Chiffon® Roses of Sharon: GRACEFUL STEMS, ABUNDANT BLOSSOMS, LONG BLOOMING, EASY TO GROW
2020
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Spring 2020
Vol. 41, No. 1
SIMPLE RECIPES FOR MEANINGFUL GATHERINGS
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COUNTRY HOME SPRING 2020
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
12 Home on the Ranch 22 Tending Her Garden 32 Residence Reborn 42 On Stable Ground 54 Spring Gathering 66 Getting Cozy 74 A Dramatic Shift 84 Fresh Ways with Displays
102 Americana Spirit
7 Our Style Makers 110 Resources 112 Look What I Found
COVER PHOTOGRAPH BY JOHN GRUEN; THIS PHOTO BY JOHN BESSLER
90 Quiet Brilliance
FROM THE EDITOR
THE SPRING SEASON FEELS LIKE A WELLEARNED REWARD.
After a long winter’s night, the days stretch slowly longer, the winds become warmer, and— in one of my favorite signs of our Midwestern spring—the robins return to ready their nests. From busy birds to budding trees, the season is sparked by industriousness and renewal. In short, it’s time for spring fever to kick in. These pages are bursting with fresh ideas from some of the most energetic and creative homeowners we’ve found. Your day will be brightened by Meghan Hershfield (page 22), who gathers blooms from her mother’s bountiful flower gardens into lush, free-form arrangements. And you’ll love meeting Risa King (page 42), a single mother of eight, who knew she was home the minute she saw a downon-its-luck, nearly century-old polo pony barn. With hands-on help from her teens, she galloped in to remake it into a warm, richly layered residence. Meanwhile, over in western Michigan, blogger and author Liz Marie Galvan (page 66) is busy fi xing up an 1800s farmhouse in her signature cozy white style. She takes time out to share her tips for creating a personal, heartfelt home. We’ve got timely ideas for hunters and gatherers, too. You are cordially invited to our spring get-together (page 54), where event expert Rebecca Gallop shows us the beauty of unplugging and enjoying an alfresco lunch under the trees with friends. The ideas and recipes served up are as simple as they are satisfying. And just in time for antiquing season, we share insider collecting and arranging tips (page 84) for some classic favorites that have found their way into the spotlight again. Here’s wishing you a pretty and productive spring!
SAMANTHA HART, EDITOR
P.S. We’re thrilled to report that Country Home® magazine is
now available four times a year. As always, it’s on newsstands everywhere. We’ve also added a subscription option so you don’t miss a single issue. Visit TheMeredithStore.com to sign up today.
COUNTRY HOME SPRING 2020
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Editor SAMANTHA HART Designer KIMBERLY MORGAN METZ Contributing Editor SANDRA S. SORIA Contributing Designer SHELLEY CALDWELL
Copy Editor ANGELA RENKOSKI Proofreader MARTHA COLOFF LONG Administrative Assistant RENAE MABIE
HOME Executive Editor SAMANTHA HART Group Editor ANN BLEVINS 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, SUE MILLER, KIM O’BRIEN-WOLETT Photography Coordinator ALYSSA RICHARDSON
GARDEN Senior Content Manager SUSAN APPLEGET HURST Design Director KIMBERLY MORGAN METZ Associate Art Director JESSICA ENO Administrative Assistant KATIE MORT Better Homes & Gardens Test Garden® Manager SANDRA GERDES
FOOD Executive Editor JAN MILLER Senior Content Manager JESSICA SAARI CHRISTENSEN Senior Editor MAGGIE GLISAN Senior Associate 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
EDITORIAL ADMINISTRATION Editorial Directors JENNIFER DORLAND DARLING, JILL WAAGE Managing Director, SIM KARMAN WITTRY HOTCHKISS Creative Director MICHAEL D. BELKNAP Assistant Managing Editor JENNIFER SPEER RAMUNDT Copy Chief MARIA DURYEE Senior Copy Editors ERIKA BJORKLUND, MARTHA COLOFF LONG, ANGELA RENKOSKI Business Manager, Editorial CINDY SLOBASZEWSKI Lead Business Office Assistant GABRIELLE RENSLOW Director, Premedia Services AMY TINCHER-DURIK Director, Quality JOSEPH KOHLER Director, Meredith Food Studios ALLISON LOWERY Director, Meredith Test Kitchen LYNN BLANCHARD Director, Meredith Photo Studio REESE STRICKLAND Photo Studio Set Construction Manager DAVE DECARLO Photo Studio Business Manager TERRI CHARTER Premedia Trafficking Supervisor TONY JUNGWEBER Color Quality Analyst JOHN SANTUCCI
CONTRIBUTING FIELD EDITORS Atlanta Lisa Mowry Baltimore Eileen Deymier Birmingham, AL Cathy Still McGowin Charleston, SC/Savannah Sandra L. Mohlmann Charlotte/San Diego Andrea Caughey Chatham, MA Karin Lidbeck-Brent Chicago Elaine Markoutsas Denver Mindy Pantiel, Elaine St. Louis Detroit/Toronto Khristi S. Zimmeth Jaffrey Center, NH Stacy Kunstel Los Angeles Darra Baker, Laura Hull, Robin Tucker Minneapolis/St. Paul Bonnie Broten, Heidi Pearson Nashville Anna Forkum New Orleans Kimberly Clarke, Margaret Zainey Roux New Paltz, NY Anna Molvik Newport, RI Lynda Sutton Portland, ME Susan Salomon Richmond, VA Paige Porter Fischer San Diego Karen Reinecke San Francisco Sarah Alba Seagrove, FL Eleanor Lynn Nesmith Seattle Linda Humphrey St. Louis Jessica Brinkert Holtam Washington, D.C. Jeanne Blackburn
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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MEREDITH SPECIAL INTEREST MEDIA Vice President & Group Publisher SCOTT MORTIMER Vice President, Group Editorial Director STEPHEN ORR 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 LYNN BOLINGER, 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 Phone: 212/499-2294 Sales Director TYLER HUB tyler.hub@meredith.com
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PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF CHARLOTTE REISS
Hydrangeas bloom against centuries-old stone in the dining area off Charlotte Reiss’s kitchen in rural France. A local carpenter fashioned new shutters in the style and mint-green color that are customary in the region.
Country Home
STYLE MAKERS ®
IN THE FRENCH COUNTRYSIDE AND A SMALL TOWN IN GEORGIA, TWO DESIGN INFLUENCERS SHOW US THEIR INTERPRETATIONS OF THE UNIVERSAL WELCOMING EMBRACE THAT IS COUNTRY STYLE. WRIT TEN BY
JESSICA BENNETT COUNTRY HOME SPRING 2020
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OUR STYLE MAKERS
ACROSS THE POND WITH
1 / Charlotte Reiss curates all of the product selections for her primarily online-based shop, Vivi et Margot. Occasionally she does pop-up shops at brick-and-mortar retailers around the United States. 2 / Set in the middle of her three-tiered garden, an outdoor dining table overlooks Charlotte’s home and the French countryside beyond, providing a dreamy setting where she enjoys entertaining guests.
Charlotte Reiss The shop owner and Francophile honors tradition and joie de vivre in her rural home.
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the English coast, Charlotte Reiss’s heart belongs to the French countryside. After moving to the United States for a career as a talent agent, she longed for the French holidays of her youth and a rural retreat to call her own. Eight years ago, that dream became reality with a 150-year-old farmhouse in Provence, France. She has since renovated it with her homebuilder husband, and now their family spends holidays and summers there. The realization of that dream birthed another—owning her own traditional French housewares online marketplace. Named after Charlotte’s two daughters, her Vivi et Margot shop sells French antiques (handpicked by Charlotte during frequent trips across the Atlantic) and artisanal French items such as wicker baskets, wooden utensils, and linen aprons. Each product is something Charlotte would use in her own home, where she makes each decorating decision with authenticity in mind. “Classic and traditional are two words that are never going to go out of fashion,” she says. RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 110.
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COUNTRY HOME SPRING 2020
PHOTOGR APHS COURTESY OF CHARLOT TE REISS
THOUGH SHE GREW UP ALONG
3 3 / Leather-handle market baskets are among Vivi et Margot’s best-selling items. 4 / Custom table-setting decor sourced from Etsy, including handwritten place cards, makes dinner parties extra special. 5 / An old stone bowl holds scrubbing brushes near the kitchen sink. 6 / Raised-panel cupboards and reclaimed hexagonal terra-cotta tiles, which Charlotte estimates to be over 150 years old, lend old-world flavor to the kitchen. 7 / An antique soup tureen potted with orchids graces a bedside table.
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OUR STYLE MAKERS
DOWN HOME WITH
“I WANT TO EVOKE JOY AND ENERGY WITH MY COLOR COMBINATIONS, AND A LOT OF THAT INSPIRATION COMES FROM NATURE.”
Elaine Burge
Much like her art, this artist’s abode is a celebration of pattern and color. IF ART REFLECTS LIFE,
Elaine Burge’s days must burst with color and energy. The Georgia artist dips her brush into every color under the sun for her natureinspired abstracts and vivid portraits. Elaine’s home, which she shares with her husband, Richey, and their daughters, Lucy and Bonnie, follows a similar color scheme. The quaint ranch house is nestled on a small plot of land near Riddleville, Georgia (population: 250), where they relish in quiet evenings under star-speckled skies with their four dogs, seven chickens, and neighbors that include a herd of cows and one “extremely boisterous” donkey. Antique finds and colorful collections circulate fresh air into every room of the house. “My home is like a revolving door; I’m always switching out what I have on my walls,” Elaine says. The eclectic explosion of color and style reflects her exuberant approach to life: “So much of life is fun and inspirational and joyous if you just take a minute to appreciate it.” RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 110.
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—ELAINE BURGE
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PHOTOGR APHS BY HOLLY KNIGHT
6 1 / Artist Elaine Burge in her studio. 2 / Elaine painted a white-tailed deer skull in vibrant hues to mount above an antique dry sink in the dining room. 3 / Mint barstools and floral curtains add color to the mostly white kitchen. 4 / Antique bistro chairs and colorful garden stools found at a garage sale gather around a century-old farm table on the wraparound porch. 5 / On the faux fireplace hearth, a basket holds Elaine’s collection of vintage quilts. 6 / In her daughters’ bedroom, large-scale floral wallpaper creates a playful backdrop for furnishings, like the rocking chair handed down from Richey’s mother and a bedside table fashioned from an old telephone pole.
