Country Living April 2018

My dad has no shortage of likable qualities, but one of my favorites is his commitment to clipping articles from the State Gazette, his hometown newspaper (circulation: 7,900). When a local boy or girl “makes good,” he’ll diligently snip out the story—a grinning teenager gripping his tennis racquet, a science fair victor holding her volcano—and send it, via rectangular business envelope, to the person’s parents, usually, but not always, acquaintances of his, with the understanding they’d surely value another copy. As someone with good intentions that are all-too-often thwarted when I can’t locate a stamp (until now! page 4), I admire his unwavering willingness to complete this task rooted in simple human kindness—one that could easily be shoved aside for the hot-potato issue of the day. “Secrets of Small-Town Charm”…

COMPLETELY FUN, NO-OBLIGATION WAYS TO ENJOY THE COUNTRY THIS MONTH…

YELLOWWARE Dye eggs a mustard yellow (these were colored with a natural turmeric dye). Once dry, wrap the center of the eggs with washi tape to create stripes. SPATTERWARE Put a dab of acrylic paint in a small bowl and thin with water. Use a small, flat-edge paint brush to paint and fleck the paint on eggs. TRANSFERWARE Cut designs from floral paper napkins (casparionline.com). Adhere to eggs with glossy Mod Podge. JADEITE Use white Puffy Paint to dot the raised patterns on eggs. Once dry, paint eggs with glossy green acrylic paint. LETTUCEWARE Paint entire egg with green acrylic paint. Once dry, apply “veins” using a thin-tipped white paint pen. PYREX Download and print a pattern (like the ones at vintage digiart.etsy.com) and adhere to egg with glossy Mod…

Checking In It might be just south of downtown Chattanooga, but Live a Little feels worlds away. Three tiny structures (including the Old Blue Chair; shown) surround a central fire pit, and what the pint-size properties lack in space they make up for in clever nooks, crannies, and, of course, views. Perched in North Georgia on Lookout Mountain, each structure has a front-row seat to sunsets over the valley 1,400 feet below. Besides, who needs extra space when the area’s finest attractions— Cloudland Canyon State Park, the awe-inspiring, bucket list-worthy Lookout Mountain— are outside your (blue) door. Don’t miss a Chattanooga Lookouts baseball game (opening day is April 5). Rates from $142 per night; livealittlechatt.com…

Choice Small Town Tomales Bay, California. It’s a sleepy coastal spot with incredible food and even better views. Best Budget Hardware Store Find Clamp lights. They’re incredibly basic, but there’s something chic about them. You can customize the metal shade with paint to match your room. I clip them on book shelves. 75-Watt Clamp Light (1) $7; homedepot.com Favorite Small-Scale Sleeper The Webster Bed by Serena & Lily. It feels old-fashioned, like the beds I slept in at my family’s ranch growing up. Webster Twin Bed (2) $1,398; serenaandlily.com Go-to Collectible Dishes, especially vintage china. My cabinets are currently bursting at the seams! I also love them displayed on open shelving in tiny kitchens. Biggest Small-Space Myth People think you can’t have dark colors in small spaces. Powder rooms are…

For Resources, see page 110. How to build a better coop (page 35), perk up a pantry (page 38), and more! 1 PLAIN OLD POTS There’s just something about a lotta terra-cotta (shown here in Birmingham’s Shoppe) that always looks chic. Snug Harbor Farm’s Old World inspired vessels come stamped with a sweet logo. 2 Pendant Light Made of silicon rubber, this light is indestructible enough for a workroom and pretty enough for a parlor. 3 Outdoor Sofa Terra-cotta + greenery is a classic combo, so this all-weather lounger is a backyard no-brainer. 4 WOOD CHARGER Hand-painted in Italy, the Verona charger brings an earthy touch to the table. 5 WOOL RUG This pretty red clay-inspired carpet is the next best thing to a terra-cotta tiled floor. 6 RUNNING…