Innholdsfortegnelse for Southern Cottage 2017 i The Cottage Journal

You don’t have to live in the South to appreciate Southern style. There is something so charming when classic curb appeal meets hospitality and heritage. Southern cottages with dreamy front porches, gated sidewalks, large shade trees, and shuttered windows set the scene for a relaxed lifestyle. This special issue of The Cottage Journal takes a look at 12 of our favorite cottages across the South, so find a cozy spot to relax as together we explore exterior charms decked in blooming garden spaces and gracious interiors ready for entertaining. Don’t miss “Coming Home” on page 37, where a quiet Alabama abode gets a fresh twist on tradition with a laundry list of renovations—from vaulted ceilings and cabinetry in the kitchen to a private gathering place for entertaining in the backyard.…

Nearly 20 years ago, Sherry Eldridge and her husband moved to a new home, and they began almost immediately to create a backyard garden that mirrored the cottage-style décor of their house. Hardscapes were installed— white trellises, picket fencing, lattice walls, and charming one-of-a-kind birdhouses and bird feeders. Then, Sherry went to work putting in the plants. She didn’t start out with roses, but once she found a nursery specializing in antique roses, she fell in love with the oldfashioned garden plants it offered. “They’re so fragrant,” she says, “and they have the big, full blooms—the look we like.” Now, hardy, deliciously scented roses climb the trellises, anchor the beds, and bloom with abandon around garden statuary. The selection includes antiques such as ‘Marie van Houtte’, introduced in 1871; the…

After 25 years of living in Atlanta, Georgia, this business professional decided to move back to her hometown. She had lived in a new house in Atlanta but was hoping to find a home in her parents’ charming, well-established neighborhood. After three disappointing possibilities, her father encouraged her to look at the cottage around the corner that had been empty for several years. “I took one step in and fell in love with it,” she exclaims, “and it’s walking distance to my parents.” With the help of old friends, builder David Camp and interior designer Lauren Conner, the cottage’s metamorphosis began. The front of the house was reworked by David to create a little portico and charming entrance. To continue the inviting welcome seen from the exterior, David made some…

Homeowners Stacy and Joe Borocz share an affinity for just about anything that combines European history with everyday objects. In fact, through their Atlanta-based company, Europe2You, they frequently explore the outdoor markets and curio shops of the United Kingdom, France, and other European countries for accessories and furnishings that exemplify the quintessential Continental lifestyle. As expected, the couple’s own Southern abode abundantly reflects this joie de vivre spirit. Yet, as with most things, there’s a twist. “The story of our house is interesting and a bit backwards when compared to most people’s appreciation for older homes,” Stacy admits. “Initially, we searched for a place with old bones—one that had veracity and history with elements that we could refurbish and update into a modern but classic aesthetic.” Instead, the Boroczes settled…

Barbara and Jobay Cooney thought they had seen every house on the market, but then Barbara came across this one. “I walked into the house and made them an offer,” Barbara says. “I instantly knew what I wanted to do.” The Cooneys had done a number of renovations before, so this wasn’t their first rodeo. In this cottagestyle ranch, they butted out the living room 2 feet but otherwise kept the same footprint. Within the original shell, they took down several walls and added others to rearrange the room placement. Barbara shares, “It all allowed the family to live a lot bigger.” And living bigger is something to consider when you have two parents, four children, and two dogs living under the same roof. Upon entering the house, you find…

Mary Catherine Folmar and her husband, Tyler, renovated their kitchen about seven years ago when they first moved into their house. Mary Catherine says, “I love a white kitchen; it’s light, bright, and clean. And since this kitchen was not so big, having it light makes it seem more open.” They kept the hardwood floors, staining them dark to contrast with the walls and cabinets. Corian, a solid surface material, was chosen for the countertops and the top of the island. Mary Catherine loves the look of marble, and the Corian pattern White Dove accomplishes that look and feel without the worry of the high-maintenance natural stone. For the backsplash, however, she decided to go with tumbled marble, thinking stains would be less likely. Cabinets line two walls of the…

White picket fences call to mind summer days, a yard full of pets and children, and the ideals of family and home. Before it was associated with the American Dream, the picket fence simply served a purpose—to mark property lines while still allowing for a beautiful view. Popular since colonial days, white picket fences now offer so much more than security to our yards, both in the front and back. No matter the size of your lawn, garden, or home, white picket fences exude charm and cottage style. The simple whitewash of the fence provides a wonderful backdrop for flowers and greenery. Monkey grass, towering floral bushes, and climbing ivy coexist beautifully with picket fences of all types. Flower beds or hedges along the fence line will turn a plain…

Located on a lot about a block from his house, Dr. Mitchell Mutter’s vegetable plot has become a magnet for passersby, who invariably stop to chat. He welcomes visitors, especially the young ones. “I love to have children come and see things growing, see where food comes from,” he says. Mitchell is also generous with the fruits of his labor. Every summer, he hosts a potluck in the garden. Nearly 200 neighbors help set up tables, harvest the vegetables, and make a big salad niçoise. “That’s what gardens are for,” he says, “to commune with nature and your neighbors.”…