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T H I S P H O T O Jennifer
Horowitz, along with her husband, Glen, envisioned life on the ranch in Texas through the lens of a front porch. Classic porch furniture sits on pavers, chosen instead of the more standard wood due to their durability. O P P O S I T E The house faces a pasture on the 56-acre ranch. “We end all our days on the porch,” Jennifer says, “with the crickets singing and the owls hooting back and forth. They remind us where we live—and why.”
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home on the ranch ONE COUPLE FOUND A NEW LIFE ON AN OLD HOMESTEAD AND BUILT THEIR DREAM HOUSE WITH AUTHENTIC MATERIALS AS AN HOMAGE TO CLASSIC FARMHOUSE STYLE. WRIT TEN AND PRODUCED BY PHOTOGR APHED BY
PAIGE PORTER FISCHER
NATHAN SCHRODER
ST YLED BY
JENNY O’CONNOR
j
ENNIFER HOROWITZ LIVES FOR THE GOLDEN HOUR—THAT
magical time when the sun descends behind the ridge of trees, and the family’s cows congregate on the fence line as if to enjoy the sky’s colorful show, too. Jennifer and her husband, Glen, meet on the porch every evening for a long, slow exhale while they rock in their favorite chairs and take in a view they always wanted. “We had been living a busy life in Fort Worth, and one day I just said to Glen, ‘I need to live in the country—it’s in my DNA,’” says Jennifer, who was born in Hawaii and whose grandparents raised Arabian horses on the island of Oahu. The couple found a listing for a 56-acre ranch near the small town of Whitesboro, Texas—about an hour and a half north of the city—and they made an appointment to see it immediately to determine whether the pictures from the listing were too good to be true. “As it turns out, the ranch was even better than we imagined,” Jennifer says. “We drove through a tunnel of century-old trees, discovered a spring-fed creek, groves of pecan trees, the old barn, and thistles covering a hillside. We got married at a mansion called Thistle Hill, so we took it as a sign this place was meant to be ours.” The couple bought the property and named it Thistle Hill Ranch, and Jennifer, an interior designer, began mapping out her forever home. Originally settled in the 1850s, the ranch had a tiny cottage— which the Horowitzes lived in for two years and now rent as an Airbnb—but it wasn’t big enough for the family of four. So they searched for the new home’s site. “We spent so much time wandering around the pastures, looking for the perfect place for our house, and when I saw this particular spot on the back side of the landscape, I told my husband this was where I wanted to put it—to take in the expansive view and all the future sunsets,” Jennifer says. She slowly designed the house in her head, then on paper, and finally with an architect—after two years of researching historical farmhouses. “I wanted it to look like the pioneers had built it, and it had slowly been added onto over time,” she says. Jennifer sourced every material, including the wide-plank knotty floorboards, a metalclad cast-iron bathtub, and the massive limestones used on the front porch steps and fireplace. When decorating the light-filled spaces, Jennifer put her antiquing skills to good use and outfitted the house with pieces that tell stories
T O P L E F T The limestone on the fireplace inspired the blue-grays used
elsewhere as an accent color. Jennifer designed it to look like it was from the 1850s, when the ranch was established, and hung her grandfather’s rifle on it for more authenticity. A B O V E L E F T Jennifer and Glen share the rewards and lessons of ranch life—including breeding cows and caring for horses and dogs—with their two sons, Preston, 19 (far left), and Landen, 17. L E F T The twostory foyer demanded something dramatic, so Jennifer bought this floor mirror on clearance (due to a hairline crack) and placed it on top of a console.
T H I S P H O T O Old
beams and classic furniture add a sense of history and character to the vaulted living room, which is bathed in natural light. “Our builders kept asking us if we had any walls planned, because we kept adding windows everywhere,� Jennifer says.
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O P P O S I T E Most appliances are hidden behind closed doors. Landen enjoys the 10-foot island, which seats a bevy of teenage boys and extended family on a regular basis. Jennifer designed the painted wood range hood to look like antique zinc for a rustic vibe. B E L O W Jennifer found the laundry room sink on Amazon and created a skirt for it to hide the cats’ litter boxes. R I G H T Because the ranch is remote, Jennifer stocks up on groceries. “For this reason, I needed to be thoughtful about my pantry,” she says. “I found a photo once of a sweet French kitchen with simple café rods and gray curtains hiding the clutter, and I kept it to inspire my future pantry design.”
of the ranch life she’s always felt drawn to. She kept the backdrop mostly white, with the exception of a few hits of historical blue-gray, so her antiques and one-of-a-kind pieces can shine. “There’s nothing fussy here at the ranch,” Jennifer says. In fact, she deliberately chose everything— from the raw materials to the furniture—with life’s messes in mind. “We have two boys, dogs, farm cats, and a lot of ranch dust that comes in and out of this house on a daily basis,” she says. “But I’ve never been afraid of a little dirt. I embrace all the chips, cracks, and imperfections. To me, that’s life. And there’s beauty in all of that. It’s what gives character to the place you call home.” RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 110.
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A B O V E Jennifer collects vintage china in classic blue and white—including this Currier and Ives The Old
Grist Mill pattern by Royal. She marries her finds with traditional fluted flatware and crisp linens. O P P O S I T E The dining room banquette was designed with plenty of storage underneath for linens. Jennifer had her
table made for $500 by a carpenter she found on Facebook. She added an outdoor stain to make the 5×6-foot table durable. For years, Jennifer eyed the vintage horse painting at a local antiques store before she finally made a low offer of $89 and brought it home. “It feels like it was always meant to be hanging right there,” she says.
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“WE LOVE HISTORY AND WANT TO PRESERVE IT. EVERYTHING WE’VE DONE HERE AT THE RANCH HAS BEEN DONE TO PRESERVE ITS ORIGINAL STORY.” —JENNIFER HOROWITZ
A B O V E L E F T A fireplace is a romantic touch in the master bedroom. A B O V E A collector of antique books, Jennifer’s favorite room in the house is the library. Two chairs wear traditional nailhead trim and flank an octagonal table the family often uses for games . L E F T Jennifer chose neutral bedding for her bed, which is upholstered in linen. “I wanted all shades of tan and white in the master to echo the colors we see outside the windows,” she says. B E L O W Jennifer found a cast-iron tub wrapped in metal to give her new home a historical feel. For more classic touches, she added wainscoting and ceramic tile that mimics marble for the floors.
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T H I S P H O T O The bunk room functions as
a living area and sleeping space for Preston (shown) and Landen. “I wanted the boys and all their friends to have a place to go and hang out,� Jennifer says. She painted the built-ins blue-gray, hung wood paddles on the wall, and chose one theme per bed based on vintage Currier and Ives prints. Each of the bunks is outfitted with its own light, outlet, and USB port.
TE N D I N G H E R GA R D E N
INSPIRED BY HER LOVE OF NATURE, A FLORAL DESIGNER CREATES ARRANGEMENTS IN AN AGE-OLD BARN THAT CONNECT THE PAST TO THE PRESENT.
WRIT TEN BY
SAR AH EGGE
PHOTOGR APHED BY PRODUCED BY
JOHN BESSLER
K ARIN LIDBECK-BRENT
T H I S P H O T O Meghan Hershfield spins
her arrangements on a lazy Susan set on an antique trestle table to study all sides. Vintage urns and Mason jars stand in as vases. O P P O S I T E ‘ Cascading Montana’ clematis vine frames the cutting garden’s entrance. Meghan uses the vines, foliage, and blooms in her bouquets.
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T H I S P H O T O The antique
barn where Meghan has her studio dates to the 1850s. It burned in a fire nine years ago and had to be rebuilt; new double doors hang on the original iron hinges. O P P O S I T E When Meghan was about 10 years old, she told her sisters she might like to have a flower store one day. One sister suggested she name it after their cats, Truffles and James— which she did in 2007.
t
HE ELEGANT PERFUME OF PEONY BLOSSOMS
transports Meghan Hershfield to her school days. “When they bloom, you can’t cut them fast enough,” she says. “I remember I didn’t go to school without bringing bouquets to my teachers.” As a floral designer, Meghan is lucky to have the vintage bushes—which likely date to the 1940s—just steps from her studio in a renovated barn in Wilton, Connecticut. In fact, she’s surrounded by history at every turn. The barn and gardens are on the property where Meghan and her two sisters grew up and where her parents still live. When she finishes creating arrangements for a client’s weekend wedding, she’ll wash out buckets in the tub where she and her sisters took baths. “We were so scared of the claw feet,” Meghan says with a laugh. Now reglazed and situated in her studio, the tub is just one of the many memory-evoking items she works with. A wash pitcher from her grandmother’s house is now a vessel for an arrangement of hosta leaves and lacecap hydrangea. The sign advertising her business, Truffles & James, recalls beloved childhood pets. Nurturing these seeds of remembrance is important to Meghan, and it’s why she commutes from the home she shares with her husband and two young sons in Brooklyn Heights, New York. She focuses on events in the Connecticut area and meets with clients in the studio that’s connected by a breezeway to her parents’ house. The familiar setting is the source of her inspiration. Her designs reflect the New England seasons, including what’s growing at the time. “Just like the farm-to-table movement, the farm-to-flower movement, if you will, is important to brides as well,” she says. “It’s important to me to choose things that are in season and local whenever possible.”
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“My style is lush
AND GARDEN-INSPIRED. I LIKE TO CELEBRATE WHEN THINGS ARE IMPERFECT IN NATURE—THINGS ODDLY ASKEW OR IN UNUSUAL MUTED COLORS.” —MEGHAN HERSHFIELD
Meghan’s mother, Lynda Campbell, a printmaker we featured in Country Home® in the Winter 2018 issue, shared her passion for flowers early on. “She used to say, ‘If I had a little bit of money, I would buy flowers then worry about the meal for the night,’” Meghan says. “We’re the same in that way. We both have to have something green and something beautiful in every room.” When the barn that houses Meghan’s studio caught fire nine years ago, the family was able to save many of its features. They rebuilt it as close to the original structure as possible but added modern amenities. Meghan designed the workbench to suit her height and has the space climate-controlled for plant health. The room is filled with heirlooms and antiques, and she enjoys the barn’s double doors. “Those big doors are really useful for huge arrangements,” she says. As often as she can, Meghan brings her boys, Harry, 4, and Louie, almost 2, to the garden to get their hands in the dirt. She takes them to the cutting garden when she’s choosing blooms for one of her bouquets. While her parents do many of the daily chores, Meghan’s attachment to the garden is rooted deeply in her soul. “There’s so much good that comes from tending to a garden,” she says. “I love the word ‘tending.’ It means give care to. It humbles you. It can completely defeat you, but a garden also gives you a sense of wonder. There’s something so inherently rich in the lessons you learn from working soil in the backyard.” RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 110.
