grid, not spindles, for a fun nod to chicken wire. Ashley’s style is tailored, as is the clothing she prefers. Simple Belgian linen upholstery is paired with more masculine leather COUNTRY HOME FALL 2020

Shane built the dining table out of a 3-footwide pecan slab that is nearly 8 feet long and set on industrial-look metal bases. The table is joined by vintage ladder-back chairs. A pair of skirted linen highback wing chairs from RH add grace at the table ends. Ashley likes the verticality and rustic touch the ladders on the wall lend. The painted cupboard holds family china and ironstone collectibles.

COUNTRY HOME FALL 2020

seating. She adds character with family antiques and vintage finds, often the more worn, the better. “I tend to pick very rustic vintage pieces with the chippiest paint,” Ashley says. “So I made a beeline for a clean, white, bright palette. The monochromatic scheme allows pieces like that to pop.” This organic layering of quirky treasures, all with a tale to tell, is what gives this home character—and roots. “I’m passionate about history and the story behind things,” Ashley says. In both business and home, for this family it’s all about living a simple life and preserving things cherished from the past for future generations. 

O P P O S I T E Ashley changed up the classic look of rectangular subway tiles with 4½-inch squares, running them across the backsplash and covering the entire range hood and walls restaurant-style. A thick, honed Caesarstone countertop lends gravitas to the island. Custom cabinetry is painted in a light shade of gray to set off the white tile walls. T O P L E F T A woven sectional from Bobo anchors the seating on the screen porch, which overlooks the woods in the back of the house. Lighter lattice-style end and cocktail tables have a Moroccan vibe. A B O V E L E F T Ashley and daughter Sawyer bond over baking. A B O V E A herringbone pattern with wide grout adds a textural graphic element to the mudroom.

RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 111. COUNTRY HOME FALL 2020

L E F T Vintage thread-spool drawers house jewelry. A B O V E Sawyer’s room is the most “girly,” Ashley says. The vintage metal bed is similar to one she had as a girl. The rose art above it was painted by her great-great aunt, Polly; it’s part of a montage of art that includes a religious portrait and a vibrant modern pointillist painting from an estate sale. B E L O W A collection of antique Young Folks Library books belonged to Ashley’s dad and his brothers and sisters. B E L O W L E F T A double cast-iron Kohler sink and enamel downlights lend a schoolhouse feel to the boys’ bath. Custom-made, gray-painted cabinets are used throughout the home.

“HOW WE DESIGN IS AUTHENTIC TO OUR LIFESTYLE.” —ASHLEY SCHOENITH

T H I S P H O T O A king-size iron

spindle bed commands center stage beneath a 20-foot-plus ceiling. It’s clad in a flying geesepattern quilt in shades of graygreen from Ashley’s Heirloomed collection. A stack of old military trunks that belonged to Shane’s grandfathers serves as a night table. Grandly scaled pendant lamps, designed by Thomas O’Brien, are from Circa.

COUNTRY HOME FALL 2020

A B O V E A 12-foot-deep Southern-

style veranda and wraparound porch are paved in brick to match the facade’s shades of brown. L E F T Shane recently finished a woodshed, where they keep hickory firewood and stage buffets and dinner parties. Ashley loves setting the table with a mix of vintage ironstone. “I was obsessed with this table,” she says of the piece she rescued from a dumpster. B E L O W Waylon enjoys a gooey treat under the trees. Roasting everything from hot dogs to marshmallows for s’mores is a favorite family activity around the backyard firepit.

COUNTRY HOME FALL 2020

“GATHERING IS OUR BIG THING. WE KEEP IT CASUAL, SO PEOPLE FEEL COMFORTABLE.” —ASHLEY SCHOENITH

A B O V E Mix-and-match English

transferware patterns reflect a Shabby Chic influence. Ashley was a big aficionado, but when she married, she tempered the feminine looks with a more tailored style. A B O V E R I G H T A potting bench was made from old barnwood. The chalkboard is a favorite piece from Ashley’s childhood. R I G H T Ashley and Shane live close to the city but still enjoy a country lifestyle, thanks to plenty of outdoor spaces to share with their children (from left), Sawyer, Waylon, and Wyatt.

INTO THE WOODS

Travels in Scandinavia inspired homeowner Carol Estes to cover the oncepeach exterior with charcoal paint. “I remembered seeing those black cabins stark against the white snow in Sweden and Norway. I thought it was so striking,” she says. The dark shell contrasts with an all-white interior. “Even though we’re in the mountains, and it’s kind of rustic, it still has my signature clean look.”

In search of a peaceful haven, a Southern California designer returns to the forests of her youth. WRIT TEN BY KELSEY

LEPPERD

PHOTOGR APHED BY EDMUND

BARR

PRODUCED BY K AREN

REINECKE COUNTRY HOME FALL 2020

R I G H T Tongue-and-groove

natural pine ceilings and new wood floors from Duchateau join woven textiles to lend the small cabin texture and an organic aesthetic. “Using natural materials has always been important to me,” Carol says. “That’s my style.” O P P O S I T E Though the place is cozy even with two, Carol has housed up to six when her daughter and grandchildren come to visit. “The window seat is actually the exact size of a twin bed,” she says. “My grandkids sleep there—it’s the favorite sleeping spot.”

S A CHILD, CAROL ESTES often

went with her parents to Idyllwild, a mile-high California town in the San Jacinto Mountains engulfed by acres and acres of national forest. Carol spent the summers of her childhood there, roaming the forest and riding horses. Fast-forward to 2014. When Carol’s mother passed, the San Diego-based interior designer had the desire to be surrounded by the forest once again. She convinced her husband, Lee, to take the two-hour drive up the long and winding highway, her first visit since her teenage years. The car wheels had barely rolled to a stop when Carol announced she wanted to buy a cabin. When Lee heard the announcement, he told her to hold off and wait a year, then they could go back and see. But a year was way too long a stretch for Carol. “I’m a rogue wild card,” she says. She went back alone the very next

COUNTRY HOME FALL 2020

week and, after exploring properties deeper in the woods, she entered the cabin she would buy by day’s end. “My jaw just dropped,” she says. “It was so perfect.” The 820-square-foot cabin was actually less than half a mile from the center of downtown Idyllwild, a town of about 3,000 permanent residents that’s loved perhaps as much for its famous art scene as for its stunning natural backdrop. This little shingled house offered the best of both—towering pines sheltering it, Strawberry Creek trickling through the forest floor, and art galleries and world-class restaurants a short walk away. Though the exterior needed a fresh coat of paint and the interior walls were coated in a retro orange, the cabin’s simple charms still lured her in. “When I’m looking at a new home purchase, I never pay attention to the color of the walls,” she says. “I look at the bones. I look at the light.”

A B O V E Nearly every room in the cabin has been remodeled to reflect Carol’s natural, modern-rustic style, but she started with the kitchen. “I wanted that room to be really special,” she says. “That’s where you walk in, where you do most of your living, so I wanted that magnificent room to look even better.” White subway tile, white Carrara marble counters, and a skylight brighten the once outdated space. O P P O S I T E T O P This grouping just inside the front door announces Carol’s fondness for minimalism. O P P O S I T E B O T T O M After picking up reclaimed wood from local Vintage Timberworks for her floating shelves, Carol spent a day or more sanding and staining, “so I could show my contractor exactly the look I wanted. It was a lot of work.” The Bertazzoni range adds just a touch of utilitarian style.

Even the cabin’s small size was a virtue. “I bought the cabin to be my personal getaway,” says Carol, owner of her firm. Before long, Lee saw the beauty of the purchase too. The quaint, Scandinavian-inspired cabin quickly became an introvert’s wonderland for her husband to unwind and explore his newfound love of pottery. “He gets to spend more time there now than I do,” she says. For Carol, her time at the cabin provides a sense of freedom. “You’re not answering to anybody. I can hike when I want, eat when I want, and create when I want,” she says. But the two-bedroom cabin’s limited space didn’t allow for that same freedom when it came to decorating—at least in the beginning. Eventually, the space constraints themselves became a positive force. “You have to try everything you can,” Carol says. “You keep drawing until you get it right, and it pushes you to be even more creative.” Smaller appliances like a compact refrigerator were an easy fix. The small bathroom, however, required a do-over. Carol replaced the fixtures,

opting for a small, freestanding bathtub and a wallmounted sink to create the illusion of a bigger space. Other changes were straightforward. “Right away, I painted everything white,” Carol says. “I wanted that stark contrast of a bright, open interior and the dark exteriors I’d seen on my travels in Sweden.” She also removed the uppers on the kitchen cabinetry to create a lighter feeling, and she found just the right antique pine dining table that contributes to creating distinct spaces in the open floor plan. Minimalistic dining chairs that nearly vanish complete the look. After five years of ownership, the cabin has become a true getaway for the creative spirit. From using centuryold doors as a headboard to showcasing her husband’s personal pottery collection, Carol realized her primary goal for designing and remodeling this artist’s haven: “I wanted to fill the space with as many handcrafted, vintage, and natural materials as I could,” she says, “and maybe a little IKEA.” RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 111.

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A B O V E “A freestanding

bathtub is just a real treat,” Carol says of the streamlined Fleurco tub in her remodeled bathroom. To create a spacious feeling, the ceiling was raised to match that of the roof’s angle, and a larger window was added to let in more of the morning light. R I G H T A vanity would have created a visual roadblock in this small space, so Carol opted for a chic custom wall-mounted sink crafted by Stanley Artisan Concrete.

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T H I S P H O T O Purchased

in an antiques store in San Diego’s Little Italy district, century-old doors were stripped, sanded, and painted to create this custom headboard. “I had those doors for eight years before I figured out how to use them,” Carol says of her handiwork.

A B O V E The couple added a deck that would give them a front seat to the exquisite natural surroundings. Strawberry Creek runs just below the property. “After the winter, it roars down there,” Carol says. “You can hear it inside, even with the doors shut. You have everything you want: the water, the close trees, and then the tree-covered mountain off in the distance.” O P P O S I T E T O P Inspired by the strewn-about look of the forest floor itself, a casual arrangement of natural items serves up color and texture on the outdoor table. O P P O S I T E , B O T T O M L E F T Painting the taxidermy plaque the same color as the home’s exterior creates drama by allowing the trophy to stand out. O P P O S I T E , B O T T O M R I G H T Carol and Lee’s fence might appear to be split rail, but it’s made of complete logs from the cedar and pine trees found in their backyard.

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“SORT OF ON A WHIM, I FELT LIKE I NEEDED TO BE IN A FOREST. MY MOTHER LOVED THE FOREST AND INSTILLED THE SAME PASSION IN ME.” —CAROL ESTES

D TRIP T A O RO

ROUND

TOP MARK YOUR CALENDARS, ENLIST YOUR FRIENDS, AND GRAB A TRUCKâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; THE BARGAINS ARE TEXAS-SIZE AT ROUND TOP ANTIQUES SHOW! DESIGNER AND VETERAN SHOWGOER COURTNEY WARREN HAS THE INSIDE SCOOP ON HOW TO SHOP THE SHOW LIKE A PRO.