As parents, it was extremely important to Beverly and Prentiss Smith to make sure their children were taken care of. They did whatever they could to help them on their way. So, after each of their children grew up, graduated from college, and got married— and each bill was paid in full—Beverly and Prentiss were finally ready to take care of themselves. “On the Monday morning after my daughter’s wedding, my husband said to me, ‘OK, Beverly, now it’s all about us. Let’s find a place to retire,’” Beverly recalls. The couple looked up and down the Gulf coast and soon fell in love with the scenic charm, artistic culture, and sense of community they found in Fairhope, Alabama. “I loved the charm of the town,” Beverly says. “We actually…

Open the door to this 1948 classic postwar- style bungalow and find a space filled with natural light, cozy furnishings, and sentimental accents. Homeowner Harriet Alley spent almost eight years updating and decorating both the exterior and interior of her cottage, seamlessly blending the cottage’s rich past with contemporary pieces. Harriet describes her style as traditional but fresh, and from the front gable to the master bedroom, that sentiment rings true as she highlights the cottage’s best features with innovative ideas, colors, and textures. Columns separate the living and dining rooms, giving the front of the home an air of openness. “There’s a little bit of space separation, but it’s still just one big room,” Harriet says. To help the room feel larger than it is, Harriet capitalized on the…

This completely updated 1930s cottage was a lucky find by the Edgeworth family. Carla and her husband, Alex, were delighted that the only work necessary was cosmetic. So, once the painting was complete, the hunt for unique but practical decorating items began. “Three children under the age of 7 will keep you practical,” Carla says, but it hasn’t stifled her sense of style here. The kitchen-family room combination is done in neutrals with washable linen slipcovers and white walls. With the sophisticated touches of dark gray on doors and trims, as well as the far kitchen wall, the room is far from being ho-hum beige. Large, comfy furniture is just right for adults to relax in and for little ones to climb. The children’s areas received as much design attention…

When these homeowners retired to the charming town of Fairhope, Alabama, they wanted to build a space where they could relax and entertain. With the help of interior designer Sharon Hixon, the couple resourcefully designed their new build around what they already had but added cottage features like large front and back porches, five-panel doors, and lots of open living spaces. “I like to see from the front to the back of my home,” says the homeowner of the Creolestyle cottage. “So, that’s where we started.” No matter how charming the rest of their Southern cottage may be, “everyone ends up in the kitchen,” the homeowner says with a smile. And with just a quick look around, it’s easy to see why. The cottage boasts a large open-concept kitchen that…

Brimming with curb appeal, the front porch conjures charming Southern reminders of lazy summer days and enchanting evenings spent swaying on a porch swing. Porches are an introduction to the home, so what kind of first impression is your home making? Often serving as the main entry to the home, the front porch has a rich architectural and social past. While porches were present in the architecture of colonial times, it wasn’t until the 1840s and 1850s that front porches became a popular design element throughout the United States. Before radio, television, and modern technology, the front porch was a place to socialize, and during the spring and summer months, it was typically a few degrees cooler than the rooms inside. The word “porch” was derived from the Latin porticus,…

For New Orleans interior decorator Donna Maselli, a home is an organic living thing. “A house truly speaks to me when I enter it: it tells me what it wants to be,” she says. “A home should always reflect its inhabitants, but should not be overly decorated or stuffed with too many sentimental objects.” For Donna and her husband, Joe, that reflection is found in a 1900s Greek revival home layered in creamy neutrals, serene spaces, and a generous dose of natural light. Though they dwell in a city known for over-the-top parties, parades, and all-around good times, they’ve created a quiet sanctuary within their home. Like many traditional Southern cottages, the Masellis have a welcoming front porch flanked with white columns, where they can enjoy shady park views from…

With an aging mother and a gaggle of grandkids nearby, Dona Bullock found herself in the market for a new home that would better accommodate her changing family dynamic. After nearly five years of living in an apartment just a short bike ride from her mother, Dona set her sights on the housing market. When eight months of looking for just the right type of home where she could live as her mother’s caretaker proved fruitless, Dona decided her best option was to build. Soon after, she found the perfect neighborhood and the best available lot and was finally ready to make her customized dreams a reality. As fate would have it, the community’s developer actually went to school with Dona’s mother, and at 84 years old, he decided to…

Though the story of the stately English Tudor home that Shannon Murphy and her husband, Steve Bakir, share with their three children begins with a sad tale—the original house was damaged by fire after it was struck by lightning—the new and improved version stands as a testament to the good that can come from a bad event. Choosing to look forward rather than back, Shannon and Steve worked with a crackerjack team for a near-total renovation that allowed the pair to design a custom home that suits their active family to a tee. Among the spaces gained with the redo is a spacious eating area adjacent to the kitchen. In the kitchen, the range is tucked into a brick alcove lined with a tile backsplash. White Alabama marble forms the…

In recent years, Brian Midkiff’s job has required moving his family around the country, but packing up this time was a challenge for his wife, Tobie, and their two daughters. The Midkiffs had just finished a massive renovation of their home that resulted in Tobie’s dream kitchen. Nonetheless, they went searching for a home in their new Southern location. Even though they had gutted the kitchens in their last four homes, this time was different. “We were looking for a house that would fit our family needs but did not require a lot of improvements. Yet, we wanted one we could put our mark on,” Tobie says. And they found one—a 1930s classic with beautiful bones. It even had enough room for a cozy sitting area where Tobie could hang…