O P P O S I T E A stone path leads into perennial gardens that bloom with hydrangeas, coneflowers, and lavender. T O P Meghan’s work surface is tailor-made (she stood in place so the architect could measure how tall to build it); a mirror backsplash allows her to see entire arrangements. A low stone sink with a hand pump is for filling vases. A B O V E A fenced cutting garden includes flowers as well as vegetables. “The garden is really my mother’s work and her vision,” Meghan says.
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O P P O S I T E “Part of why I like having my studio in Connecticut is that I can be inspired by the garden,” Meghan says. Peonies from the property combine with roses in a low stone urn. T H I S P H O T O A previous owner, an artist, installed the tall divided-light window and transom to flood the space with light, which suits Meghan’s work as well. She designed her work space around vintage furniture and accessories, such as brass and milk glass sconces. COUNTRY HOME SPRING 2020
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L E F T Chamomile and black-eyed Susans fill out a low glass canister. R I G H T Meghan combined pink and purple phlox and added white cosmos for pop. “I always use white in arrangements because it brightens everything up and makes it sparkle,” she says. B E L O W L E F T A blue glass jar holds a subtle arrangement of white lisianthus and green heuchera leaves. B E L O W R I G H T “A bouquet always starts in the hand,” Meghan says. O P P O S I T E A pitcher from her grandmother’s Victorian washbasin set spurred Meghan to create this loose array starring hydrangeas and hosta leaves. “I just cut stuff and messily put it in there,” she says. “It seemed a nice contradiction with the idea of being clean and tidy.”
Flower Power
Meghan Hershfield offers pro tips for DIY bouquets. IMITATE NATURE “If you’re trying to make something look like it’s from the garden, think about how the sun hits it to make different shades,” she says. Include flowers in several hues and a range of intensities from pale to bold. MAKE THE CUT “People make the mistake of buying flowers and thinking they can’t cut the stems. But when you trim them to create air and space around the flower, it looks so much better,” she says. VARY TEXTURE “You don’t want all fluffy flowers,” Meghan says. Blend blooms of different shapes and sizes, as well as leaves that feel slick, wispy, or fuzzy.
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residence reborn IT SEEMED LIKE THIS ABANDONED VERMONT PARSONAGE WAS PRAYING TO BE REVIVED. SO ARTIST AND DESIGNER TERRY JOHN WOODS HEEDED THE CALL IN HIS SIGNATURE MINIMALIST COUNTRY WAY. WRIT TEN AND PRODUCED BY PHOTOGR APHED BY
TOVAH MARTIN
KINDR A CLINEFF
O P P O S I T E In Terry John
Woods’ dining room, a vintage bistro table from the Brimfield Antique Show, set with African violets and a family of cement hens and chicks, is bathed in natural light between a pair of gray-painted, slipcovered office chairs. T H I S P H O T O The softened office chairs surround an oversize round table in the dining space. The original mantel supports painted vintage croquet balls and an industrial-style lamp. COUNTRY HOME SPRING 2020
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A B O V E Terry keeps dinnerware in—and
atop—an old blanket box that once stored grain in his father’s dairy barn. Hung stainless-steel pots substitute for a window valance. A B O V E R I G H T For a focal point in the kitchen, an old sink found on the roadside in Maine was given a wainscoting surround and a shelf made from a mantel section. O P P O S I T E A cupboard with its original bird’s-egg blue paint holds cloth napkins, candlesticks, and serving pieces in the dining room and is graced by one of Terry’s original paintings.
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w
HEN SPRING IS STILL JUST A FEW CRABAPPLE
blossoms and a whole lot of hope away in Perkinsville, Vermont, the former parsonage where artist and interior designer Terry John Woods spends most of his year is resplendent. And that’s by design—sunbeams play off clean white walls to spotlight well-curated collections. The parsonage was forgotten in 2009 and wasn’t even up for sale. How Terry noticed the abandoned brick building more than half-hidden behind a tangle of overgrown forsythia shrubs might be a mystery—if you didn’t know Terry. Fact is, the intrepid restorationist is always tooling around seeking lost-cause homes to adopt. At the time, his search was fueled by desperation because his former house had sold in a flash, rendering him temporarily homeless. But the love-at-first-sight attraction turned into a long-term romance with this overlooked home. The condition of the late-1800s parsonage was “far beyond awful” and might daunt anyone else, but dire straits fire Terry’s creative juices. And he sensed the potential for community in this structure, which sits on the main square in the heart of the small village. He also felt affinity. “I grew up on a farm and learned to make do with what I’m given,” he says. “It’s about touching things and feeling the familiarity. That’s how I turn a house into a home.” Still, the strip-and-scrape renovation took faith. Because it once served as a group home, “one Band-Aid after another” held the house together, Terry says. “Doors were kicked in; it was a shambles.” For an
O P P O S I T E Terry snagged the living room sofa at a tag sale for $200. When he stripped the sofa’s cushions, he found this blue
ticking underneath. He painted the canvas specifically to bring the colors in the room together; it hangs near a bistro table decorated with vintage seltzer bottles. The slipcovered sink-into wing chair is from Terry’s family home and resides beside a cupboard that stows more kitchen utensils. A B O V E In the art studio, metal document boxes filled with painting supplies and a drafting lamp painted silver sit in front of gridwork shelving exhibiting Terry’s vintage Lesney car collection.
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A B O V E For the downstairs bathroom, Terry converted an
antique sewing cabinet to hold a vessel sink. He loves that you can barely see the ghost of your reflection in the old mirror. O P P O S I T E Terry’s painting provides a hint of color in the guest bedroom, where a blanket chest (with an unapologetic mouse hole) supports an 1850s full-bodied rocking horse. He selected a four-poster to lead the eye up to the high ceiling.
extended period, the only residents were bats and mice. Somehow Terry saw behind the brocade wallpaper, somber window trim, and flamboyantly painted floorboards. Giving the home back its dignity took years of hard labor and unwavering vision, along with about 10 coats of Behr Swiss Coffee paint. Terry has a tried-and-true formula. He starts by creating a luminous white room and softens it with meaningful pieces, allowing each to step forward and tell its story. He’s a minimalist at heart—minus the stark edge. Instead of color, he substitutes texture and substance. In his rooms, a few select found and weathered primitive pieces in muted shades are silhouetted against the white backdrop. Works of art—including Terry’s own paintings—provide colorful and personal focal points. Used sparingly, textural raw wood offers another layer of visual interest. Floors painted in pale gray also add depth, in part because Terry is reverential about his floorboards. Wanting to preserve the feeling conveyed by centuries of footsteps, the floors weren’t sanded before the paint went on. “Old floors have an arch with feathered edges. It’s a crime to flatten that surface by sanding down the floorboards,” Terry says, noting if a room needs the warmth of a rug, he goes with simple sisal. “I don’t love pattern; there isn’t a lot of contrast in my life—on purpose.” The parsonage is now a house for all seasons. With the dense forsythia forest gone, a much awaited spring unfolds gradually. An heirloom lilac breathes fresh perfume into the yard, while a painstakingly preserved gnarly crabapple lends just a dash of color. Nestled into that framework, the proud-again parsonage is both fully seen and welcoming. RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 110.
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“WHEN I CAME, THE FLOOR OF EVERY ROOM WAS A DIFFERENT COLOR. IN A WAY,
my goal was to tame the cacophony.” —TERRY JOHN WOODS
A B O V E Terry painstakingly restored the brick parsonage to its original grandeur. Once he cleared the grounds of wildly overgrown bushes, he could look out on the town through windows with their original wavy glass preserved. And the town now has a clear view of the historical structure’s imposing pediment and beautifully wrought dentilwork. A crabapple tree flourishes near the front door, providing bloom-laden branches for spring flower arrangements. O P P O S I T E For quick and casual entertaining in the courtyard, Terry sets up a vintage aluminum camping table found for $5 at a thrift store. In keeping with the weathered informality that prevails at the parsonage, mismatched French bistro chairs, collected through the years, seat guests. Arranged in an old watering can, the flowering crabapple branches create a simple but showy display.
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ON STABLE GROUND Undaunted by its crumbling state, an interior designer and single mother of eight reimagined this former polo pony barn into a charming and livable home that honors its rustic roots. WRIT TEN BY
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JESSICA BENNETT
PHOTOGR APHED BY
JOHN BESSLER
PRODUCED BY
K ARIN LIDBECK-BRENT
L E F T Risa King repurposed wood torn out of her existing living room to
create a mantel for the family room fireplace, which she freshened with a coat of white paint. To foster a sense of warmth in the small space, she added reclaimed beams and barnwood paneling to the ceilings. Built-in shelves—also crafted from reclaimed wood—display collected treasures. New shiplap walls look original. A B O V E A stone pathway guides guests under a covered patio that wraps around the front of the house and up to the front door, where a “Welcome” sign sums up the sentiment Risa set out to convey. “I want people to walk into my house and feel at home,” she says.
n T O P The formal dining room sits just inside the barn’s former main entrance. The original loft ladder, built into the wall now, leads into an upper-level sitting area. Risa underscored the room’s ties to the past with an antique Early American dough bowl atop the table and wall sconces repurposed from wrought-iron architectural remnants. A B O V E In the side yard, a low stone wall surrounds an antique bird feeder that came from a monastery. New landscaping softens the renovated home. Stepping-stones and pea gravel paths meander among several outdoor living areas on the 3.3-acre estate. O P P O S I T E New double doors lead from the dining room out to a pergola-covered patio, where Risa loves to host gatherings. “I wanted to create an extension of the dining room,” she says.