WRIT TEN AND PRODUCED BY

JESSICA BRINKERT HOLTAM PHOTOGR APHED BY BLAINE

COUNTRY HOME FALL 2020

MOATS

R O U N D TO P BAS I C S

THE SHOW: Like most things in Texas, the Round Top Antiques Show is big. You can plan on plenty of walking, but you’ll need a car to navigate among the venues. That’s because “Round Top” (as it’s commonly known) refers not to a single show but rather to a series of shows hosted in fields, barns, tents, and storage units within a 15-mile area. WHERE: The heart of the event runs through the town of Round Top, Texas, but venues stretch along miles of Hwy. 237. Neighboring towns of Warrenton, Burton, Carmine, and Fayetteville all host a piece of the action. WHEN: Twice a year in the spring (usually end of March into early April) and the fall (end of September into early October), although a smaller winter weekend show (in January) has started to gain momentum. The show dates typically span a two-week period, but because each venue is privately owned and operated, not all vendors show at the same time. Check out the Round Top Antiques Show Guide at roundtop.com for a list of what’s open when during each show.

“ROUND TOP IS LIKE DISNEY WORLD FOR FLEA MARKET ENTHUSIASTS.” —COURTNEY WARREN

PRO TIP: The store is open yearround Thursday through Sunday.

TOWN S EN D PR OV I S I O N S

As in a mercantile store of old, you’ll find a little of everything—and a whole lot of vintage cowboy boots—in this quaint gift shop. “I first stopped in this converted 1920s farmhouse to see the insane vintage boot collection, but I quickly fell in love with all the amazing odds and ends gathered by owners Nick Mosley and Ryann Ford-Mosley,” Courtney says. “Now I never miss a chance to see what’s on offer. There are always quirky seasonal vintage items as well as unusual takes on traditional gift ideas, such as T-shirts, candles, napkins, and pet toys.” Townsend Provisions, 101 Bauer Rummel Rd., Round Top; townsendprovisions.com

Pro Tip: Royers doesn’t take reservations, and its compact dining area fills up quickly during show weeks. If you can’t stomach the wait, stroll around the corner to their sister spot, Royers Pie Haven, where you can enjoy a sweet slice of pie and a crisp iced tea under the shade of oak trees or get it to go.

R OY ER S R O U N D TO P CA FÉ

For more than 30 years, Royers has been serving up hearty Americanstyle comfort meals and sweet slices of pie to hungry showgoers. “Located right off Main Street, Royers is a beloved Round Top institution,” Courtney says. “It’s a funky old diner with walls that are covered with all manner of memorabilia, but its food is no joke.” You may come for the pie— apple, blueberry-lemon, Texas Trash, or Junkberry, to name a few—but you won’t be disappointed in the meals. Start with the Cheesy Double Dip appetizer, then dig into the Grilled Shrimp BLT or Hot Cluck‘n Sandwich (below). Royers Round Top Café, 105 Main St., Round Top; royersroundtopcafe.com

Planning Makes Perfect

Dallas-based interior designer Courtney Warren makes a twice-a-year pilgrimage to Round Top, sometimes visiting multiple times within the same show. Her tips will help you make the most of your time. NAVIGATING THE SHOW The town of Round Top, population 90, swells to accommodate anywhere from 50,000 to 100,000 people during show weeks, so expect congestion and a slow drive time along a two-lane highway— especially on weekends. Plan your stops so you can traverse the road from one direction over the course of the day, rather than going back and forth in both directions. SHOPPING EARLY Some fields start setting up weeks before the official show dates, so it’s possible to start shopping early at several places without the crowds. Accommodations and meals are easier to come by during this time as well. Just know that several venues will not be open for trading yet.

PRO TIP: With AC, an on-site restaurant, and covered walkways between stores, this is the place to wander when the weather has you beat. Some showrooms are also open by appointment only outside of show weeks.

M A R K E T H I LL

This large warehouse-style venue hosts what are essentially a series of pop-up designer showrooms showcasing distinctive global finds. “The price tags aren’t considered thrifty, but the finds have been curated, so everywhere you look, you’ll find unique pieces with a story to tell,” Courtney says. Crates full of old tiles imported from Europe, weathered cutting boards, gilded mirrors, antler chandeliers, midcentury modern chairs, confit pots, English china, African masks, and new upholstered pieces all bump shoulders in showroom displays that reflect the discerning eye of their creators.

GETTING IT HOME Bring a tape measure—and a truck if you can. “I’ve learned to plan for the fact that I’ll fall in love with something big and need a way to get it home,” Courtney says. However, if road-tripping with hauling room is not an option, any of the vendors can connect you with a shipping option. PACKING YOUR GEAR The only thing predictable about the weather at Round Top is that it won’t stay the same. You can plan on it being hot and steamy one moment, rainy and muddy the next. “I chart stops by the day’s forecast, looking for shade or cover as needed,” Courtney says. “I bring an outfit—and shoes—for every type of condition.” PAYING YOUR WAY Have cash on hand. Some sellers take cards, but most deals are done the oldfashioned way. Some fields also have entrance fees or small parking fees. Be prepared to pay for parking multiple times. It’s simply too far to walk between venues. BOOKING A ROOM Book lodgings in advance. It’s a good rule of thumb to reserve lodgings at least half a year ahead, if not a full year, if you want to stay anywhere in the close vicinity of Round Top. With only a few lodging options in Round Top proper, most people stay in outlying towns. You can even road-trip in for the day from Austin or Houston.

Market Hill, 1542 Hwy. 237, Round Top; markethillroundtop.com COUNTRY HOME FALL 2020

C H I C K EN R ANCH

Head to this smaller field to find a trove of affordable architectural salvage. “Round Top is known for its offerings of old doors and windows, and this field is a great spot to find a few gems at more reasonable prices,” Courtney says. “There’s a definite Shabby Chic feel to the wares.” You’ll be romanced by chippy paint corbels, crystal chandeliers, brocade chairs, white ironstone, old porch spindles, shutters, and bins piled along with old house letters, patinaed doorknobs, and rusty hooks. Chicken Ranch, 4150 S. Hwy. 237, Round Top; facebook.com/ chickenranchwarrenton

Pro Tip: Park at Bar W Field and walk across the street to explore this area.

Pro Tip: Vendors often stay onsite in campers behind their stalls, so this field is a great place to shop early and late. Just plan to wear shoes you can comfortably walk in, as vendors are spread out over 25 acres of uneven ground that you can bet will be either dry and dusty or muddy and soggy, depending on the weather.

Collect It!

Courtney Warren shares a few of her favorite collectibles to hunt for at Round Top and how to turn them into engaging home decor. OLD SILVER PLATTERS Look for different silhouettes and sizes, and a shape that is easy to hang, then group a collection on a wall as art.

BA R W FI ELD

Weekend flea market junkies will feel right at home in this wide-open field, with all manner of treasures spread out on trestle tables, stacked in corners, and spilling out of tented booths. “This field offers a lot of variety in smaller wares,” Courtney says. “Some of it’s old, and some of it’s reproduction; it’s a real mishmash of interesting objects. You can’t judge a book by its cover here— you have to really dig in and investigate. Most booths are unassuming and not particularly organized.” Less cultivated booths add up to savings for shoppers with the patience to sort through piles of finds. This is Courtney’s goto place for affordable decorative items, such as old children’s books, rusty kitchen scales, creamware dishes, Scrabble letters, old typewriters, sports pennants, tole trays, and retro Christmas decor.

SCRABBLE LETTERS, DOMINOES, AND ALPHABET BLOCKS Pile these in glass jars or a bowl on a coffee table to add personality that you can also play with. METAL BASKETS Up your storage game by using old metal baskets to stylishly corral items in a mudroom, game room, or pantry. OLD TYPEWRITERS “I love the nostalgia of these,” Courtney says. You can set one on your desk and use it to hold notes or even photos. VINTAGE CHILDREN’S BOOKS The covers are often works of art in and of themselves. Frame them to create unique retro art or use them as risers on bookshelves to give kids’ treasures a pretty lift. SPORTS PENNANTS Speak to the sports fanatic in your family in a tasteful way by hanging a series of fun, boldly colored pennants in a swag—or sewing them into a quilt.

Bar W Antiques & Collectibles, 4001 S. Hwy. 237, Warrenton; facebook.com/barwf COUNTRY HOME FALL 2020

More Venues to Explore ZAPP HALL Like a year’s worth of Saturday garage sales rolled into one venue, this field—home to roughly 75 vendors—is a picker’s dream. Zapp Hall, 4217 S. Hwy. 237, Warrenton; zapphall.com

MARBURGER FARM ANTIQUE SHOW A favorite among A-list interior designers and treasure hunters, this large show is beloved for the breadth and quality of its mix—which includes European antiques, midcentury modern furniture, folk art, and a trove of small accessories. With 350-plus vendors spread over 43 acres, you can easily spend a day here. Marburger Farm Antique Show, 2248 Hwy. 237, Round Top; roundtopmarburger.com

EXCESS I AND II Housed in tin barns and a gaggle of storage units that simply roll up their garage doors to let the flea finds spill out, these venues (which are right across the street from each other) offer a wonderful hodgepodge of items at affordable prices. Expect to find a highly curated booth brimming with architectural salvage next to a booth overflowing with boxes of jumbled vintage jewelry. Excess I, 3907 Hwy. 237, Round Top; Excess II, 145 Rohde Rd., Round Top; excessfield.com

JUNK GYPSY This retail store owned by former HGTV star sisters Aime and Jolie Sikes marries romantic fantasy with rock ’n’ roll style in a way that’s just plain fun. Secondhand wares mingle happily with new gifts. Junk Gypsy, 1215 Hwy. 237, Round Top; gypsyville.com

B LU E H I LLS

Francophiles and lovers of fine European antiques won’t want to miss a stop into this field’s pole barns, which house an abundance of curated furnishings from abroad. Oriental rugs, vintage textiles, European art, antique maps and prints, fine bed linens, painted French chests, burled wood bureaus, walnut armoires, elegantly carved tables, Louis XV chairs, and a smorgasbord of imported small goods fill out 80,000 square feet of shopping space. “Given the quality of antiques sold, Blue Hills is a higherend place to shop,” Courtney says. “But it draws a crowd—and interior designers—because the prices are a steal in comparison to what you’d pay for similar items at an antiques store in a major metro area. Plus, even if I’m not buying, I love to browse because the vendors show off their goods in inspiring mini vignettes.” Blue Hills at Round Top, 1701 Hwy. 237, Carmine; bluehillsatroundtop.com

Pro Tip: Free and plentiful parking, along with staffed bathrooms, makes this an easy-in, easy-out destination.

“YOU CAN PULL OVER ANYWHERE AND FIND SOMETHING INTERESTING. IF YOU EXPLORE, YOU’LL FIND THINGS OFF THE BEATEN PATH ALL THE TIME. THE SHOW IS CONSTANTLY CHANGING AND GROWING.” —COURTNEY WARREN

PRO TIP: Don’t miss the famous Brussels sprouts.

TH E GA R D EN CO.–FEED & FI R E WATER

This elegant yet casual newbie to the Round Top dining scene has quickly won a loyal following, who flock to sit outside on the patio under sheltering oak branches dripping with fairy lights. “This place had me at my first bite of a Korean street taco,” Courtney says. “It’s beautifully designed inside and out, and the food is light and refreshing after a long day shopping the show.” The Garden Co.–Feed & Firewater, 104 W. Wantke St., Round Top; thegardencoandcafe.com RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 111.

