American Farmhouse Style Fall 2017

FALL IS THE SEASON WHEN THE NATURAL WORLD BEGINS TO WIND DOWN—summer flowers fade, trees lose their leaves and the heat seeps out of the air. But autumn is also a time for new beginnings and a fulfillment of hard work—students return to school, and the harvest brings new flavors to our tables (pumpkin spice latte, anyone?). This fall is also a season of fulfillment and renewal for American Farmhouse Style. I’m excited to announce that we are now offering subscriptions for the magazine! Thank you, faithful readers, for scouring bookstores and grocery stores and searching online to order each issue. At last, you can get it right at your front doorstep. Simply fill out the enclosed subscription card or head over to our website, engagedlifestyle.com, to order a print…

Use this peg board to display photos at parties, show off tickets from concerts or remind your kids of their daily chores. When was the last time you sat down to look through old photos—or even the phone pictures you took last month? With our smartphones always handy, we snap so many photos but rarely take the time to enjoy them. “I love finding new, creative ways to be reminded of happy moments,” says Jillian McClenahan of The Anastasia Co. Jillian has created this farmhouse-friendly burlap peg board to display her photos. Here’s how you can make one too. WHAT YOU’LL NEED • Canvas of your choice (Jillian used an 8 x 8 inch square) • Burlap to cover the canvas • Hot glue gun or stapler • Nail heads…

“Working with wood is something that everyone can do. You just need to have a starting point and a determination to learn.” When you sand wood, make sure you sand in the direction of the grain. Otherwise, you might tear some of the fibers on the surface. Part of the farmhouse lifestyle is embracing handiwork—work that you or others do by hand. Woodworking and carving are two such skills. “You could take a tree branch, and by the simple act of cutting, transform it into something useful,” writes Max Bainbridge, author of the new book Heirloom Wood: A Modern Guide to Carving Spoons, Bowls, Boards and other Homewares. “Working with wood is something that everyone can do,” he writes. “You just need to have a starting point and a determination…

PUSH CUT Hold the knife in your dominant hand, and use your other hand to support the work piece. Bring your thumb from the work piece to the top of the handle where it meets the blade. Push away from the body, which will allow you to apply the exact amount of pressure required for the cut, while using your dominant hand to grip the knife and control the direction of the blade. This cut can be performed either standing or sitting. Either way, you will find it most comfortable and have maximum control if you work close to your body. If you imagine you have the arms as a T. rex, it will give you an idea of the position in which your hands should be in relation to…

Handmade furniture is a staple for farmhouse style—especially when it’s made in America. Selena Gonzalez, the brand manager of Woodwaves Furniture and wife of the owner, Alex Gonzalez, understands the importance of handmade furniture. “It’s more meaningful,” she says. “With the time that it takes, you’re holding yourself to a higher standard. It’s really a work of art, because it could take days or weeks to create.” This investment of time and self is what makes their Live Edge collection so special. Eight years ago, Andre and his father Alex watched the pruning of an avocado tree grove in Escondido, California. They noticed that so much wood was being discarded— either sent away to a landfill or prepared as firewood. Alex, a furniture maker, had the idea to give the…

1. Countertops. This is your main work space, but it also provides visual square footage in the kitchen. If you want a homey country feel, go with butcher block or tile, which are both DIY-friendly options as well. For a high-end look, choose quartz, granite or marble. 2. Cabinets. Cabinets and countertops go hand-in-hand to create an overall farmhouse ambience, so choose them together. If you have a light-colored counter like white quartz or tile, go with darker cabinets. If your countertops are darker, go with white cabinets. 3. Shelving. Above the countertops, you have to decide whether you want cabinets or open shelves. There are pros and cons to each—open shelves have a classy look that make the kitchen feel large and open. But they also display everything, so…