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EARLY A CENTURY AGO, HORSES STOOD
in Risa King’s living room. Entering the former barn through an open doorway where a set of French doors now stand, the polo ponies were washed, groomed, and saddled before handlers led them out to the front yard for a spirited game of the world’s oldest equestrian sport. During matches, the horses galloped down the narrow grassy field that runs up to Risa’s front door, afterward munching on hay that was stored in the loft directly above where her family now gathers around the dining room table. The first time Risa stepped onto the property—built into the rocky hills of Fairfield County, Connecticut—a sense of kinship stirred deep in her bones. As the daughter of a cowboy, who grew up around horses out West, Risa says: “I walked inside and I was home.” She had no illusions about the work ahead, however. Built in the 1920s and later adapted into a home, the building bore signs of disrepair everywhere: in its aging plumbing, faulty electrical work, and dilapidated roof; plus, the boards along one exterior wall had been layered with chicken wire to keep critters out. Risa, a newly divorced mother of eight, threw herself into the project with an uncompromising desire to honor the home’s past. “With everything I did, I tried to echo its past life as a polo pony stable,” she says. “I wanted to give you a sense of what it really was and not totally take away from the character.” Though not all the original elements could be salvaged, she devised savvy ways to repurpose as much as she could. After finding that the original exterior door in the dining room didn’t seal well, for example, she moved it inside as a sliding barn door, preserving its weathered beauty. For items she needed to update or replace, such as the plumbing and flooring, she scoured salvage yards all over New England for antique sinks and bathtubs, scrap metal to be turned into sconces or mirrors, and
A B O V E A portrait of Risa’s late
grandmother, painted when she was 19, rests on an antique French easel in a light-filled corner of the living room. An Early American chaise upholstered in antique homespun linen offers a comfy reading spot beneath the windows. R I G H T The renovation was a true family affair as Risa enlisted the help of her eight children. Here, she relaxes on the covered patio with daughter Maren, 16, and son Charlie Wyatt, 18. F A R R I G H T The breezy, bug-free screen porch hosts an international mix of furnishings, including a Bertoia butterfly chair, Mexican equipale chairs, and an antique bed from India that Risa flipped upside down, suspended with jute rope, and topped with a mattress covered in antique harvest cloth.
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“I love using antiques
IN MY HOME, BECAUSE YOU’RE RARELY GOING TO SEE SOMETHING EXACTLY THE SAME. PEOPLE AND HOW THEY LIVE ARE UNIQUELY DIFFERENT, SO I FEEL THAT A HOME SHOULD REFLECT THAT.” —RISA KING
L E F T White Danby marble
countertops and a black Lacanche range with brass accents create old-fashioned ambience in the kitchen. Industrial-style open shelving keeps Risa’s ironstone collection easy to access and on display. A B O V E A vintage tin holds Risa’s sewing notions. B E L O W Custom Shaker-style cabinets made from salvaged oak disguise the dishwasher, refrigerator, and freezer for a more authentic look and feel. “I didn’t want my kitchen to be full of stainless steel, and I didn’t want everything to match,” Risa says. “I wanted it to look like it had been there in the 1920s.”
reclaimed wood for the floorboards and ceiling beams. “I didn’t want everything shiny and pristine, because this isn’t a shiny, pristine home,” Risa says. “This is a weathered, loved home.” When some of the new elements didn’t quite gel with that authentic aesthetic, she took matters into her own hands. The floorboards that had been fashioned from old barnwood, for instance, arrived with clean, fresh-cut edges where the timber had been sawed into pieces. “That summer, I had my children make an assembly line on the front porch to stain the raw cuts, so if the floorboard joints opened up a bit, there wouldn’t be this blond wood showing against the beautiful brown, patinaed wood,” Risa says. To cozy up the home’s rustic bones, she layered on a warm assortment of agrarian-inspired accessories, framed pieces of her children’s art, and vintage furnishings re-covered in antique fabric.
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T H I S P H O T O The breakfast nook provides
a casual spot just off the kitchen for daily dining, homework, and hobbies. Risa bumped out the exterior wall to create the sunny space. The antique painted sign delivers a dose of nostalgia and graphic interest against whitewashed shiplap walls.
T H I S P H O T O Inside the front
entrance, a couple of steps lead from the small foyer to the living room. Repurposed barnwood creates a warm, weathered floor. O P P O S I T E Beams from a barn in upstate New York add architectural heft to the ceiling. Two of them were hollowed out to conceal new steel structural beams. Risa selected stones from a nearby quarry to create a fireplace surround and mantel that match the home’s existing stonework. A working 1903 phonograph is a family favorite.
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T H I S P H O T O Risa stole space from the attic to create a soaring vaulted ceiling in the master bedroom, where hand-hewn beams bolster the barnlike atmosphere. The open lofted space at the top of the ladder serves as a private reading nook.
A B O V E Paired with an antique
pedestal sink, a gilded mirror and salvaged sconces exude a modest elegance. R I G H T Risa thinks of her home as a reflection of herself, filling it with pieces she loves regardless of style or era. In the master bedroom, that mix includes a midcentury modern Barcelona couch, which pairs well with her simple four-poster. Pillows, antique linens, and textiles soften the modern pieces. B E L O W Exposed plumbing and a ceilingmounted shower curtain ring add an authentic air to the new claw-foot tub in a guest bathroom.
“I love finding unique pieces that have a story and that connect me to the past,” she says. The owner of a Rowayton, Connecticut, lifestyle shop called The Collected Home, Risa is an avid collector herself. She frequents flea markets, antiques shops, and estate sales to supplement her collections of white ironstone, folk art, antique signs, and other treasures. “I guess I have a collection of grandchildren, too. That’s my favorite one,” she says. The home is now a beloved gathering place—lovingly restored with its legacy intact—for her eight children and that growing gaggle of grandkids. “My home is sacred ground,” Risa says. “This is where I can bring everybody in, close the door to the world, and have a safe place where my family can be together. This is our refuge from all the storms.” RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 110.
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SPRING GATHERING
Rebecca Gallop, the creative force behind her visually inspiring A Daily Something blog, hosts a luncheon for friends—and shows us how to slow down and savor get-togethers that celebrate the season.
WRIT TEN BY
SAR AH EGGE
PRODUCED BY
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PHOTOGR APHED BY
MIKE GR ADY
FOOD ST YLING BY
HELEN NORMAN CATRINE KELTY
O P P O S I T E A wreath on the door of a historical lockhouse along the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal lets blogger Rebecca Gallop’s guests know they found the right location. T H I S P H O T O Rebecca hosted this spring luncheon for friends. “People don’t usually dine outdoors because of the unknowns with weather and bugs,” she says. “But when you do, everyone loves it, and guests always linger longer.”
SOBREMESA IS A SPANISH WORD THAT
describes the period after a meal when the food is gone but everyone lingers at the table to enjoy conversation and community. “I just cherish that time,” says Rebecca Gallop, who hosts ticketed meals through an offshoot of her popular food and decor blog, A Daily Something. “The table is messy, the candles have dripped low, and people are sipping a last glass of wine or cup of coffee. It’s when the most meaningful conversations happen and the deepest friendships are forged.” Rebecca uses sobremesa as a guide when she plans seasonal meals. To encourage guests to stay awhile, she chooses a remote historical setting and sets up the meal outdoors, where nature—and in evenings, twinkle lights and candles—casts a hypnotic glow. “People are willing to unplug longer when they can’t hear cars,” she says, “and there’s a sense of reverence when you’re in a beautiful location. Getting out your phone would feel wrong.” With a laugh, she adds, “But we do let people take photos for about five minutes before we encourage them to put them away.” The settings are indeed Instagram-worthy. Rebecca adorns reclaimed wood tables with soft linen napkins, glazed pottery dinnerware, and slightly tarnished silver-plated utensils. She blends rustic and refined elements—fitting irregular beeswax candles into ornate silver candlesticks, for example—and she always incorporates natural materials into the meal and decorations. What’s growing in the fields, gardens, and forests around her home in northern Virginia is her first source of inspiration. “I love to forage,” she says. “The change of season helps me hone in on my theme and defines the menu.” For this springtime luncheon, Rebecca chose to feature ramps, new potatoes, and salad greens from her local farmers market. The setting is an 1830s lockhouse on the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal. It’s one of seven residences for lockkeepers and their families that have been restored and are now rented out—with varying levels of amenities. This one didn’t have electricity or a kitchen. “The catch was that we had to cook everything over a campfire,” Rebecca says. She sees these challenges as opportunities, however, with the woodsmoke adding delicious flavor to the flatbreads and salmon. “The extra work is worth it,” she says. “It’s so special to be able to experience history in this type of gathering. I like remembering where we’ve come from and preserving elements of that. Our online relationships don’t compare to meeting in person and sharing conversation around a table.” RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 110.
A B O V E “I love taking neutral dishware in different directions
by adding in color or seasonal elements,” Rebecca says. Handmade pottery suits her aesthetic, which celebrates organic forms. Washed-cotton dish towels used as napkins fit the look. R I G H T New friends join longtime pals—including Rebecca’s sister, Mariah (sitting opposite her)—in toasting around the table, which Rebecca had made from reclaimed wood. It comes apart so she can move it to new locations.
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Outdoor Entertaining Tips Since launching her ticketed dining business, A Daily Gathering, in 2014, Rebecca Gallop has hosted countless outdoor meals. Here are her tips for alfresco success. LINK WITH YOUR SETTING. Snip flowers or greenery to use as a centerpiece (right) or feature food from your garden or farmers market. CONVEY A CASUAL TONE. A meal outdoors is innately laid-back, so Rebecca loves to have items on the table that have to be passed and shared. “Everyone has to use their hands, which makes you more at ease with the person next to you,” she says. ANTICIPATE GUESTS’ NEEDS. Set a basket of throw blankets within reach in case it gets cool, and add in bug spray and sunscreen. “Guests can help themselves, and you can focus on hosting,” she says. PLAN FOR BAD WEATHER. “It doesn’t have to be elaborate; it just has to involve some sort of cover,” Rebecca says. Ready your living room, a covered porch, or even the garage. It’s freeing, she says. “You’ll be more comfortable hosting outside when you have a bad-weather plan.” LIGHT THE NIGHT. For dinners, after it gets dark, lanterns, twinkle lights, and flashlights help people navigate the meal and the path to their car. Soft lighting also invites lingering. “Think about creating a super-cozy mood with lights overhead and lots of candles on the table,” Rebecca says.