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TREE HOUSE

Under a sheltering arbor of eucalyptus, a Shaker-style house has grown into its role as a nurturing family home thanks to thoughtful remodeling and personal collections.

WRIT TEN BY

SAR AH EGGE

PHOTOGR APHED BY PRODUCED BY

EDMUND BARR

K AREN REINECKE

L E F T A carousel horse and miniature houses from homeowner Jessica Teichâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s collection indicate her love of toys and folk art. Twin chairs in Ralph Lauren striped linen are anchored on a handwoven Elizabeth Eakins rug. Barn-red tones ricochet around the room from houses to fabrics to the vintage fire bucket tin that stands as a side table. COUNTRY HOME FALL 2020

S THE DAY WINDS DOWN AND GOLDEN LIGHT

recedes through the eucalyptus trees around her Southern California house, Jessica Teich can hear a pair of owls calling to each other. “It’s an unbelievably peaceful sound,” she says. “It makes me hopeful and reminds me I’m connected to the larger world. Like the eucalyptus trees themselves: They’ve been here a long time, and they’ll be here a time longer.” Those branches intertwine with Jessica and her family’s life in the house. They were the first thing she and husband Michael Gendler focused on when they inquired about the Shaker-style house for sale in Pacific Palisades. That was in 1995, when Jessica was pregnant with their first daughter. “We saw a dark, modest house hidden behind eucalyptus trees,” she says. “But something about those trees spoke to us, and we knew it was meant to be our house.” The fragrant specimens likely date to the late 1960s when the house was built, and they offset some of the home’s drawbacks: an odd inverted layout (the living room was upstairs; the kitchen was down), significant drainage issues, and dark living spaces hooded by overgrown ferns. One extensive remodel moved all the living spaces to the first floor and carved out bedrooms for their two girls upstairs. Smaller projects over the years updated the kitchen, installed a cozy library, and made an office for Jessica. A landscaping overhaul created terraces around the trees to open the first-floor rooms to natural light.

O P P O S I T E Jessica, a writer, and husband Michael Gendler, an entertainment lawyer, savor the private oasis of their terraced backyard with its towering trees. A B O V E L E F T Handmade pottery pieces with earth-color glazes attract Jessica’s eye at thrift stores and swap meets. “I wear only black or dark blue, but in my house, there are barn reds, buttercup yellows, and all these shades of green. They’re so easy to live with,” she says. A B O V E For their square-shape dining room, Jessica and Michael had a table custom-made that expands on all sides. She had the pine armoire painted to match the dining chairs. Overhead, old factory lights raise and lower on counterweights. Jessica found the vintage swimming pool poster at a nearby antiques mart and appreciated that someone filled in the upper corners to make it neatly fit the square frame.

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“I HAVE LOVED THE LIFETIME WE’VE LIVED IN THIS HOUSE. IT HAS GIVEN US A WARMTH AND STABILITY AND CONTENTMENT OF WHICH I THINK OUR SHAKER MUSES WOULD BE PROUD.” —JESSICA TEICH

Jessica referenced the trees in her popular 2001 parenting book, Trees Make the Best Mobiles: Simple Ways to Raise Your Child in a Complex World, and used their verdant hues in the cover design of her recent memoir, The Future Tense of Joy. She and Michael chose stones that echo the colors in the trees to line the patios. And they brought an actual branch into the store when they were choosing trim paint. “We wanted the same color around the windows as the leaves you see through them,” she says. The result of their efforts connects the indoor and outdoor worlds seamlessly. And it doesn’t hurt that the gray-blue-green shades reflect the earthy palette that suits Shaker-style homes. Immediately after purchasing the house—which Jessica says is the only Shaker home she’s seen in the Los Angeles area—she and Michael researched the style. They even visited the Hancock Shaker Village in Massachusetts twice with their daughters over the years. “The DNA of the house became our DNA,” she says. The style of the house has guided Jessica’s collecting urges. When she is looking for distraction from writing, she makes rounds at antiques markets that specialize in primitives. “I’ve been instructed by the house to look for things that feel handmade, a little bit worn, or loved, or lived in,” she says. “It has led me to be interested in folk art, weather vanes, signs, and children’s toys.” As the family has grown up, so has her taste. “When I started, I bought it if it said ‘Shaker’ to me,” she says. “But I’ve learned to edit myself. And now I can see better if something truly does have a sculptural quality and can stand on its own.” Their daughters, Isabel and Charlotte, are grown and launching themselves in life, and Jessica is grateful their upbringing was rooted here under aged trees surrounded by handmade art and hooting owls. “There’s a stability and simplicity in the Shaker aesthetic, and it has been good for our girls to grow up in that kind of home,” she says. “It’s only through the process of sharing a life with a house that you understand the impact a house can have.”  RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 111.

O P P O S I T E This store display is about 50 years old and is perfect for holding vintage seed packets. T O P R I G H T Jessica’s finds come from forays to L.A.-area antiques malls and garage sales (“Anything you can fit in a car, I do,” she says), but the cast-iron sink was an eBay gem. She was told it came from a French florist shop. It was plumbed and placed on top of an old zinc-topped table. A B O V E R I G H T A dark brown exterior helps the house blend with the trees and flora. For the entrance, Jessica asked a Welsh ironworker she found on Etsy to fashion a garden gate that would rust naturally. R I G H T In the sunroom, a primitive bentwood rocker has the feel of a piece of folk art. The weather vane on the wall is a favorite. “It was one of the more serious purchases we’ve made,” Jessica says. “Most things I’ve found Michael says look like they fell off the back of someone’s truck.”

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“WE TRIED TO WORK WITHIN THE HOUSE’S PARAMETERS AND REINVENT SPACES AS THE GIRLS GOT OLDER. I THINK THAT’S A PRETTY GOOD MODEL FOR THEM—TO IMPROVISE AND REVISE GIVES THEM THE FEELING THAT THEY CAN KEEP RETHINKING THINGS.” —JESSICA TEICH

B E L O W Tall shutters adorn many of the home’s original windows. During

the renovations, Jessica and Michael saved each window and shutter set to reuse in different parts of the house. These beauties stayed in place and offer the bedroom sitting area a tree-house view. Jessica cut down a dining table to coffee table height and paired it with a linen-covered sofa. She fell hard for the miniature house she spied at the M. Finkel & Daughter antiques store in Philadelphia. “It has three brick chimneys and so does our house,” she says. R I G H T Originally the second-floor living room, the master bedroom benefits from high ceilings and tall windows. The couple chose a Shaker-style tester bed to highlight the space’s attributes and painted it a charcoal shade. A country sensibility comes from an antique weather vane on the blanket chest and the early-20th-century geometric hooked rug.

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T H I S P H O T O Hort and Pott

proprietors Todd Carr (on left) and Carter Harrington, with their dog, Beaut, savor life at their 1851 farmhouse in Oak Hill, New York. In the front yard, they planted perennial grasses, heirloom dahlias, and vines to use in their creations. O P P O S I T E Todd and Carter combine cultivated botanicals like dahlias with coreopsis and goldenrod, which grow in abundance along roadsides.

CA LL O F TH E W I LD

When nature lured this creative duo away from New York City, they sowed their love of wild botanicals and foraged beauty into an inspiring business. They share their secrets to inventive, seasonal style. WRIT TEN BY JENNY

COMITA

PHOTOGR APHED BY ANNIE

PRODUCED BY JESSICA

THOMAS

SCHLECHTER COUNTRY HOME FALL 2020

HREE YEARS AGO, TODD CARR AND CARTER HARRINGTON

T O P Hort and Pott’s handmade concrete leaf

castings and vessels are planted with mums and elephant’s ear. A B O V E A vintage copper vessel has an autumn glow, like the dahlias and goldenrod it’s holding. O P P O S I T E Todd and Carter sell jewelry, pottery, and all manner of garden delights from their 19th-century carriage barn.

signed on for a summer rental in the hamlet of Oak Hill, New York—about 21/2 hours north of their home in Brooklyn. They were looking for a quick reboot between jobs and apartments. But as often seems to be the case for creatives feeling crushed by the pace and price of big city living, they quickly realized they wanted to stay. “We ended up loving it here so much that we thought, We can’t go back to the city,” says Todd, a master gardener and landscape designer. So before the first frost even hit, they purchased an 1851 fixerupper farmhouse on 11/2 acres of land and immersed themselves in a community of like-minded former urbanites. “The lower cost of living, combined with all the space, opens up so many options,” says Carter, who trained as an interior designer and spent a decade working in event management. “We met so many young entrepreneurs starting cool things.” Inspired by that sense of endless possibility—and by what Todd describes as the “bonanza” of botanicals lining the roads and filling the forests around their home—the couple soon started a cool thing of their own. Hort and Pott (short for horticulture and pottery) fills their 19th-century carriage barn on Oak Hill’s historical main drag. The shop puts the pair’s love of the natural world on display in its mossy wreaths, baskets woven from wild grapevines, and lichen-flecked cast concrete sculptures (including the oversize leaves that have become their signature). Though the couple have impressive gardens both at the shop and at home, they also forage friends’ properties and roadsides for many of the materials they use in their arrangements. “We moved up here and started taking drives to explore the backroads,” Carter says. “Everywhere we looked, there were such beautiful plants that one of us was always saying, ‘Oh, look at those thistles! Check out those pods! Let’s grab some!’” (They forage responsibly, only snipping small bits from plants that are found in abundance or are considered invasive, like globe thistles.) For Todd, these floral scavenger hunts have been a lifelong passion. “I learned it from my mom,” he says. “Ever since I can remember, she’s always had clippers in the car.” Now, in a series of workshops, the couple are passing along their stop-and-snip secrets and the techniques they use to turn those weeds and vines into pieces for the home and garden. (You will find the latest information at hortandpott.com.) Over the next few years, they hope to find a larger space where they can grow their business to accommodate events like weddings and pop-up dinners. “We have grand plans,” Carter says. “Like any plant, we hope to outgrow our pot.”  RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 111.

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T O P L E F T Sunflowers, foxtail palms, ferns, and what Todd refers to as â&#x20AC;&#x153;all the nostalgic seasonal stuff,â&#x20AC;? like pumpkins and gourds from a nearby farm, flank the path to the shop. T O P R I G H T In the Hort and Pott workshop, the couple use both fresh and dried plant material to create their natural arrangements. To dry flowers, they hang bundles in the cool, low-light space for two to three weeks. A B O V E L E F T A sitting area in the shop shows off the beauty of houseplants. A B O V E R I G H T Each of their hand-cast concrete sculptures is an impression of a leaf collected from the gardens. O P P O S I T E Todd created this wreath from wild grapevine, castor bean pods, stock, rudbeckia, and hydrangeas.

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Wreaths 101 Todd Carr shares his pro tips.

SNIP SMART. For ﬂowers you’d like to dry, pick blossoms at their peak, preferably in the afternoon, when there’s little moisture on the petals. Gather bunches; you’ll need more than you think. KEEP IT TIGHT. When you’re putting your wreath together, pick it up and shake it every so often. Anything that falls off needs to be attached more securely with ﬂorists wire. STAY LOCAL. “We use wild grapevine as a base,” Todd says, “but if that doesn’t grow in your area, almost any woody vine will do.” COVER UP. The more protected your wreath is from the elements, the longer it will last. Avoid direct sun and keep it out of the rain; a shady porch is ideal.

