Cottages and Bungalows April - May 2017

CAN FLOWERS BE A DECORATING STYLE? Coastal, farmhouse, flowers… I think so. Especially when you consider that the key ingredients to any subset of cottage style are classic floral patterns, from cabbages and roses to damask to today’s ubiquitous succulents and cacti. The best thing about the flower decorating style is that you don’t even have to be a gardener to make your rooms bloom with spring’s abundant floral bounty. Why stress about whether your thumb is green when there are wallpapers that will blanket your rooms with pretty petals, and fabrics that can make your décor sprout with cheerful chintzes and gorgeous blossoms? You can even take inspiration from nature and get no-fail color combos or texture mixes. Flowers are the stars of spring, but they don’t get all…

What if you could design a garden the same way you design a room? Learning how to pick the right plantings and ensuring they all work together can feel harder than creating a stunning room—a garden isn’t as easy to envision, and there are so many plants to choose from. What if you could use your tried and true tastes in décor to create a garden that captures the same feel? We partnered with Monrovia plant growers to prove that you can look at your flowers the same way you’d look at décor elements for any room. In the same way you pick a rug or a throw because it adds a romantic touch or global feel to a space, you can also determine which plants are right for you.…

The Harbor Cottages in downtown Harbor Springs, Michigan, may transport you to the past, but you might be surprised to learn they were built today. A sustainable, period-sensitive development project by The Cottage Company, a design/ build firm in north Michigan, this new-old neighborhood was conceived as a way to take contemporary ideals of urban infill—building walkable dynamic communities that make the most effective use of space—and apply a vintage lens to them, proving that modern ideas can be executed with old-fashioned style. “Here in northern Michigan you often see traditional East Coast shingle-styled cottages with a bit of Victorian influence,” says Rob Mossburg, founder and principal of The Cottage Company. “The ‘new urbanist’ approach to this overall development, which we really like to call ‘old urbanism’ is part and…

No painting needed! These tin ceiling tiles by American Tin Ceiling Tiles came in this color and finish, the perfect match for the room. Looking for something new and innovative to wake up your walls? How about this elegant and unexpected solution? Looking to make the master bedroom feel unique and a step above the guestrooms, designer Lindsay Chambers took tin ceiling tiles, a product born before the turn of the century, and reinvented them as the perfect textural backdrop for this dreamy bedroom. “I love the texture, interest and warmth the tin ceiling tiles bring into the room. It’s unexpected to see them on the bed accent wall, but … fun and inviting at the same time. It also contributes to the bright, soft airiness of the room,” Lindsay…

Classic style with cottage appeal—that’s what the blend of all the elements brings to this room. If you’re looking for a sophisticated take on cottage living, consider a few trends that have proven staying power in design today and frame them with some tried and true traditions that capture the cottage lifestyle. Here are our favorite elements from this room. MAKE IT MONOCHROMATIC For a more upscale vibe, keep your colors soothing, serene and simple. Gray, cream and a steely blue combine in this living room to balance easy, timeless hues with just enough color to feel warm and inviting. BRING A MIX OF STYLES The combination of contemporary and rustic styles with antiques gives this space its charming cottage makeup. Curating your accents, accessories and anchor pieces rather than…

English cabinetmaker Thomas Chippendale brought the gift of the Chippendale chair to the world in the 1750s and 1760s. He was the first to lend his own name, rather than a monarch’s, to his design. Original Chippendale chairs were usually made from mahogany and crafted by hand, with round club, lion’s paw, or ball and claw feet, and Marlborough or cabriole legs. Chippendale’s Chinese chairs resembled Far Eastern furniture, with their ornate fretwork and occasional Pagoda tops. Because of trade between England and China and other Eastern countries, a style known as “chinoiserie” developed. Chippendale, like other artists, adopted various Chinese elements into his furniture. Chippendale often finished his Chinese styles with a lacquering process known as “japanning.” Today’s Chinese Chippendale chairs differ from the originals in that they are…