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THYME-GRILLED SALMON
Potatoes and Shallots
Thyme-Grilled Salmon
PREP 15 MINUTES GRILL 20 MINUTES
SOAK 1 HOUR PREP 10 MINUTES GRILL 25 MINUTES
Nonstick cooking spray 2 pounds yellow potatoes, cut into ½-inch wedges 4 large shallots, thinly sliced 3 tablespoons olive oil ½ teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
POTATOES AND SHALLOTS
T O P The baskets, serving bowls, and
silver-plated utensils Rebecca finds at flea markets serve in felicitous style. Friend Stephanie Kellogg pulls a water bottle from an airy basket. O P P O S I T E Neutral pieces, such as wood bowls and streamlined glass vessels, allow the setting, food, and people to take center stage.
Fold two 36×18-inch pieces of heavy foil in half to make 18-inch squares. Lightly coat foil with cooking spray. Divide potatoes and shallots among centers of foil squares. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. For each packet, bring up two opposite edges of foil; seal with a double fold. Fold remaining edges to enclose food, leaving space for steam to build. Grill packets, uncovered, over medium coals about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender, turning packets occasionally. Carefully open packets to allow steam to escape. Transfer all to a serving bowl. MAKES 8 SERVINGS
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GARLIC ASPARAGUS
1 2 1 12 1 ¼
large grilling plank 2-pound salmon fillets with skin large lemon, sliced sprigs fresh thyme teaspoon kosher salt teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil Lemon wedges
Soak grilling plank in enough water to cover at least 1 hour before grilling. Remove from water. Top one salmon fillet with lemon slices and four of the thyme sprigs. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper over fillets. Top first fillet with second fillet, skin side up; tie fillets together with 100-percentcotton kitchen string. Brush both sides of salmon with the olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Dunk the remaining eight thyme sprigs in water and place the thyme directly on medium coals. Add
R ADISH SAL AD
GRILLED R AMPS AND RICOTTA FL ATBREADS
grilling plank to grill rack; cover and grill 5 minutes. Turn plank over. Place salmon on grilling plank. Cover and grill 20 to 24 minutes or until salmon flakes at thickest part when pierced with a small knife (125°F for medium), turning once halfway through grilling. Using two large spatulas, transfer salmon to serving platter. Cut and remove string. Serve with additional thyme sprigs and lemon wedges. MAKES 8 SERVINGS
Garlic Asparagus PREP 5 MINUTES GRILL 10 MINUTES
2 pounds fresh thin asparagus spears, trimmed 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Fold two 36×18-inch pieces of heavy foil in half to make two 18-inch squares. Divide asparagus and garlic into two equal portions. Place each portion on centers of the two squares. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. For each packet, bring up two opposite edges of foil; seal with a double fold. Fold remaining edges to enclose asparagus, leaving space for steam to build. Grill packets, covered, over medium coals about 10 to 15 minutes or until asparagus is just crisptender, turning packets occasionally. Carefully open packets to allow steam to escape. Transfer asparagus
to a platter. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
serve. Serve with salmon, potatoes, and asparagus.
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
MAKES 11/3 CUPS
Radish Salad
Flatbread Dough
START TO FINISH 15 MINUTES
PREP 10 MINUTES RISE 45 MINUTES
8 cups fresh assorted baby greens 2 cups pea shoots 3 to 4 cups assorted radishes (such as watermelon or black), very thinly sliced ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil ¼ cup champagne vinegar 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard Fleur de sel or sel gris Freshly ground black pepper
In a salad bowl or individual bowls arrange greens, pea shoots, and radishes. For dressing, in a bowl whisk together olive oil, vinegar, and mustard. Drizzle over salad just before serving. Season with fleur de sel and pepper. MAKES 8 SERVINGS
2 1 1 ½ 2⁄3 1
Olive oil cups all-purpose flour package active dry yeast teaspoon sugar teaspoon kosher salt cup warm water (105°F to 115°F) tablespoon olive oil
Grease a medium bowl with oil. In a food processor combine flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. With processor running, add the warm water and 1 tablespoon oil. Process until dough forms. Remove and shape into a ball. Place dough in prepared bowl; turn to grease surface of dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size (45 to 60 minutes). MAKES DOUGH FOR 2 FLATBREADS
Creamy Tarragon Sauce START TO FINISH 5 MINUTES
2⁄3 cup mayonnaise 2⁄3 cup sour cream 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon or 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme 1 teaspoon lemon zest 2 tablespoons lemon juice ½ teaspoon kosher salt
In a bowl stir together all ingredients. Cover and chill sauce until ready to
R I G H T Emily Dean (left) and Meghan Miller explore the 1830s property that housed lockkeepers who worked the canal that runs parallel to the Potomac River. F A R R I G H T “It’s easy to keep things simple if you’re in a beautiful setting,” Rebecca says. She serves food family style, so guests have to pass to each other. Even sharing salt and pepper in tiny communal bowls fosters connection.
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Grilled Ramps and Ricotta Flatbreads START TO FINISH 30 MINUTES
1 recipe Flatbread Dough (page 63) 2 tablespoons olive oil 11⁄3 cups shredded whole-milk mozzarella 1 cup whole-milk ricotta ½ teaspoon lemon zest 8 ramps or thin green onions 6 slices bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled 1⁄3 cup shaved fresh Parmesan cheese Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper Balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze (optional)
Divide Flatbread Dough into two portions. Cover and let rest at least 10 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a 14×6-inch oval. In a bowl stir together mozzarella, ricotta, and lemon zest. Brush top of ovals with some of the olive oil. Place crusts, oiled sides down, on grill rack over medium coals. Grill, covered, 2 to 3 minutes or until puffed in some places and light
brown. Transfer to a baking sheet. Brush ungrilled sides with remaining oil; turn crusts grilled sides up. Spread cheese mixture evenly over crusts. Top with ramps and bacon. Return flatbreads to grill rack. Grill, covered, about 5 minutes more or until crusts are crisp and cheese is melted. Remove from grill. Sprinkle flatbreads with Parmesan, salt, and pepper. If desired, drizzle with balsamic vinegar. MAKES 2 FLATBREADS
Strawberry and Rhubarb Galettes PREP 35 MINUTES BAKE 35 MINUTES AT 375°F
2½ cups halved or quartered strawberries 2 cups fresh or frozen sliced rhubarb, thawed and drained ¼ cup granulated sugar 1 tablespoon cornstarch ½ teaspoon vanilla 2 cups all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons granulated sugar ½ teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup cold butter, cut up ¼ cup milk 1 egg yolk Coarse sugar Powdered sugar (optional)
Heat oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. For filling, in a large bowl combine strawberries, rhubarb, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, the cornstarch, and vanilla. For pastry, in a large bowl stir together flour, the 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, and the salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add milk and egg yolk. Stir with a fork until moistened. Using your hands, gently knead mixture until dough forms. Divide dough into eight equal portions.*
On a lightly floured surface, roll dough portions into 6-inch rounds. Place a dough round on the prepared baking sheet. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the filling onto center of round. Fold dough edges over filling, overlapping and pleating as necessary. (Leave center with filling exposed.) Repeat with remaining dough portions and filling, leaving 1 to 2 inches between each galette on baking sheet and stirring filling before placing on dough rounds. Brush additional milk over edges of galettes and sprinkle each with coarse sugar. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until filling is bubbly and pastry is golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature. If desired, sprinkle with powdered sugar. MAKES 8 GALETTES
*TI P For one large tart, prepare as
directed, except increase cornstarch to 2 tablespoons in fruit filling and do not divide dough into eighths. Roll dough into a 14-inch circle. Fold in half and transfer to the prepared baking sheet; unfold. Spoon all of the filling into the center of the dough circle. Fold dough edges over filling as directed. Brush edges with milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake about 50 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly in the center, covering loosely with foil the last 10 minutes if necessary to prevent overbrowning.
L E F T “When I was growing up, my
parents prioritized family dinners, and now, as a mom, I see the wisdom in that,” Rebecca says. “We learned how to communicate, to cook, and just to be together.” Now living near Washington, D.C., she sees that people—often transplanted from other parts of the world—want the same thing. “People crave that table culture, and I’m happy to set that table,” she says.
STR AWBERRY AND RHUBARB GALETTES
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G E T TI N G COZ Y
The author of Cozy White Cottage pulls back the curtains on peeling paint and other worn surfaces to reveal why a perfectly imperfect house is the ideal home sanctuary. WRIT TEN BY
KELLY RYAN KEGANS
PHOTOGR APHED BY
ANNA VANDERBERG
O P P O S I T E Blogger and interior
designer Liz Marie Galvan and family live on an 8-acre farm in Michigan with an assortment of animals, including this lamb. T H I S P H O T O The living room in Liz Marie’s mid-1800s farmhouse is feet-up-on-the-coffee-table style, where comfortable slipcovered seating pieces and weathered furniture invite family and friends to linger.
FIND A FOCUS If you don’t have a natural focal point—such as a wall of windows or a fireplace—create one by repurposing a cabinet or buffet to become an entertainment center or assembling a dramatic art wall in a living area.