The Heffernans enjoy the views on their California ranch, which is surrounded by state and national forests and close to the border with Oregon. From left: Maisie, Francie, Brian, Mary, Tessa, and Janie.

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WRIT TEN BY

SAR AH EGGE

PHOTOGR APHED BY

K ATHRYN GAMBLE AND RICK LOZIER

THE HEFFERNAN FAMILY LIVES ON AND WORKS 1,800 ACRES IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, WHERE THEYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE UNITED IN CHORES AND FUN. AND WHEN IT COMES TO RUSTLING UP DINNER, EVERYONE IS INVOLVED.

Mary Heffernan is a busy person—with a herd of Instagram followers, a popular blog, and a cookbook

T O P L E F T The family cookbook,

Five Marys Ranch Raised Cookbook, touts quick-pickled red onions as tasty atop burgers, salads, and Mary’s steak carpaccio appetizer. T O P R I G H T Though designed for large gatherings, the outdoor kitchen is where the family likes to cook dinner. Aluminum-topped counters are easy to care for and weather naturally. This area also does handle a crowd—of visiting friends and family or customers experiencing ranch life. A B O V E Francie gets busy cleaning veggies from their gardens for dinner.

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coming out in September. But all that is in support of the daily rigors and chores on Five Marys Farm, where she and husband Brian and their four daughters—all with formal first names containing Mary after aunts and grandmothers—look after 1,800 acres and a menagerie that includes Black Angus cattle, Berkshire pigs, Navajo-Churro sheep, laying hens, two dogs, and a stable of horses. They ship their beef, pork, and lamb to homes and restaurant kitchens across the country, and set out dozens of eggs at their honors-system farm stand in Siskiyou County, California, about six hours north of San Francisco. Brian and Mary grew up in the Bay Area. When they met, Mary was a small business owner and Brian a corporate attorney, but they both had roots in agriculture and always wanted to own land somewhere. As they were having their daughters and moving into bigger houses, they realized the pace in Silicon Valley wasn’t encouraging the kind of family life they wanted. So on Thanksgiving weekend in 2013, they toured the forlorn 160-year-old Sharps Gulch Ranch for sale in Northern California. It had dilapidated fencing and no animals, and it had a road running through it. “We saw it on a dreary day, and with the road right by the house, I thought of my four children and two puppies, and thought, No way,” Mary says. “But we like to say the ranch found us.” Brian noted that they had ample water on the property (key in raising cattle at an elevation of 3,000 feet), and the price per acre was decent. “Those two things checked the boxes,” she says, “and from there it was an easy decision.”

T H I S P H O T O The heritage breed of sheep the Heffernans raise is called Navajo-Churro and is known for mild and flavorful meat. The sheep roam and graze the pastures during the day and are trained to move into the barn area at night for protection from predators.

“HAVING A KITCHEN GARDEN BESIDE OUR HOUSE MAKES IT EASY TO ADD FRESHLY PICKED SEASONAL VEGGIES TO THE DINNER TABLE.” —MARY HEFFERNAN

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Over the next couple of months, Mary and Brian fixed up the rustic 760-square-foot caretaker’s cabin enough that the family could live there on weekends while they fenced the ranch and started their herds. They replaced the cabin windows and flooring, and made the single bathroom functional. “We thought it would be like camping on the weekends when we visited. It was fun,” Mary says. The girls shared a double bed in one of the two bedrooms. The family ate on the porch when the weather was nice or around the table near the living room woodstove—the only source of heat. Brian and Mary started to see a change in their family dynamic in the snug space. “We were outside most of the time, and at the end of the day, everyone was tired and excited to sit around the woodstove. The kids were doing homework 5 feet away, my husband was talking to me from 6 feet away, and we were making dinner together,” Mary says. “It changed our whole outlook on things, and we decided that’s what we wanted.” By June, they had sold their home in Menlo Park and most of their businesses, and they relocated to the ranch to run it full time. Today, the ranch is thriving and so is the family. The girls—MaryFrances (Francie), 12; MaryMarjorie

O P P O S I T E Charred peaches add

sweet-smoky notes to the salty prosciutto and peppery arugula in this fresh frisée salad. It’s lightly dressed with a balsamic glaze, and its richness comes from dollops of creamy Burrata cheese. For the recipe, turn to page 110. B E L O W Janie has a firm hold on Zippy’s bridle. He’s a mini pony that Mary says is particularly mischievous. All the girls ride horses and are learning rodeo sports to compete at local events.

A B O V E At the top of the

attic stairs, Mary’s trunk collection stacks up. She picks them up cheaply at farm sales and uses them as side tables, coffee tables, and extra storage. “There are often treasures inside that the girls love to go through,” she says. A B O V E R I G H T Beets gathered from the family’s garden might be roasted or grilled. R I G H T Tessa checks on the sheep herd. She and her sisters are practiced at animal care, including feeding, wrangling, and giving basic medical aid. O P P O S I T E B O T T O M Mary keeps a healthy collection of books for family and guests. When she gets a quilt or quilt topper from her mother that’s too threadbare to use as bedding, she turns it into wall art.

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(Maisie), 11; MaryJane (Janie), 9; and MaryTeresa (Tessa), 7—attend school in town during the year. They have chores and a lot of freedom. With their parents always busy, the girls do much of the dinner prep and cooking. They decide what to make in the morning and set out the ingredients. Often they employ the slow cooker, but they love to assist in grilling or cooking outdoors. “We realized pretty quickly that the girls were going to have to help with a lot of the meals if Brian and I were busy with the animals,” Mary says. “So they learned to cook that way.” Several years ago, Brian and Mary poured a cement slab and erected a beautiful outdoor kitchen with rough-hewn tables and gourmet commercial appliances for the camp area of the ranch. They have hosted customers and friends who enjoy the “glamping” experience, sleeping in tents with luxury linens and helping with chores around the ranch. Sometimes the family will gather there to grill or eat over the fire, but most evenings, they are at their cabin, cooking in their indoor kitchen. The girls set the table for dinner, lay out the food, and say grace. After dinner, “we enjoy hanging around the table, playing board games or cards usually,” Mary says. “It’s a time to regroup, to connect with Brian and connect with the kids.”  RECIPES, SEE PAGE 110. RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 111.

Tips for Cooking Outdoors Brian and Mary Heffernan and Five Marys Farm’s guest chef, Tyler Morrish of Iron Oak Cooking (above), are pros at cooking outdoors on a grill or over a fire. Here are their tips. YOU CAN GRILL A COMPLETE MEAL. Though their favorites are thick-cut ribeyes and rosemary-dusted lamb chops, the family also grill lots of veggies from the garden, including zucchini, squash, eggplant, and asparagus. They grill peaches for dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. “And sometimes we make biscuits in a cast-iron Dutch oven in the hot coals,” Mary says. SEASONING IS KEY. “We believe that when you start with great-quality meats, you don’t need a strong marinade,” Mary says. However, they do like a little of their signature spice rub on anything savory, including meat and veggies. Mary’s mix includes sea salt, black pepper, rosemary, thyme, and red pepper flakes “for a little zing.” DON’T JUST EYEBALL IT. Brian uses a thermometer for an accurate read on doneness. “It’s easy to overcook your meat on the grill,” he says. Follow a temperature guide and cook to your preference (rare to well done), removing the meat from the grill 5°F to 10°F before that point, he says. Cover it with foil and let it rest, and it will continue cooking the remaining degrees while absorbing the juices back into the meat. ADD WOOD FOR EXTRA FLAVOR. Brian and Mary grill using oak wood whenever possible or a good-quality mesquite charcoal. They have detailed instructions for prepping a grill (charcoal or gas) or smoker in their cookbook, Five Marys Ranch Raised Cookbook: Homegrown Recipes from Our Family to Yours, which is available in September.

O P P O S I T E Maisie is reading in the attic bedroom her parents finished off in the cabin, which was built in the early 1900s as a dairy storage barn and converted to living quarters in the 1940s. Mary stained new pine boards different shades for the walls. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Because it was a barn, it has great attic space,â&#x20AC;? she says. The ladder leads to a reading and play nook carved out of extra space under the eaves. A B O V E Using old wood she gathered from the barn, Mary fashioned a boot rack for the mudroom. Anyone is welcome to grab a pair that fits as he or she heads out for the day.

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C L O C K W I S E F R O M A B O V E The cabin’s kitchen was

filled with cheap cabinets spray-painted lime green, so Mary took them down, painted the space white, and brought in a cabinet that was her kitchen island growing up; she found the woodstove covered in dust at a local farm sale. A play area is set up next to Mary’s childhood rocker in the bunkhouse. Tessa caresses a lamb. Dixie grabs a nap on a shelf in the camp kitchen. The chore list rarely changes, and it’s a daily prompt for the girls of their responsibilities on the ranch.

T H I S P H O T O Mary

says Francie is the sweet dessert baker in the family, “and she’s pretty great at it!” This deep-dish brownie is as decadent as it looks. But it relies on pantry staples, so it’s easy to pull together on busy days on the ranch. For the recipe, from chef Tyler, turn to page 110.

“BRIAN AND I LEARNED AT AN EARLY AGE THAT THE BEST MEALS START WITH GREAT-QUALITY INGREDIENTS AND END WITH A DELICIOUS DESSERT.” —MARY HEFFERNAN

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T H I S P H O T O Pantry boxes wear original finishes that lend homeowners Dan and Jeff Weaver-Whiteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new saltbox an aged look. O P P O S I T E In the dining room, a Colonial-era hanging desk, cupboards, and table share a primitive profile with the firkins and boxes. Wood planks add character and texture to the walls.

INSTANT CLASSIC After years of dreaming, Dan and Jeff Weaver-White built a saltbox house to be the perfectly patinaed stage for their curated collections of primitives.