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WARMING UP WHITES Liz Marie’s go-to wall color is a warm white— Benjamin Moore White Dove. For more coziness, she anchors white spaces by adding natural woods and textures found in elements like woven fabrics, weathered surfaces, and paneled walls.
i
F YOU’RE ONE OF THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
who follow, watch, read, or listen to Liz Marie Galvan, you already know she lives in a cozy white cottage. It’s even the title of her recent book. But the decorator/blogger/shop owner/do-it-yourselfer/author also wants you to know that you don’t have to live in allwhite surroundings to create an intimate vibe at home. “When you break down what you’re seeing in my photos, it’s about putting a chair in a certain corner of the room or ways to display collections on shelves,” she says. “I try to give simple tips anyone can do no matter what kind of home you live in.” For Liz Marie, home is a mid-1800s farmhouse fixerupper in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she lives with her husband, Jose, and their 12-month-old son, Copeland. Ten years ago, when she started her blog, she and Jose were newlyweds relocating from the state to North Carolina where he was stationed in the military. While Jose was away, often six months at a time, Liz Marie turned her focus to making a comfortable retreat in the couple’s rental by learning DIY projects and studying interior design. “I was clinging to having a sanctuary to come home to; that really helped us through those hard times,” she says. “It took me a while to find my style, which I define as cozy cottage farmhouse. Then I slowly started sharing my projects on my blog, and eventually it morphed into what is now a full-time job.” After the couple returned to Michigan and bought their 8-acre farm, Liz Marie opened The Found Cottage, a home boutique she owns with two partners. On her blog and through her social channels, where she has some 500,000 followers, Liz Marie offers styling and design tips, chronicles the couple’s home renovations and DIY projects, and shows glimpses of life on a farm surrounded by sheep, chickens, and a dozen other furry friends. On her channels, Liz Marie shares her everyday life. One day, she’s refinishing a coffee table a neighbor gave them; another day, she has Copeland in a baby sling and they’re giving good-morning snacks to their sheep by the barn. “My main passion is my blog. I’m trying to put my heart and soul there,” she says. “It’s my diary, a run-on sentence of my thoughts.” If Liz Marie’s blog is her diary, her book, Cozy White Cottage: 100 Ways to Love the Feeling of Being Home, is an organized, deconstructed look at implementing the cozy formula she’s polished to perfection. Carrying out that formula in her own home is still a work in progress. “Our house is not all finished and beautiful,” she says. But that’s the point. Liz Marie believes in embracing the messy process of creatively improving your home one project at a time. She also suggests resisting the human urge to compare your home with those of others and to be content with your house no matter what stage it is in. After all, she says, “You don’t want to create someone else’s dream home.”
O P P O S I T E A folding wood peg rack and painted stool add dimension to all-white walls and floors. Liz Marie’s Shih Tzus, Bella and Bear, snuggle in on their tufted bed. A B O V E In the entry, the chipped wood ledge above the bench acts like a fireplace mantel where art and accessories can be swapped when the mood strikes or the seasons change. Liz Marie hangs stockings during the holidays and greens up the display in spring with plants: “My favorite cozy plant is a topiary planted in a worn rustic pot,” she says, “whether it’s angel vine or rosemary.”
RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 110.
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T O P L E F T A wood armoire with open shelves warms up the bathroom and softens otherwise functional
fixtures. Baskets and linen-lined wire bins ensure smaller items like soaps and makeup are organized and out of view. T O P R I G H T Metal hooks on a chunk of old molding—placed up and out of the way in the kitchen—are perfect for displaying Liz Marie’s favorite tea towels. Rustic shelves hold vintage ironstone and kitchen collectibles. A B O V E L E F T Although often the smallest room in the house, powder rooms are great spaces to have fun with decor. A farmhouse utility sink and a collection of framed silhouettes above an old mantelpiece amp up the coziness. A B O V E R I G H T In rooms lacking architectural interest, a grouping of thrift store or antique pieces adds instant history and character. A collector since childhood, Liz Marie is often on the lookout for antique clocks, weathered wood objects, and utilitarian pieces.
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T H I S P H O T O At flea
markets, nothing stops Liz Marie in her tracks faster than a beat-up antique sign. She uses her collection to add graphic punch around her house.
S H E LVES 101 Liz Marie has three tips for getting shelves right: Start on the bottom shelf, placing large pieces to visually ground the display; keep the items cohesive by repeating textures and balancing objects on both sides of the shelves; step back and look at the shelves to make tweaks that please your eye.
FINISH LINES One of Liz Marie’s favorite ways to warm up a space is with mottled paint finishes. Sometimes she achieves the look by using milk paint, which comes in a powder form and is easier than standard paints to “weather” with a sanding block. She seals chipped-paint finishes with wax or polyurethane.
O P P O S I T E Cookware mingles with collectibles on Liz Marie’s kitchen shelves. She uses cake stands as risers for smaller items and an enameled bin to corral rolling pins. Small plants and herbs tucked in and around the shelves keep the space looking fresh. T H I S P H O T O Liz Marie often adds legs or casters to chests and sofas for a new look or to lift them up by a few inches, which allows light to stream under the pieces for an airier interior.
Find more tips in Cozy White Cottage by Liz Marie Galvan. Copyright Š September 2019 by Thomas Nelson. Used with permission of Thomas Nelson; thomasnelson.com.
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A D R A M AT I C S H I F T OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR, TWO FILM PROS TAKE ON A CHANGE OF SCENERY, MARRIAGE, AND PARENTHOOD—ALL IN THE NAME OF QUALITY TIME. WRIT TEN BY
SHAILA WUNDERLICH
PHOTOGR APHED BY
JOHN GRUEN
PRODUCED BY
ANNA MOLVIK
A B O V E The all-stone section of the structure on Matthew Lloyd and Ruby Katilius’s Hudson Valley property was originally a separate house on neighboring land. Previous owners moved it, reassembled it stone by stone, and attached it to the white-painted brick and stone Dutch Colonial farmhouse. It now houses a garden studio and lofted bar area. O P P O S I T E One of the house’s three staircases, these well-worn risers lead from the central hallway entrance to the second floor.
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N E A R R I G H T This rear exterior Dutch
door mirrors the front one at the other end of the center hallway. Pegs and a primitive bench come in handy. F A R R I G H T The mix of forms and eras represented in the living room includes a 1920s Afghan rug, a sofa left behind by the previous owner and reupholstered by Ruby in linen, and a midcentury modern Danish coffee table gifted to Matthew by a director on a past film, which he rehabbed.
f
OR THREE YEARS, MATTHEW LLOYD AND RUBY K ATILIUS
sprinted through their New York City lifestyle at a pace in step with their big-city location and film-industry jobs. “We were going back and forth between New York and Los Angeles, and depending on the job, days could start at 4:30 a.m. and not end until 10 p.m.,” says Ruby, a costume designer. At some point, she and cinematographer boyfriend Matthew maxed out on metropolitan life. “It caught up with us,” he says. “We felt like we were missing out on the best of life.” The couple had an infatuation with New York’s up-country that was born during a movie project filmed in the wild and sprawling Mohonk Preserve in the Shawangunk Mountains 90 miles north of the city. So the plan was set: Over the course of a year, they would move upstate, get married, and host the wedding at their new home. Ruby launched the search. A house of any age or architectural style was in play, as long as it was within commuting distance to the city and didn’t require major renovations. “We both have wildly busy work schedules, but we do have downtime between projects,” Ruby says. “We wanted a project in between projects.” Matthew remembers the day she found it. “She called from the driveway and said, ‘You’re either going to love this place or think I’ve gone nuts,’” he says. The 1773 Hudson River Valley Dutch Colonial farmhouse was perhaps the most intact Early American home Ruby had ever seen. Its 14-inch-plank wood floors, tall ceilings, exterior masonry, and interior carpentry were all period, pristine, and original. In fact, it was almost too original. “The floors creak, there’s no central AC, and though there can be good light in the winter, in other months it’s cavernous,” Ruby says. “You have to be a certain kind of person to live in a house like this.” Matthew was up for it, provided they could make a few minor adjustments. “The previous owners were very literal in their interpretation of period colors, furniture, and lighting,” he says. “We needed to lift some of that to make it lighter and more airy.”
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O P P O S I T E A Colonial-era raised-panel wall, huge cooking hearth, and original wide-plank, tongue-and-groove, hand-planed floor are the showstoppers in the dining room. The table features a newly manufactured base with a salvaged wood top. Farrow & Ball Hague Blue paint contemporizes the paneled wall, which retains the character of the mostly original millwork and minor updates from local carpenter Josh Finn. A B O V E The view from the dining room into the house’s central hallway and living room beyond offers a look at the faux-plaster finish Ruby applied to walls. A dough bowl and crock grace the weathered wood with simple country forms.
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“WE’RE NOT VERY FUSSY OR SHOWY PEOPLE; WE JUST WANTED A PLACE WITH
as many original details
AS POSSIBLE, SOMEPLACE SPECIAL WHERE OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS COULD GATHER.” —RUBY KATILIUS
O P P O S I T E The blue-hue thread continues into the kitchen, where Ruby commissioned Finn to rebuild all lower cabinetry and remove most upper cabinetry. The tweak makes the room more open and light filled. A B O V E L E F T Ruby requested this window, originally located on a different kitchen wall, be moved above the sink, both for a better composition and to capture views of the pond out back. The copper-lined farmhouse sink mimics the copper finish on the upstairs bathtub. A B O V E Farmhouses of this era often had doors to every room, usually for heat conservation. The addition of a simple shelf above a kitchen doorway is an ideal spot to place colorful canned goods.
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A B O V E The master bedroom’s original
ceiling beams span the full attic. The bedroom’s wood floor is also the ceiling of the downstairs living and dining rooms. “No insulation, no drop ceiling, nothing,” Matthew says. O P P O S I T E T O P A cherry dresser from Room & Board and a newly built peg rack could pass for vintage Colonial pieces. O P P O S I T E , B O T T O M L E F T After trying several styles of mirrors, the couple finally landed on this patinaed oval one from a New Paltz antiques shop. The restored porcelain pedestal sink features updated fixtures. O P P O S I T E , B O T T O M R I G H T The antique claw-foot tub in the master bath got a gleaming new copper liner.
Bare floors, spare furnishings, reproduction lighting, and a top-to-bottom paint job were the means to that end. Artisanal carpenter Josh Finn, from High Falls, worked his magic on new custom cabinetry in the kitchen and dining room. A new palette of whites, pale grays, and the occasional bright blue accent brought the interior up to the couple’s visual standards. “I always joke that the previous owner was like the PC guy, and I’m the Mac guy,” Ruby says. “He made sure everything remained historically true and structurally sound. Then I came in with the contemporary colors and clean details.” Somewhere in all this fixing up, Ruby became pregnant with son George, who is now 5 years old. “George was one of those happy accidents that can move up a wedding date,” she says. So in November 2014, George’s parents got married in “the back four” (their pet name for the property’s 4 rear acres) and hosted a cozy reception in the barn. For this family, it felt like their search for the best of life was a wrap. RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 110.