WRIT TEN AND PRODUCED BY

LACEY HOWARD

PHOTOGR APHED BY

JAY WILDE COUNTRY HOME FALL 2020

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“I hated it. I could not imagine anything more boring or why anyone would want to go to those places,” Dan Weaver-White says of antiques shopping as a child with his mom. “Then one day, something clicked, and I was hooked. I began collecting antiques as soon as I got my first teaching job 25 years ago.” Since then, Dan has amassed enviable collections of primitive and antique items, including firkins, wooden bowls, and pantry boxes. “I used to dream of owning one early firkin, and now I have close to 30 of them,” he says. The best find of all was one Dan and his husband, Jeff, created for themselves—a custom saltbox house built to look and feel historical. Dan first fell in love with a saltbox he saw featured in the pages of a 2004 home magazine, then he learned it was on the market. “Jeff and I did everything we could to buy that house, but it was not meant to be,” he says. The attempt, however, connected him with its owner, Stacee Droit. “She is now one of my very best friends and has been a huge inspiration in my collections and decorating style,” Dan says. “After Stacee’s saltbox sold, I knew the only way to actually get a saltbox was to build one, but I resisted it for years.” When Dan and Jeff finally decided to pursue the dream of building to suit their vision, everything fell into place. “Within a couple of months, we had our house up for sale, and we were selling all of the furniture that did not fit with the style we wanted our new home to be,” Dan says. His brother drew the floor plans. “He is a lawyer, but he has always had an interest in house design,” Dan says. Although the builder, T. Scott Williams, had never built a reproduction period home, he liked the straightforward, symmetrical architecture. The crew broke ground in December 2016, and the pair moved in in early 2018—“three years to the day that Jeff and I finally gave in and decided we would build a saltbox,” Dan says. The house turned out to be everything the couple hoped for. “We wanted it to be a place where people would feel as though they had stepped back in time,” Dan says. “I wanted the house to appear

O P P O S I T E Schnauzers Paycee (black) and Peyton make themselves

comfortable on the living room sofa. “My favorite color is red, so we used a color called Carriage Door, a barn red by Sherwin-Williams,” Dan says of the color that graces all the trim in the living, dining, and keeping rooms. T O P R I G H T A log cabin quilt warms the two-story wall opposite the stairs. “I displayed it in the foyer to bring some softness and color to the space,” Dan says. “It helps make the area feel a little cozier.” A B O V E R I G H T An oil portrait on canvas dates to the mid-1800s. “I think he looks like a priest or a preacher, so that’s what drew me to him,” Dan says. “I like to find unusual oil portraits.” R I G H T Jeff, left, and Dan are both longtime teachers, Dan in elementary special education and Jeff as a high school librarian. They share their home with their beloved miniature schnauzers.

centuries older than it is. I didn’t want it to look or even smell new.” To that end, wood is used generously throughout the 3,500 square feet of living space, including as wood paneling and ceilings. Pine floors in varying widths were installed randomly using square nails. “The floors have no varnish—I want them to wear from use, and I enjoy when they get a nick or scratch,” Dan says. Hand-forged details, including light fixtures and reproduction Colonial-style door handles, continue the historical narrative. And every painted surface has a flat finish. “Everything we could think of to make the house feel old, we did,” he says. Today, Dan shares views of his home and collections along with a daily inspirational message on his Instagram page (@dweaverwhite). His feed is a visual celebration of his and Jeff’s dream home—which they named Peace Manor. “Seeing it come to fruition has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life,” Dan says. “I am grateful and humbled that I was chosen to build this wonderful house.”  RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 111.

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A B O V E Twin sofas cozy up to

a large wood-burning fireplace, over which Dan artfully displays fabric remnants, including highly collectible antique blue calico. Paneled ceilings enhance the home’s vintage aesthetic. O P P O S I T E A super organizer, the breakfast room’s apothecarystyle cabinet came out of a sewing factory in South Carolina and likely dates to the mid- to late 1800s. The legs on an antique sawbuck table retain traces of their original paint finish. The table is joined by muleeared ladder-back chairs.

L E F T The couple’s saltbox stands on a 2.6-acre parcel near Carbondale, Illinois. “Jeff knew instantly that this was the place for the house. I had to be convinced,” Dan says. “It’s very close to town, but it feels as if we are in the middle of nowhere.” B E L O W Wooden bowls and apothecary jars are displayed in the blue cupboard in the dining room. Baskets, wooden dough boards, and blue-and-white fabrics complete the scene.

Everything in Its Place

Consummate collector Dan Weaver-White shares his ideas for a well-curated home. PR ACTICE SIMPLICITY. “I love symmetry and decorate that way without even thinking,” Dan says. “I also err on the side of not enough; if a display appears too simple to me, I’ve achieved the desired look.” BE ORGANIZED. Dan masses collections for visual impact, parading like objects in an orderly manner on shelves and in cupboards. SPREAD THE WEALTH. To add quiet moments in each room, intersperse displays of multiples with single items—a favorite oil painting or a short stack of leather-bound books, for instance. ADD INTEREST. Painted primitives perk up interiors, bringing soft color and texture to entertain the eye. Painted finishes also help pinpoint a piece’s age. BE PICKY. Dan shops in person rather than online. “It’s important to touch the piece before you buy it to verify its authenticity,” he says. He also frequents reputable dealers to assure an item’s authenticity.

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“I WANTED THE HOUSE TO APPEAR AS IF WE HAD

found it abandoned in a field AND RENOVATED IT FOR THE MODERN TIMES IN WHICH WE LIVE.” —DAN WEAVER-WHITE

A B O V E Antiques in the Weaver-

White household are often pulled into service, including these wooden spoons and firkin. A B O V E R I G H T A child’s rocking horse sits on gliders—instead of rockers— suggesting it is a Victorian-era piece. R I G H T “When we were planning and building the house, I thought about the kitchen more than any other room,” Dan says of the space he designed to look like a modern kitchen set in a renovated old house. Pale maple countertops offer contrast to cabinetry painted a deep red.

A B O V E The master bedroom’s pencil post bed is a made-to-order reproduction crafted by local artisan Gary Stott. “I shared a picture of the bed I wanted, and he made it,” Dan says. At the end of the bed, an unusually tall antique blanket chest is the stage for an antique hooked mourning rug. O P P O S I T E At the bedside sits a Revere lantern made of punched tin. “I’m not sure how old it is, but my guess would be mid- to late 1800s,” Dan says. The late-1800s sampler hanging above it spoke to Dan. “It has the initials ‘RC’ on it, which were my grandma’s initials,” he says. “She was such a driving force in so many aspects of my life and a huge influence on my decorating in primitive style.”

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T H I S P H O T O Caroline Bivens

made the graphic sign using old wood from a local Kansas barn. For more texture and dimension, she added shiplap above the mantel. She also created the fireplace screen, arranging old wood scraps that look like bricks in a herringbone pattern and framing it with wood. O P P O S I T E Meet Caroline and Aaron Bivens and their children (from left): Preston, 11; Taylynn, 13; Chandler, 8; and Alayna, 9.

THE HANDS-ON

HOME In a suburban Topeka, Kansas, cul-de-sac, DIY diva Caroline Bivens turned a typical builder home into a dreamy farmhouse filled with treasures created, found, and passed down.

WRIT TEN AND ST YLED BY

LACEY HOWARD

PRODUCED BY

PHOTOGR APHED BY

BLAINE MOATS

PAIGE PORTER FISCHER COUNTRY HOME FALL 2020

“My theory is if I don’t love it 100 percent, then I will change it until I do,” homeowner Caroline Bivens says. And her Topeka, Kansas, residence is the ultimate case in point. She has transformed the 2004 builder home into a farmhouse brimming with style and history. Surprising to some, Caroline is not an interior designer—and proudly so. “I don’t do things to please others but to make my home feel cozy and comfortable for my family,” she says. “I consider myself a DIYer.” The 2,400-square-foot, four-bedroom home is a real-life résumé for Caroline’s skills. After she and husband Aaron welcomed baby number four, they needed to up-size. Caroline found this home online and wanted to make an offer sight unseen. “I knew before looking at it that it was our house,” she says. Once they officially owned it, Caroline set to work, coating every wall in a warm white, then taking up carpet and laminate flooring and adding hardwood on the main level. Farmhouse touches like shiplap accents in the living room—above the fireplace and framing the sofa—add architecture to expanses of drywall. Industrial pipes and fittings were used as drapery hardware for lengths of canvas drop cloths that cover windows and complement floating barnwood shelves. Caroline took her time selecting just the right mix of furnishings to pair with her finds and creations—such as vintage globes in the boys’ bedroom and architectural objects like a door and ladder in the master bedroom, vintage headboards in the girls’ room, and cubbies crafted from pallets. The mirror over a console table in the entry, kitchen canisters, and a photo as wide as her dining room table is long are treasured family pieces she’s also incorporated. “I love hunting for antiques,” she says. “My grandparents loved antiques, my parents love antiques, and they are something I’ve grown to love.” Her hunts yield showstopping prizes. “A favorite new piece for this house is the vintage cubby-type lockers I found in an antiques store in Kansas City, Missouri,” she says of the unit mounted to the dining room wall. “We had to rent a U-Haul to pick it up and bring it home, then we had five of our friends come help us bring it in the house. I built it in, painted it, and added a new top so it looks like it was always meant to be there.” With the farmhouse backdrop in place, Caroline decorates generously for each season; in fall, she transforms her home (inside and out) into a virtual pumpkin patch with pumpkins of all shapes, sizes, and colors, as well as mums, and blankets and pillows in cozy plaids. She documents it all on Instagram (@cbdesigns). “Creating is something that makes me happy,” she says, “100 percent.” 

L E F T Caroline’s pumpkins don’t stop at the front door. “For fall, I just love pumpkins

and pumpkins and pumpkins,” she says. “I use real and faux. I buy faux ones after Halloween so I can get a great price, and if they’re not the right color, I just paint them.” A set of chicken nesting boxes, hung above the living room sofa for display and shelving, was a gift from her grandparents. COUNTRY HOME FALL 2020

L E F T The large gold mirror above the console table belonged to Caroline’s grandparents. “It hung above their mantel for many years. It’s such a special piece to me,” she says. For the table, she gathers seasonal foliage with a collection of round vintage cheese boxes, an antique scale, and reproduction trophies. A B O V E In the kitchen, Caroline displays more items she remembers from her grandparents’ home—including copper canisters and a white oversize peanut butter tin. B E L O W The front porch decor changes with the season. In the fall, piles of pumpkins make it feel like a roadside patch. “I love finding the unique and colorful pumpkins, small and large,” Caroline says. “I’m like a kid when I go to a pumpkin patch.”

“Finding the perfect pumpkin is like shopping for an antique— ONCE YOU FIND IT, GET IT, BECAUSE YOU’RE NEVER GOING TO FIND THAT PUMPKIN AGAIN.” —CAROLINE BIVENS

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T H I S P H O T O Resting on the vintage

cubbies in the dining room—Caroline’s all-time favorite find—is a long horizontal photograph that was a gift from her parents. “We can’t figure out where the picture was taken, but it is unique,” she says. The place settings are part of Caroline’s seasonal creations. This year, shapely gourds and wooden bowls found on the dollar table at a flea market join the gathering.

A B O V E L E F T Collections of globes and

maps pop with color in the boys’ room. “I added pine boards on the wall behind their twin beds—shiplap before I even knew what shiplap was,” Caroline says with a laugh. A B O V E Suitcases and metal toolboxes offer industrial style and storage in the boys’ room. L E F T Pipe fittings are used as brackets on shelves flanking the dresser in the master bedroom. “The shelves allow me to change up my decor,” Caroline says. “I am always rearranging.” B E L O W In the girls’ room, vintage headboards set the tone. “I found them on Facebook Marketplace and sanded them completely down, which took days. Then I realized I would rather have them painted cream,” Caroline says. Here and throughout the house, drapery panels are simply lengths of canvas drop cloth hung from pipes and fittings. R I G H T Much of the master bedroom furniture is Caroline’s from college. “I transformed it many times,” she says. “I painted it gray, then white, and then another white.”

Tips from a DIY Diva “I am the kind of girl who is going to DIY before I pay someone to do something. And I’m not afraid,” homeowner Caroline Bivens says with gusto. Follow Caroline’s lead: CREATE R ATHER THAN SPEND. “I try to create any item I want to add rather than buying something new,” she says. “It might not end up looking the way I had envisioned in my head, but I prefer to create my own things so I’m not going to the store and spending lots of money.” GIVE PERMISSION TO THE DOER. “My husband has been so flexible. He lets me switch the house up as I want and do any DIYs or paint colors,” Caroline says. “He knows if it doesn’t work out, I’ll fix it to make it work.” JUST DO IT. “One day while my husband was at work, I got curious to see what was under the carpet on the stairs. Lifting up one corner turned into my removing all of the carpet before he got home,” Caroline says, laughing. She ended up refinishing the treads, adding risers, and replacing the plywood landing with hardwood. “It was a lot of work,” she says, “but I love them!”