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fresh ways with FOR SPRING, PUT ROOMS IN A LIGHTHEARTED MOOD WITH CLASSIC COLLECTIONS INSPIRED BY A SEASIDE COTTAGE. SUPER STYLIST MATTHEW MEAD SHARES HIS TIPS AND A FEW OF HIS FAVORITE THINGS. WRIT TEN BY PHOTOGR APHED BY
SHAILA WUNDERLICH
JAY WILDE
PRODUCED BY
MATTHEW MEAD
New England classics THE BIG IDEA
“Whales and Nantucket baskets, which were made on whaling ships, hold a lot of historical significance in the New England area—but are loved everywhere,” Matthew Mead says. For eye-catching drama, gather themed objects on shelves or surfaces, including pieces of various sizes, shapes, and materials. GET THE GOODS
Whale motifs include carved wood pieces, metal shapes, and framed prints. “Many were made in the folk art tradition to hang over mantels or on front doors,” Matthew says. The baskets would have been used to tote produce or household goods from market to house. Prices for Nantucket baskets start around $100 and go way up; vintage whale items fetch $30 to $500 depending on style, size, age, and craftsmanship.
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a feast for the senses THE BIG IDEA
This tablescape features vintage cotton sewn into a runner and topped with ironstone compotes filled with a fun jumble of tiny beach-glass-inspired bottles from the 1920s and beyond; flowers add pops of color. GET THE GOODS
Mini bottles are easy finds at flea markets and thrift shops. “Ink bottles, medicine bottles, cod liver oil bottles— these are the kinds of smalls you might find in big boxes and sold in bulk,” Matthew says. Ironstone compotes will set you back more; early pieces in good condition can sell for upward of $100.
style under glass THE BIG IDEA
In a twist on a clochecovered botanical study, Matthew uses an arrangement of vintage glass labware to showcase old sheet music and natural beach treasures. The sheet music sports large, overprinted nautical images. Pages from old books also work, as thin paper clings naturally to the inside of the cloches. GET THE GOODS
Glass garden cloches, both antique and reproduction, have been hot for many years. Laboratory cloches, on the other hand—with their smaller scale and conical shape—are a newer trend. “These are the type you’d find on a chemistry apparatus,” Matthew says. “They usually have a hole in the top for airflow.” He collected the natural beach specimens from the waterfront around his New England home. “They’re easy to find in coastal flea markets too,” he says, “sold as tourist souvenirs.”
whimsy on a bottle THE BIG IDEA
THE BIG IDEA
“Some hip bar in Brooklyn is serving craft cocktails out of vintage seltzer bottles like these right now,” Matthew says of the popular pump-topped bottles. Though not functional for non-seltzer beverages, the blue- and green-tinted jugs with metal valves make for clever displays, especially when used as a kind of 3-D frame for found black-and-white photos.
They began as fancy flasks and upscale liquor packaging, but wicker-wrapped bottles from the turn of the 20th century now bring style to table groupings. Matthew arranged these on a vanity atop a vintage wood tray—one of his favorite go-to pieces for corralling smaller collectibles—and took advantage of their hourglass bodies to hang delicate jewelry.
GET THE GOODS
Encased by hand to shield the glass from breaking, these sought-after pieces cost a pretty penny. Early European bottles in good condition and with special lids could be marked $400 or higher. “Some have porcelain stoppers; some have cork,” he says. “The small round bottle in front has a brass stopper.”
Antique seltzer bottles vary widely in size, shape, color, and consequently, price. Matthew brought this bunch home for about $75 each. Earlier examples in brighter tints or ones encased in materials like metal or wicker can bring hundreds of dollars.
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GET THE GOODS
T H I S P H O T O This living
room’s many subtle textures create warmth and visual interest. Glossy white paint is tempered by the rougher texture of wood beams and wall boards underneath. Fresh stucco was applied to the original fireplace, and furnishings were chosen for their clean lines and comfort. O P P O S I T E Bernt Heiberg (left), William Cummings, and their miniature long-haired dachshund, Fia, enjoy their home and beach community in the Hamptons. A walkway created with cedar planks set in gravel leads guests to the shed-roofed entry foyer.
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quiet brilliance
IN THE SAG HARBOR BUNGALOW OF TWO INTERIOR DESIGNERS, NEUTRAL HUES LEND SERENITY WHILE CONTRASTING TEXTURES BRING DESIGN ENERGY.
WRIT TEN BY PHOTOGR APHED BY
CLAR A HANEBERG
TRIA GIOVAN
PRODUCED BY
ANNA MOLVIK
d T O P L E F T A small sitting room doubles as guest quarters, courtesy of a deep custom settee. T O P R I G H T In the entry, a 10-foot clothing rack crafted from plumbing parts organizes outerwear. It’s backed by timeworn mirror squares. “The mirror expands the space and brings light,” William says. A B O V E A handcrafted antique table serves as a cocktail station for parties. O P P O S I T E Overscale art, voluminous seating, and even outsize candlesticks are chosen to be in proportion to the living room’s high cathedral ceiling.
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ESIGNER WILLIAM CUMMINGS CONFIDENTLY TOOK ON AN
extensive remodel of this Hamptons cottage. He is, after all, also the homeowner and client, along with his business and life partner, Bernt Heiberg. Their firm has offices in New York and Oslo, Norway—Bernt’s homeland. Not surprising then that the home is rooted in a Scandinavian style that William describes as “an 18th-century aesthetic brought into the 21st century.” The design duo bought the 1930s bungalow in 2016 and got right to work. “We bought and sold several houses in the area over the years but were looking for something in the beach community,” William says. “Then we found this tiny house that had lots of charm.” They worked to preserve its cozy cottage vibe even as they ratcheted up its size and livability. “We restored part of the house, tore down part, and built three levels onto the back side,” William says, ultimately converting the two-bedroom, one-bath home into a four-bedroom with four baths, a big kitchen, and a swimming pool. The couple’s thoughtful, polished design strategy starts just inside the front door. Reclaimed wood paneling—actually the home’s original flooring—brushed with black paint creates a warm welcome and cues up a visual surprise for guests. “It’s something we do quite often in our interiors,” William says. “Small, dark spaces expand into volume and more light as you walk through the house.” In the airy living room—part of the three-level addition— architecture steals the spotlight thanks to glossy white paint coating the wall’s rough-cut planks and ceiling beams. “High gloss highlights texture,” William says, adding that it draws the eye’s focus. A rug crafted from repurposed wool tent fabric anchors a furniture mix that includes a leather club chair and a welted ottoman that can serve as seating. Large-scale art by Joseph Hart commands the gable wall, and a light fixture formed from metal mesh shines on the expansive ceiling. “Most everything is sourced locally,” the designer says of the unique, artful mix of pieces. What once was an enclosed porch now serves as a light, bright dining room. Wishbone chairs join a new table, slipcovered chairs,
Natural linen fabrics and rush seats balance the smooth finishes for design energy in the dining room. Utilitarian roll-up blinds are a signature of this design duo. Inspired by classic 18th-century Swedish shades, the decorative construction features slim leather straps woven through glass rings.
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O P P O S I T E A cushioned bench and antique café table join together to create a welcoming breakfast area in a slice of the newly constructed kitchen. A B O V E The kitchen makes the most of classic materials and designs such as paneled cupboards and a full wall of subway tile. Open storage on the island makes it efficient on both sides. Where a solid wall would close off the space, French doors and barn-style sash windows invite in warming light and comforting views of nature. “It’s got that indoor-outdoor feeling,” William says.
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and a generous banquette. The space opens to a newly built kitchen where smooth Carrara marble countertops and iconic white subway tile contrast with reclaimed and repurposed wood flooring. “Again, it’s all about texture, texture, texture,” William says. Upstairs, the newly constructed master suite is a dreamy retreat with a soaring vaulted ceiling that offers drama and slender beams that nod to modern country style. “Applied joints on top of plywood bring texture and maintain the utilitarian elements within the house,” William says. Linens and wools in earthy tones ground the space, creating a serene and cozy nest. When all the work was complete, the renovation satisfied the couple’s desire for a chic and casual home. As William says, “It’s simple but comfortable—focusing on good quality but not ostentatiousness.” RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 110.
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A B O V E In this tub-steam
shower combo, brass fixtures turn up the glamour and pebbled bluestone flooring puts tactile beauty underfoot. For a seamless transition, the sloped ceiling and walls don the same faux-wood porcelain tile. O P P O S I T E , B O T T O M L E F T The vanity area in the master bath is outfitted with pump-style faucets and a raisedtrough sink for utilitarian-chic style. A wall-mounted, open-shelf vanity creates space to hold square wicker baskets amply sized for neat stacks of towels.
L E F T A soaking tub tucked into
the roomy, glass-encased shower makes this master bath spa-worthy. B E L O W With no extraneous color, pattern, or stuff—but plenty of architectural oomph—this master bedroom manages to be warm not sterile. A drawered campaignstyle nightstand and sconces are streamlined and practical; textural bedding creates a cozy refuge.
A B O V E A simple board-and-batten wall design in this all-white guest bath plays with light, creating shadows for
added dimension that would have been lost with plain walls. Brass fixtures and vintage-style cup pulls act as jewelry, elevating the room’s style and focusing the eye. O P P O S I T E A platform bed frame with open wells designed to hold storage baskets is the perfect space-saving solution in this small guest room. A narrow bump-out closet adds Shaker-inspired architecture and more stowing power. Clad in grass-green paint that functions as a neutral, small cane bench seats with cabriole legs grace the room with soft curves and color.
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The Beauty of Texture Wield this subtle but powerful design element to add energy to a neutral scheme.
GO BOLD Woven materials with serious heft, such as blankets and baskets, add dimension and visual energy, preventing tonal rooms from falling flat. ADD VARIETY Use all glossy textures and your space can feel cold; lean too heavily on rough surfaces and a room can seem dirty. The secret to a warm, sophisticated space is in the mix. ACCESSORIZE WISELY A forest offers cues for choosing accents that complete quiet, naturally chic schemes—think warm, dappled lighting; soft greenery; and a range of woods.
americana spirit A CELEBRATED TEXAS INN THAT WAS ONCE OWNED BY FAMED SHABBY CHIC FOUNDER RACHEL ASHWELL IS TRANSFORMED INTO A MODERN COUNTRY FAMILY RETREAT.