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WRIT TEN BY

LUANN BR ANDSEN AND SHAILA WUNDERLICH

PHOTOGR APHED BY

JAY WILDE AND WINKY LEWIS

PHOTOGR APH (THIS PAGE, LEFT) COURTESY OF WILDCR AFT STUDIO SCHOOL.

“There’s a Native American story about a grizzly bear falling from a cliff, and where he hit the ground, it stained the ground red,” Scott Sutton tells a class gathered to learn how to make natural paint at WildCraft Studio School in Portland, Oregon. “Supposedly, that was the brightest red earth pigment you could collect along the Oregon coast. I’ve found four different kinds of red, but I don’t think I’ve found that one yet.” Reaching into an old wood box neatly packed with chunky minerals in earthy reds and yellows, various hues of green, and charcoal black, he lifts what appears to be a lumpy petrified rock. “But I did find this,” he says, turning the chunk to reveal a startling blue vivianite mineral inside. “This was actually once a spruce cone that got buried by a tsunami and earthquake,” he says, expounding into a mini science lesson on how factors like iron-rich soil deposits led to the cone’s transformation. “When dug up and exposed to sunlight and air, it turns from white to this amazing blue.” Unearthing treasures is just part of the fun for this Oregon artist who forages for minerals to make natural paints. The idea came to him years ago while exploring the flat-topped mountains and chimney rocks near Abiquiú, New Mexico, where Georgia O’Keeffe’s enigmatic canvases took shape. He’d already mastered making paints with synthetic pigments while studying fine arts at Oregon State University, but hiking through the otherworldly desert that O’Keeffe termed “the Far Away” opened his eyes to

O P P O S I T E Minerals (above) that are foraged from the earth are used to make pigments for natural paints. Pottery (below) is textured then glazed with colors that mimic hues found in the deep blue sea. A B O V E L E F T Color-streak tests determine a stone’s pigment potential. A B O V E Artist and mineral forager Scott Sutton demonstrates for workshop attendees how to grind minerals into pigment with a stone mortar and pestle. “It’s easy to go to the art supply store and get whatever you want, but then there’s a lack of connection and understanding of where the colors come from,” he says. COUNTRY HOME FALL 2020

B E L O W L E F T Minerals create a

rich palette. These include black coal, iron-rich clay, and red ocher rock. B E L O W R I G H T Only the yolk is used to create the binder in a type of natural paint called egg tempera. Linseed oil is another type of binder; it’s often used in traditional paint. O P P O S I T E L E F T Scott uses a glass muller to blend pigment and binder into a smooth paint. O P P O S I T E R I G H T Once paint is smooth and of the desired consistency, it’s ready for the canvas. Unused paint can be stored in glass jars. Egg tempera can spoil, however, so this type of paint should be used the same day.

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new possibilities. “I asked myself why she had not used these colorful soils to make paint,” he says. Emerging into a valley that spilled into a field of reds, purples, and greens, his next question was, Why haven’t I? Back home, Scott continued his quest for pigment sources, spurred to dig deeper into what he calls “the color of culture” while teaching art to tribal members of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. “There are cave paintings of bison in France that are 17,000 years old and pictographs in Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge painted by tribes about 10,000 years ago,” he says. This didn’t seem to him like the time to use art supply store paint. Delving into ethnographic texts, Scott found references like “blue mud obtained near the bay” and white “obtained from an outcropping on a precipitous cliff.” Geological, soil, and topographical maps further hinted to where volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, erosion, or the addition of roads might expose minerals that previously lay beneath. From there, observation proved his most powerful tool, such as the day he noticed a few speckles of turquoise in a creek and followed that tiny clue for miles upstream until discovering pockets of chlorite lodged behind stones at the top of a waterfall. As workshop attendees encircle a glass-topped worktable, Scott demonstrates how to grind, sift, and blend unearthed treasures with oil or egg yolk. His arm rhythmically swirls a glass muller in the pigment and oil to blend them as he entices his audience to do a little foraging on their own. “They are part of this Earth, and they can do this themselves,” he says. “I try to get people to understand that there is material out there, and not knowing where it’s at is also part of the fun.”

Make Your Own Natural Paint To make paint, you can use purchased natural pigment or pigment you’ve collected and prepared. The pigment needs to be clean and ground into a fine enough powder to sift through a fine sieve (100-mesh stainless-steel screen). Choose either an oil or egg yolk binder. Not all pigments absorb binder in the same way, so start with a ratio of 1:1. Have extra binder and pigment on hand to add into the paint to create the desired consistency. You’ll also need a glass palette made of ¼-inchthick tempered glass, approximately 2×2 feet, and a glass muller (4-inch). NOTE: After making the paint, weigh leftover pigment and oil binder, and calculate the ratio of pigment to oil that was used. Make note of the pigment and the ratio in a booklet dedicated to paint recipes for future use. O I L P A I N T On a scale, weigh the ground, dry pigment and oil (linseed, hemp seed, or walnut) to get a baseline for determining ratios. Begin with 1 pound of each or use smaller quantities if preferred. Use a spatula to mix 4 ounces of oil to 4 ounces of pigment on the glass palette. Add more oil or pigment to get the desired consistency, then use the glass muller to smooth out the paint.

E G G T E M P E R A P A I N T Crack an egg and separate the white from the yolk, discarding the shell and white in one container and keeping the yolk in the palm of your hand. Pass the yolk from one hand to the other to help remove excess white residue. (Note: Egg tempera can spoil, so make only what you think you’ll use in a day.) When the yolk looks clean and its membrane feels fairly dry to the touch, suspend the yolk above another empty container by holding it between the thumb and index finger. Puncture the yolk membrane with a sharp point, such as a pin or the tip of a knife, to let the yolk drain from the sac into the container. By hand, remove any of the sac that falls into the yolk. On a glass palette, use a glass muller to mix an ounce of dry pigment with about an ounce of distilled water, adding a bit more of either to create the desired consistency. When blended, mix equal parts of the pigment mixture with yolk in a lidded container. Shake the ingredients to emulsify. P U R C H A S E D P I G M E N T S For more info on Scott Sutton and WildCraft workshops, visit wildcraftstudioschool.com or pigmenthunter.com. Here are sources for purchasing natural pigments: naturalpigments.com, guerrapaint .com, kremerpigments.com, naturalearthpaint.com, and torontoinkcompany.com.

“The Green Lakes were my favorite,” Michele says. “The water was blue-green in some areas because of the limestone formations. It was almost tropical-looking.” When Michele was a young adult living in Brooklyn, the waters of New York Harbor weren’t as bright. But they were every bit as formative. She and her husband, Patrick Moore, spent nearly every weekend rowing around Governors Island and the Statue of Liberty in antique Whitehall gigs, the elegant ferry rowboats from the 1820s. At the time, Michele worked as an editor and photo stylist for various interiors magazines. Her eye for tabletop accessories led her to open a successful prop house on the side. Through her styling experience, Michele knew instinctively which shapes, scales, and colors looked best on tables, in photos, and plated with food. But just as water had shaped her imagination as a kid, she felt it again now, pulling her toward something more intimate and artistic. One Saturday afternoon, Michele wandered into a Brooklyn pottery studio with the intention of buying ceramics for her prop house. A class was going on, and she took an impromptu tour. “There was a wonderful energy among the women in the room,” she says. So she joined the group, and a few classes later, Michele’s creative pivot was complete. From curator to creator and modeler to maker—she was a ceramist. 92

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Elephant Ceramics is Michele’s hand-rendered, hand-painted porcelain and stoneware tabletop collection. With its food-safe functionality and textile imprints—she lends texture to her pieces with linen and other woven fabrics—her work straddles the line between home decor and fine art. Every piece is one of a kind, and most pieces are glazed or hand-painted in blue and black. “Cobalt, indigo, and ultramarine are probably my favorites for their depth and intensity,” she says. Michele’s latest, choicest creations sell online two to four times a year. She fires them out of her studio, a timber-frame barn next to the couple’s home in Dresden, Maine. She and Patrick moved there from the city in 2012 after several years of enchanted vacation stays. The rural property is less than 30 miles from her current water muse, the coastal pools and bays of Reid State Park. “It’s one of my favorite places on the planet and has become a major source of inspiration for my color palette.” The 20×30-foot lofted barn studio features shelves and tables that Patrick, a carpenter, built. On their sprawling, unfinished tops, Michele arranges and assesses her work for its big-picture cohesiveness. “Personally, I love groupings, whether it’s a grouping of all my work or one mixed with other artists’ work,” she says. “It’s important that each piece feels like it’s part of a family.” 

PHOTOGR APHS (ABOVE RIGHT AND OPPOSITE, BOT TOM RIGHT) COURTESY OF ELEPHANT CER AMICS

She didn’t realize it at the time, but the lakes of Michele Michael’s Syracuse, New York, childhood were the first of many bodies of water to influence her creative life.

Give Pottery a Spin Michele Michael’s career shift from editor to ceramist started with a class. Here are her tips. 1. Find a class that is run by a skilled artist through a local studio or workshop, an artists co-op, or a university. 2. If you have a background in art, an apprenticeship can boost your skills to the next level. An apprentice works with an experienced master potter to learn about pottery making and the business aspects of being an artisan. 3. For the novice, Michele recommends practicing glazing and decorating techniques at a pottery shop that allows you to buy and decorate premade pieces. You can draw a pattern directly onto the bisque piece, then paint the piece with glaze. The pottery shop also fires the piece for you. 4. Setting up your own studio requires a professional kiln. Michele works with an electric Skutt kiln. Other equipment she considers essential are an extra-large slab roller and professional rolling pin, along with generous surfaces.

O P P O S I T E L E F T Ceramist

Michele Michael and Pomeranian Pinkie pause at the entrance of Michele’s studio in Dresden, Maine. O P P O S I T E R I G H T Michele drapes her clay over these forms to make her pieces. T O P L E F T Michele’s recent work features underglazes of mixed blue and black, and hand-painted patterns, including water-inspired abstract, indigo dot, and tribal-design platters. A B O V E L E F T In place of a pottery wheel, Michele uses a freehand drape-mold technique. F A R L E F T Michele rolls out her porcelain and stoneware clay by hand with professional wood rolling pins. L E F T Her travels inspired the botanical and tribal motifs in Michele’s latest work. RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 111.

A B O V E Stefania Skrabak gutted her 1,800-square-foot farmhouse and removed the drop ceilings to create a more airy, lofty living space. The

kitchen is the heart of the home, she says, with “just enough” of everything she needs—and nothing more. The wood is all pine, much of it cut from her property. Whitewashed floors have “taken a beautiful beating,” she says. “I love that my dogs have scratched them all up and have given them this beautiful patina. That’s the rustic look I was going for.” O P P O S I T E Stefania didn’t want the spaces to feel “too farmhouse or cliché,” so she used white lacquer finishes in the kitchen with quartz countertops. She wanted a backsplash that captures the warm tones of the pine ceilings and makes a modern, unexpected statement, so she created one with four inexpensive pieces of sheet metal in burnished tones.

CAN-DO

SPIRIT

AFTER BUYING A DERELICT HOUSE IN THE CATSKILLS, DESIGNER STEFANIA SKRABAK BROUGHT IT BACK TO LIFEâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; MOSTLY WITH HER OWN TWO HANDS.

WRIT TEN BY

PAIGE PORTER FISCHER

PHOTOGR APHED BY

NATHAN SCHRODER

PRODUCED BY

ANNA MOLVIK

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L E F T Black accents in the

rugs and on the coffee table’s metal legs deliver just enough contrast “to keep things interesting,” Stefania says. Twelve-inch shiplap from the local hardware store wraps the walls. She painted them with inexpensive paint by Valspar from Lowe’s. “It only comes in red or white,” she says. “It is literally barn paint.” R I G H T The Restoration Hardware Cloud sectional fits perfectly in the corner of the living room. “It’s like a hug every time you sit down,” Stefania says. “My palette is simple, but the wood and textures deliver warmth and make it feel homey.”

OMETIMES SHEER WILL IS ENOUGH TO OVERCOME THE

most daunting obstacles in a home renovation. That was the case for designer Stefania Skrabak, who took a dilapidated 1880s farmhouse in the Catskills back to the studs and remodeled it, one board at a time, to become her permanent home. “If I’d known then what I know now—or if I’d even had time to stop and really think about what this project would actually entail—I would’ve run in the opposite direction with very cold feet,” she says with a laugh. When Stefania first saw the house, it was filled with trash and water—abandoned by its previous owners after a flood devastated parts of small-town Phoenicia, New York. “There was almost nothing left to save, but there was this glimmer of hope in its bones,” says Stefania, who bought it for $18,000 at auction. “If you had seen the inside of it, you would understand that price tag. I had nothing saved up to tackle a big remodel, so I determined not to rush things. I would do as much of this project as I could by myself, one day at a time.” But three months after she closed on the house, she found out she was pregnant. With limited resources and a pending “deadline” for completion, she was spurred on with such wild determination that she spent nearly every night of her pregnancy watching YouTube videos and Googling things like “How to install a chandelier.” “I was eight months pregnant, standing on top of a ladder, doing all the work myself,” she recalls. “I had no other choice. Money was tight and so was time. I was living in a tiny house—a one-room house—and I needed a place to raise my son. His arrival date wasn’t something I could change.” She hired three carpenters who helped her with framing the house, and together they laid every piece of wood—from the whitewashed pine floors and shiplap walls to the knotty pine ceilings and exposed

COUNTRY HOME FALL 2020

beams, using a good bit of wood felled from her new property. Stefania handled every finishing detail; she sanded and stained, and painted the entire house in white barn paint. When the architecture of the house began to take its shape, and she welcomed her son, Stefano, into the world, she had the capacity to contemplate the part of the remodel she came by naturally: interior design. “I’ve been decorating rooms since I was a child,” says Stefania, who worked as a fine arts artist and then ventured into fashion design before returning to her first love of interiors. “It’s instinctual to me— finding the balance and the look that a room needs.” Stefania is Polish-Slovakian, so she wanted to honor her Eastern European heritage in the home’s design. “Nothing too country or too modern would be quite right,” she says. “I wanted something 98

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A B O V E For her dining area, Stefania

chose a light fixture that mimics nature and doesn’t block the view to the outdoors. The tabletop is a leftover from a design job; its brass legs were handmade in Poland. “My parents were machinists, and all the metal inspiration in my house comes from them,” she says. She likes to mix types of metals in her home for visual variety. O P P O S I T E

In the warm months, the outdoor dining table, purchased from a Restoration Hardware outlet and paired with inexpensive IKEA chairs, hosts many meals for Stefania and her 3-year-old son, Stefano.

R I G H T The upstairs guest bedroom

features a sliding wooden door that creates privacy when needed. Stefania played with the shiplap, boosting interest by placing some planks vertically and some horizontally. “I was using shiplap like wallpaper—to create a pattern,” she says. B E L O W Stefania saw the grain pattern in this birch wood and wanted it to be front and center on her bathroom vanity. “I thought the knot should be a highlight in the bathroom design,” she says. Ideal in small spaces where swinging doors would be cumbersome, sliding doors become stylish space savers.

T H I S P H O T O The wood-burning stove heats

the entire house. “I found it on Craigslist and resurfaced the platform with concrete,” Stefania says. The platform once held an old oil heater. She painted the original brick chimney white to match the shiplap. A pair of chairs creates a secondary seating area.

“there was no mood board FOR THIS HOUSE. THERE WAS ONLY INSTINCT—AND A VERY TIGHT BUDGET.” — STEFANIA SKRABAK COUNTRY HOME FALL 2020

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L E F T On the landing, Stefania was

trying to create a closet when she had a better idea: “We had cut out these cool doors that formed what looked like a house, and when I stepped back and saw it, I thought, ‘Wait a second. This isn’t going to be a closet; this is going to be my son’s nook. Every kid loves a good nook.” She lined the inside with birch plywood. The mother-son duo can be found here reading most nights. Still, she kept the cut-out doors, just in case she ever wants to turn the space into a closet. In place of a standard railing for the stairs, she bought this replica of a garden gate on Etsy. B E L O W Stefania’s favorite personal design is the bed she dreamed up for Stefano. “I wanted it to feel like a house within a house,” she says. The minimalist design creates dimension without obstructing the window. “The bedrooms upstairs aren’t big, so I had to keep the designs simple and straightforward.” O P P O S I T E Texture and light lend warmth and interest to the neutral master bedroom scheme; a chunky throw adds coziness and a mirror above the bed reflects sunlight from the windows.

in between, like the mountain chalets I remember from the Tatra Mountains—which lie between Poland and Slovakia—where my family spent a lot of time.” So she designed the house with plenty of unfinished wood, lots of white, even more natural light, and pierced metals—and always a strong connection to the outdoors. “What was incredible,” she says, “is that the look I was nostalgic for felt exactly right for the age of this house and for its location in the Catskills.” And the 1,800-square-foot home is at once precisely as Stefania imagined and so much more than she ever could have dreamed. “I literally built this house carrying my son inside me,” she says, “and I finished it with him strapped to me in a baby carrier. Stefano and I put our whole selves into the house, and that is what makes it so beautiful to me. I had no idea how much better it would be because we touched every single piece of this house together. That’s honestly what makes it feel like home. It’s all ours.”  RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 111.

“I wanted to have a serene, SPA-LIKE FEELING IN THE HOUSE WHERE MY SPIRIT COULD FEEL AT REST.” —STEFANIA SKRABAK COUNTRY HOME FALL 2020

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FONDNESS for

FRONDS

FERNS ARE HAVING A MOMENT. DESPITE A FINICKY REPUTATION, THESE FRILLY AND FASCINATING ANCIENT PLANTS ARE EASY TO GROW. JUST ASK AUTHOR AND GARDEN EXPERT TOVAH MARTIN, WHO SHARES HER HOME WITH ALL MANNER OF THE BEAUTIES.

WHEN I OPEN MY EYES IN THE MORNING, I SEE GREEN. Until I focus, the room appears as a montage in different shades of green, all blending together to form the calm that a slow-starting person needs to ease into the day. In my sleepy dawn, I relish waking to the soft, soothing landscape of fronds. I’ve always had an affinity for ferns—one of the most ancient groups of plants on Earth—and not just for my bedroom. Blame it on this gardener’s need for plants to permeate the house, but I seek greenery that thrives in all the less-than-bright crannies inside my home. Sunloving plants are huddled by the windows, but ferns dwell happily everywhere else to achieve wall-to-wall plant life. The shadows are just fine for ferns—in fact, dim is primo for these plants that have adapted to shaded habitats. My payback is a lacy green greeting, even in the frozen winter. Everywhere I turn, the beauty of ferns is displayed in completely different forms. Diversity reigns in the fern realm. For starters, don’t imagine for a minute that all ferns are the same shade of green. Some verge on chartreuse, and others have dark forest or chalky blue fronds. Each does its own spin on fiddleheads, opening fronds like rolled ribbons or forming nautilus-shape curlicues. Many ferns send out wispy trailing branches; their cousins travel by furry rhizomes or caterpillarlike feet that spill over the rims of planters, as if threatening escape into the wild blue yonder. So each plant gets a fitting presentation, including just the right container to let it shine. Humidity-lovers are housed in glass cloches or Wardian cases, adding sparkle to the picture. Others burst from pots. Who needs flowers when you’ve got frilly fronds going on? In the evening, I read in bed before I slip off into sleep. As I turn the pages of whatever mystery I’m absorbed in, fern fronds are silhouetted against my reading light, sending shadows onto the walls. Just minutes before, I likely kicked off my boots after a long day spent in mud-caked gloves on dirty knees. But in my bedroom after a soak in the warm bath, all is serene except perhaps a crosier or two wandering beyond the night table to tickle my elbow. Often, I reach over and pluck that wayfaring frond, lay it between the pages to mark where I just finished, and close the book. But this is a continuing story. Tomorrow I might pin those pinnae to a section of homespun fabric and frame them to immortalize our friendship. For me, ferns are forever.  RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 111.

L E F T To those only casually acquainted with ferns, it can be surprising to

learn just how many forms they take. Their fronds vary in shape, size, and coloration. Some are soft and lacy; others are leathery in texture. Although they look delicate, fronds can remain at their prime for days in a vase.

WRIT TEN AND PRODUCED BY

TOVAH MARTIN PHOTOGR APHED BY KINDR A CLINEFF COUNTRY HOME FALL 2020

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A B O V E L E F T My morning yoga

is even more meditative when pondering this tiered plant stand graced with air-cleansing ferns. The bottom shelf brims with blue star fern (Phlebodium aureum ‘Mandaianum’); row two features bird’s nest fern (Asplenium nidus). Crowning the grouping with its own curling leaves is a bromeliad (Quesnelia marmorata). A B O V E M I D D L E Although asparagus fern (Asparagus plumosus) is not actually a fern, it is often mentioned in the same breath due to its growing habits and frilly form. A B O V E R I G H T Pellaea is a fern of a totally different texture with its leathery pinnae leaves. R I G H T Standing tall, a bear’s paw fern (Humata tyermannii) sends fuzzy rhizomes wandering over the rim of its cone-shape vase. A graceful terra-cotta urn holds a compact rippled bird’s nest fern (Asplenium nidus ‘Crispy Wave’). The ferns share space with a blooming hellebore. O P P O S I T E Many maidenhair ferns prefer warmth and high humidity, so a cloche provides the ideal environment.

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Growing Guidance

Treat them right and ferns will repay you with years of beauty. FORGET WHAT YOU’VE HEARD ABOUT FERNS BEING FINICKY.

Most ferns don’t need junglelike humidity or toasty temperatures. But they are heavy drinkers. If you are forgetful about quenching a houseplant’s thirst, then this might not be the right match for you. GIVE A FERN GENEROUS ROOM TO ROOT IN ITS CONTAINER.

Because they prefer slightly moist soil, cramped roots can spell doom for these pteridophytes. FERNS PREFER INDIRECT LIGHT.