WRIT TEN AND PRODUCED BY PHOTOGR APHED BY
NATALIE WAR ADY
RYANN FORD
SOME OF US NEVER GROW TIRED OF CLASSIC
country icons—think galvanized tubs and primitive woods, weathered paint finishes and equally mellow ironstone. Though the cast of character-rich pieces may be familiar and well-loved, the decorating goal is to use them in ways that look fresh and personal. Designer Holly Kuhn, who recently wrote the book New Americana, brought that spirit of reinvention to The Prairie at Round Top, a renowned former inn located in Texas in the heart of antiques country. The owner of Old Glory Antiques in Denver, Holly purchased the sprawling country estate in 2017, just after the Denver-based shop owner had opened her second store in downtown Round Top. Not only that, Holly acquired the cluster of eight buildings, including five cottages and two barns encircling this 1800s farmhouse from country icon Rachel Ashwell, the creator of Shabby Chic who launched a design movement toward slightly
ruffled and rumpled design that is minimalist yet charming. Although she also purchased a number of furnishings that Ashwell used at the property, Holly was looking to build on these cottage roots to create spaces that are crisp and modern while still tapping authentic country roots. The first step was lavishing white paint on the backdrops. Against the gallery-clean walls, Holly showcased her well-curated collection of country classics: Ladders and gates were pulled into service to corral books and plates in a tidy way. She reupholstered antique chairs with geometric rugs and blankets. Farmhouse implements, architectural salvage, and baskets became focal points when given lots of space to shine. For more graphic punch, Holly relied on black. “Black and white can lend a modern feel to a room in a 100-year-old farmhouse with shiplap walls and old furniture,” Holly says, adding that she often prefers a clean aesthetic, but the warmth of leather and wood gives the room its soul.
O P P O S I T E In Holly Kuhn’s kitchen, a repurposed rack from a train car holds vintage seltzer bottles and ironstone tableware. A collection of antique breadboards, some layered with old hand-carved wooden plates, are hung on the wall like folk art to warm the white walls.
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A B O V E In the living room, an antique
armchair becomes a focal point when re-covered in a vintage blanket in shades of black and white. Behind it, an old wooden ladder is mounted on the wall and reimagined as a bookcase. Natural linen dresses simple seating pieces in casually chic attire. O P P O S I T E Likely once a built-in piece, this asymmetrical table with a lower shelf offers additional storage and work space in the kitchen. A wooden paddle is elevated to art status when mounted in a shadow-box frame.
“You wouldn’t necessarily think of mixing brown with black and white,” she says, “but it works.” Designing cozy, welcoming bedrooms was a priority for Holly because she wanted to create a home for a gathering spot as well as a retreat from work. “I fell in love with all the upstairs bedrooms,” she says, envisioning reunions. “It just felt like getting back to having family and friends come and stay, with lots of room for people to gather and be together—reminiscent of an old-fashioned slumber party.” Her bedroom schemes are simple and inviting, with beds dressed in clean white linens topped with crisp-patterned blankets. One bedroom, filled wall to wall with two double beds, illustrates her mastery with mixing black, white, and the patina of relics. The rattan frames were inherited with the property, and Holly transformed them with black paint. The effect is a polished look, even with chipped-white painted pieces adding a rustic statement above the beds. Holly admits that after more than two decades in the antiques business, it is difficult to come up with fresh ideas, but she urges newcomers to hang in there. “Just try something new,” she says. “It may be wrong. The first ten things may be wrong! But that eleventh thing will be, ‘Oh, that looks so cool.’ And then your friends and family come in and say, ‘I would never have thought of that, but I love it.’” She adds, with a laugh,“Maybe it’s kind of a backhanded compliment, but I’ll take it.” Surprising others and taking design risks are only part of what motivates her. She says she is driven to find new ways to use old things, as she believes that’s the way to give a home an authentic feel. Mission accomplished. RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 110.
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T H I S P H O T O The dining chairs vary in size and shape but share the same pale woods and neutral fabrics, bringing personal style to the dining room. A small antique rug is framed and hung above the sideboard for textural art. O P P O S I T E Holly loves to add layers of interest in a creative, uncluttered way. For a fun and unexpected plate rack, an old metal gate is mounted vertically on a white tin wall. The plates are hung with standard plate hangers.
“I LOVE THE FEELING OF HOME IN THE COUNTRY SINCE I LIVE IN THE CITY, BUT I STILL LIKE IT TO FEEL MODERN.
Black and white can lend a modern feel TO A 100-YEAR-OLD FARMHOUSE WITH SHIPLAP WALLS.” —HOLLY KUHN
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A B O V E L E F T The master bath gets a
dose of pattern with vintage rugs—used on the floor, as a pillow cover, and as framed wall art. A B O V E Holly created a cozy reading nook by slipping a twin bed into the entry of one bedroom. L E F T A colorful woven Kente cloth—used as a throw—ties together the blue painted wood wall and the pillow’s black-andwhite buffalo check; a hanging light from IKEA lends modernity. B E L O W Two double beds crowned with architectural salvage fill one guest bedroom. The mostly white decor helps the room feel spacious, and the black adds a sophisticated contrast. R I G H T This airy bedroom makes a quiet statement. The mix of textures grounds the white and adds visual interest. A pair of modern chairs is covered in hide for a city-meets-country statement.
at Holly Kuhn’s modern country style, check out her book New Americana, with photographs by Ryann Ford. Reprinted by permission of Gibbs Smith.
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GET THE LOOK
RESOURCES
CONTACT THESE DESIGN PROFESSIONALS FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR SERVICES OR PRODUCTS. OUR STYLE MAKERS
PAGES 7-11 Pages 7–9: Charlotte Reiss, Vivi et Margot; instagram.com/ vivietmargot; vivietmargot.com. Pages 10–11: Elaine Burge; elaineburge.com. INTERIOR DESIGNER: Whitney Durham Interiors, Atlanta; whitneydurhaminteriors.com.
HOME ON THE R ANCH
PAGES 12–21 To find out more about renting the venue for events or to book a stay at Thistle Hill Ranch, visit thistlehillranch.com. ARCHITECT: Rob Maxson, Q Home Designs, 550 Reserve St., Suite 190, Southlake, TX 76092; 682/477-8484; qhomedesigns.com.
TENDING HER GARDEN
PAGES 22–31 Meghan Hershfield, Truffles & James Fine Floral Design; 917/232-6308; truff lesandjames.com.
RESIDENCE REBORN PAGES 32–41
INTERIOR DESIGNER: Terry John Woods,
20 High St., Perkinsville, VT 05151; terryjohnwoods.com.
ON STABLE GROUND PAGES 42-53
INTERIOR DESIGNER: Risa King, The Collected Home, 161 Rowayton Ave., Rowayton, CT 06853. ARCHITECT: Historical Concepts, 490 Brasfield Sq., Atlanta, GA 30316; 678/325-6665; historicalconcepts.com. TEXTILES: Textile Trunk; 802/324-9966; textiletrunk.com.
SPRING GATHERING PAGES 54-65
EVENT ORGANIZER: Rebecca Gallop,
A Daily Something, Purcellville, Virginia; instagram.com/adailysomething; adailysomething.com.
A DR AMATIC SHIFT PAGES 74–83
INTERIOR DESIGN: Ruby Katilius,
Paloma Wovens Inc., Los Angeles. INTERIOR PAINTING: Wanda Nicholson. KITCHEN AND DINING ROOM CABINETRY:
Josh Finn, Josh Finn Furniture, 51 Depew Rd., High Falls, NY 12440; 845/332-2964; joshfinn.com. STONE AND TILE: Barra & Trumbore, 40 Old Mine Rd., Kerhonkson, NY 12446; 845/626-5442; barratrumbore.com. BRICK AND MORTAR: Matthew Flamhaft, Stone Ridge, New York; 845/687-9735.
QUIET BRILLIANCE PAGES 90–101
ARCHITECT: Shawn F. Leonard Architect,
320 Hampton Rd., Southampton, NY 11968; 631/287-5557; shawnleonardarchitect.com. CONTRACTOR: William Flanzer, Flanzer Construction Inc., 25 Peacock Path, East Quogue, NY 11942; 631/897-8547; f lanzerconstruction.com. INTERIOR DESIGNERS: Jessica McCool, Katie White, Maya Khouri, William Cummings, and Bernt Heiberg, Heiberg Cummings, 655 Washington St., New York, NY 10014; 212/337-2030; hcd3.com. DRAPERY: Bill Jelley, Heiberg Cummings, 655 Washington St., New York, NY 10014; 212/337-2030; hcd3.com. LANDSCAPER: John Verderber Jr., Verderber Nursery & Garden Center, 459 Main Rd., Aquebogue, NY 11931; 631/722-4388; verderbernursery.com.
AMERICANA SPIRIT PAGES 102–109
INTERIOR DESIGNER: Holly Kuhn,
INTERIOR DESIGNER: Liz Marie Galvan,
Old Glory Style, Denver, 303/798-4212, and Round Top, Texas, 720/435-1482; oldglorystyle.com.
Liz Marie Blog, Caledonia, Michigan; lizmarieblog.com.
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Rapids, Michigan; 616/361-9160. LANDSCAPER: Heyboer Landscape Maintenance Inc., 4735 Eighth St., Caledonia, MI 49316; 616/877-4077; heyboerlandscape.com.
GETTING COZY PAGES 66–73
COUNTRY HOME SPRING 2020
BUILDER: Westerbrink Builders, Grand
COLLECTING
vintage posters
WHO Connecticut designer and collector Amy Beth Cupp. WHAT Poster art got its start in the late 1800s when mass printing emerged and companies hired artists to create eye-catching ads.
HOW MUCH Like many poster-lovers, Amy Beth collects by subject matter. “I love rosy-cheeked, happy women doing enjoyable things,” she says. “I’m drawn to the bright palette and joy in these pieces.” Here she’s holding a favorite 1920s poster by French artist Georges Villa. This Art Deco piece, like many vintage originals, is valued at upward of $2,000. Reproductions abound, so she suggests studying the market and buying from a reputable dealer.
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COUNTRY HOME SPRING 2020
Country Home® (ISSN 0737-3740), February (Spring) 2020, Vol. 41, No. 1. Country Home is published quarterly in February, May, August, and November 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.
PHOTOGRAPH BY MICHAEL PARTENIO STYLED BY STACY KUNSTEL
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