Very bright situations (especially in summer) and dismally dark locations won’t work. Except for those dislikes, ferns are easy to please.

The Right Fern for You

Though many ferns are a cinch to grow, others require more expertise to achieve success. Here are our suggestions. JUST STARTING OUT WITH FERNS?

Forge a relationship with these easy-to-please, no-special-care-needed varieties for beginners. Birdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Nest Caterpillar Footed Mahogany Mother Pteris Staghorn WANT MORE OF A CHALLENGE?

Venture into these ferns that might require a terrarium to furnish high humidity or temperatures in their habitat to thrive. Boston Button Heart-Leaf Maidenhair

O P P O S I T E A metal container in a vintage Bundt pan, both filled with soil and set in a shallow enamelware bowl, form a makeshift

tower. The maidenhair fern sends its fronds arching above a spikemoss (Selaginella kraussiana ‘Aurea’), a low, creeping plant that is a close cousin to the fern. Both love warmth, humidity, and a generous amount of water. A B O V E Although silver lace fern (Pteris ensiformis ‘Evergemiensis’) does not demand the high humidity of a terrarium, it is a thirsty fern. The antique aquarium works for it by holding in moisture for the soil and streamlining watering, because dribbles can seep out into the watertight catchall.

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RECIPES

Recipes from RANCH HANDS, page 58.

Charred Peach and Country Ham Salad with Balsamic Glaze HANDS ON: 20 minutes TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 20 minutes 6 2 1 1 2 8 1½ 2 2

ripe peaches cups balsamic vinegar shallot, chopped (¼ cup) bay leaf tablespoons olive oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper cups baby arugula and/or frisée cups crispy corn bread croutons* ounces very thinly sliced country ham or prosciutto, cut into bite-size strips ounces Burrata or fresh mozzarella cheese, cut up

1. Halve peaches. Remove pits and save. In a medium saucepan combine peach pits, balsamic vinegar, shallot, and bay leaf. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Boil gently, uncovered, 30 to 35 minutes or until reduced to 3/4 cup. Remove from heat. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve; discard solids. Whisk in 1 tablespoon of the oil; season to taste with salt and pepper. 2. Meanwhile, heat a dry 12-inch castiron skillet over medium-high. Toss peach halves with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Place peach halves, cut sides down, in skillet. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until seared. Remove to a cutting board; cool. Cut each peach half in half. 3. To serve, arrange the greens on a platter. Top with peaches, croutons, ham, and cheese. Serve with balsamic glaze. 4. Store glaze in refrigerator up to 2 weeks. *Tip: To make crispy corn bread croutons, preheat oven to 300°F. Spread 1-inch corn bread cubes in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking

sheet. Drizzle cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Bake 10 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp. Remove and cool. NUMBER OF SERVINGS: 6

Deep Dish “Pantry” Brownies Chef Tyler Morrish uses two 8×4×21/2inch cast-iron loaf pans or a 10-inch castiron skillet to make this recipe. HANDS ON: 30 minutes TOTAL TIME: 4 hours 30 minutes (includes cooling) Nonstick cooking spray 2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (60% cacao) 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter 1 teaspoon instant espresso coffee powder 4 eggs, room temperature 2 cups sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted ½ cup bittersweet chocolate chips (60% cacao) ¼ cup candied pecans or salted cashews, chopped ¼ cup smoked almonds, chopped ¼ cup dried tart red cherries 1 cup tiny marshmallows, broiled for char if desired Unsweetened cocoa powder (optional) Flaked sea salt (optional) Salted caramel sauce (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two 8- or 9-inch loaf pans with parchment paper; coat paper with cooking spray. 110

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2. In a medium, heavy-bottom saucepan or double boiler melt 2 cups chocolate chips and the butter over medium-low. When almost completely melted, remove pan from heat and add espresso powder; stir until smooth. Let cool slightly. 3. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high for 3 to 5 minutes or until like mousse (thickened and light). 4. Add chocolate mixture and vanilla; beat on low until combined. Add flour to the mixture, half at a time, beating on low after each addition until smooth. Scrape bottom of bowl with rubber spatula after each addition. 5. Spoon 1/4 of the batter into each of the prepared pans. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup chocolate chips, the pecans, almonds, cherries, and marshmallows. Divide remaining batter atop each and spread evenly. Bake about 45 minutes or until a knife comes out almost clean (loaf will be chunky and muddy-looking) or an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers at least 195°F. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Use paper to lift uncut brownies from pan. Cool completely on the wire rack at least 3 hours. 6. If desired, sprinkle loaves with cocoa powder and salt. Cut into slices and, if desired, drizzle with caramel sauce. NUMBER OF SERVINGS: 24

GET THE LOOK

RESOURCES

CONTACT THESE DESIGN PROFESSIONALS FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR SERVICES OR PRODUCTS. OUR STYLE MAKERS PAGES 7–11 Angie Wendricks, County Road Living; angiewendricks.com; instagram.com/ countyroadliving. Courtney Allison, French Country Cottage; frenchcountrycottage.net.

SOUTHERN COMFORT PAGES 14–25

BUILDER: Sean Doughtie, Schilling and Company

Interior Design LLC, Atlanta; 678/925-6075; schillingandcompany.com. INTERIOR DESIGN: Ashley Schoenith, Heirloomed, Atlanta; 866/486-3622; heirloomedcollection.com. LIGHTING DESIGN: Joanne Sims, Ma Maison Inc., Saint Simons Island, Georgia; 912/638-0738. CARPENTRY: John Smith, T & J Cabinets, Covington, Georgia. WOOD TABLES: WoodKith, Atlanta; 866/4863622; woodkith.com.

CALL OF THE WILD

PAGES 52–57 Hort & Pott, 7829 NY–81, Oak Hill, NY 12460; hortandpott.com.

R ANCH HANDS

PAGES 58–69 Five Marys Farms, Fort Jones, California; 530/468-4001; fivemarysfarms.com.

INSTANT CLASSIC PAGES 70–79

HOUSE PLAN DESIGNER: Andrew Weaver. BUILDER: T. Scott Williams, 8653 Knox Rd., West

Frankfort, IL 62896; 618/937-3015. KITCHEN CABINETRY: Jim Rapp, Rapp Cabinets & Woodworks Inc., 1 Greenfield Dr., Dahlgren, IL 62828; 618/736-2955; rappcabinets.com. MASTER BED REPRODUCTION: Gary Stott, Excelsior Manufacturing Inc., Murphysboro, IL; 618/687-2239; excelsiorwoodworking.com. ANTIQUES THROUGHOUT: Arnett’s Country Store; arnettscountrystore.com.

INTO THE WOODS PAGES 26–35

INSPIRED BY LAND & SEA

California; 858/354-7201; instagram.com/ cestesdesign.

ARTIST: Scott Sutton Art, Portland, Oregon;

INTERIOR DESIGNER: Carol Estes, Idyllwild,

PAGES 88–93

hello@courtneywarren.com; courtneywarren .com; instagram.com/courtneywarrenhome.

503/734-4766; scottsuttonart.com. Pigment Hunter, Taos, New Mexico; 503/734-4766; pigmenthunter.com. WildCraft Studio School, Portland, Oregon; info@wildcraftstudioschool.com; wildcraftstudioschool.com. CERAMIST: Michele Michael, Elephant Ceramics; elephantceramics.com.

TREE HOUSE

CAN-DO SPIRIT

ROAD TRIP TO ROUND TOP PAGES 36–43

INTERIOR DESIGNER: Courtney Warren Home;

PAGES 44–51

CONTRACTOR: Herron Brothers Construction,

8470 Valley Flores Dr., West Hills, CA 91304; 818/712-6962; hbrosconstruct@gmail.com. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS: Sydney Baumgartner (retired) and Scott Menzel, Scott Menzel Landscape Architect, 3823 Santa Claus Ln., Unit D, Carpinteria, CA 93013; 805/320-9751; scottmenzel.com. ARCHITECT: C J Paone, Archipelago Workshop, P.O. Box 1772, Ventura, CA 93002; 805/4516914; cjpaone.com.

PAGES 94–103

INTERIOR DESIGNER: Stefania Skrabak, AHG

Interiors, Catskills, Long Island, and New York, New York; 917/907-0624; arthomegarden.com.

A FONDNESS FOR FRONDS

PAGES 104–109 For more, check out Tovah Martin’s book The Indestructible Houseplant. LECTURER, PLANT EXPERT: Tovah Martin; tovah@ tovahmartin.com; tovahmartin.com.

WHO Design pro and real estate broker Blake Richardson bwrhome.com; Instagram (@blakewrichardson)

WHAT Blake loves lamps for their sculptural forms and warm glow. His collection includes plaster figurine types as well as those with art nouveau flourishes, but he really takes a shine to brass urn lamps made in the ‘70s and ‘80s. “They’re classics that fit with any room style,” he says. HOW MUCH Blake seeks out the work of legendary lamp designer E. F. Chapman. Heft and a satin finish indicate vintage, hand-polished pieces. Midcentury lamps with the original Chapman Manufacturing label fetch upward of $1,000, but newer and unmarked pieces can be uncovered at thrift stores for under $100.

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Country Home® (ISSN 0737-3740), August (Fall) 2020, Volume 41, No. 3. Country Home is published quarterly in February, May, August, and October by Meredith Corporation, 1716 Locust St., Des Moines, IA 50309-3023. Periodicals postage paid at Des Moines, IA, and at additional mailing offices. Subscription prices: $20 per year in the U.S.; $30 (U.S. dollars) in Canada. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 507.1.5.2.) NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: Send address corrections to Country Home, P.O. BOX 37508, Boone, IA 50037-0508. In Canada: mailed under Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40069223; Canadian BN 12348 2887 RT. Your bank may provide updates to the card information we have on file. You may opt out of this service at any time. Country Home is a registered trademark in the United States. © Meredith Corporation 2020. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.

PHOTOGRAPHED BY WERNER STRAUBE

LOOK WHAT I FOUND COLLECTING

lamps

ENJOY OLD-FASHIONED FRAGRANCE

in your garden with our Terrific Trio collection EXCLUSIVE HEIRLOOM PEONY COLLECTION These three prized perennials will create a showstopping burst of color in your yard, whether planted together or tucked among other plants in a sunny border. Peonies are deer resistant, hardy and easy to grow. Their large, full blossoms and long-lasting perfume make them ideal for bouquets. Our lovely grouping includes three different heirloom peonies: Duchesse de Nemours displays scented, pure white blooms and is a winner of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. Lady Alexander Duff is a fragrant double peony that produces multi-layered blooms in blush pink. Edulis Superba offers intensely perfumed double flowers in rich rosy pink. While a newly planted peony seldom makes a first-class show during its first season, these vigorous plants will reach top form in their second or third year. Once established, they’ll deliver beautiful color and rich fragrance for decades to come. We ship large roots with 3–5 eyes that are fresh from the growing fields. $49.00 for the trio, plus shipping. (Item M083531)

HURRY – QUANTITIES LIMITED!

Your plants will ship from White Flower Farm at the proper time for fall planting. 100% guaranteed!

Order online at whiteflowerfarm.com/heirloom or call 1-800-420-2852 Please mention Code SIP15 when ordering.