The Cottage Journal features decorating ideas, style tips, creative inspiration, and delicious recipes - and now you can enjoy every single page on the tablet! Create a warmer, more magical home with the beauty of nature and The Cottage Journal!
As most of us have, I grew up with the steady beat of clocks tick-tocking around our home. I can still picture the fine brass anniversary clock with a glass dome in the living room, complementing my mother’s favorite Duncan Phyfe sofa and matching coffee and side tables. In the more casual playroom, a stately grandfather clock (which was, poetically, from my great-grandfather) fascinated my sister and me with its carved oak frame and deep, loud chime. And then there was the German cuckoo clock that was simply to “look at,” as it never made a sound. That piece has since become a treasured addition to my own daughter’s cottage. These days it’s easy to fill a home with too much of the unnecessary. That’s why it’s so important to…
Style Idea Be sure to consider the color of your front door when decorating. Painted purple, this door is a perfect contrast to the golden wheat and corn accenting the grapevine.…
Red Lantern from Peacock Park Designs, peacockparkdesign.com or 866-504-4004. French design settee from Met Design Center, 800-700-2199. Pillows, book boxes, and vase from At Home Furnishings, www.athome-furnishings.com or 205-879-3510. Silk flowers and ornamental willow balls from Shelayne’s, 205-706-2055. Painting from Four Seasons Antiques, Art & Botanicals, www.4seasonsantiquesandart.com or 205-803-4059. Wood-top console with iron legs from At Home Furnishings, athome-furnishings.com or 205-879-3510. Vintage-style scale clock, metalwork stools, fall wreath, and fruits cans from Park Hill Collections, parkhillcollections.com or 888-603-3334. Heavy tin compartment, crowned squirrels, and square handled buckets from Peacock Park Designs, peacockparkdesign.com or 866-504-4004…
Shutters have hung at windows for centuries to provide privacy and control the amount of sunlight streaming into a room. With the advent of louvered shutters (as opposed to solid panels), fresh air could even flow into the area. Today, we control sunlight and privacy with draperies and blinds, and we cool our rooms with air-conditioning. So have shutters disappeared? Hardly. Shutters are a popular decorative element in cottages large and small. Professional designers as well as creative homeowners scour flea markets and junk stores in hopes of finding paint-worn shutters. Talented woodworkers incorporate them in projects that don’t even go near windows. So check out some clever repurposing ideas we’ve found in hopes of inspiring you. Style Idea To give an old bookcase a touch of cottage style, attach…
When Cathie Caldwell started collecting jadeite 38 years ago, she had no idea how fun and addictive her attraction to this cheery green glassware would become. What started as a simple interest soon became a quest. With a collection that now boasts close to a thousand pieces—along with two vintage trucks painted in the signature color—Cathie has earned the affectionate title of “The Jadeite Queen.” Jadeite first became all the rage in the 1940s and ’50s when the United States was recovering from World War II and needed something cheerful yet functional. A number of companies produced it, including McKee, Jeannette Glass Company, and, of course, the ever-popular Fire-King line called Jade-ite, made by Anchor Hocking Company. Although jadeite was originally designed for home use, an extra-sturdy line known as…
A visit to this cottage is like flipping through the pages of a scrapbook. Room after perfectly appointed room showcases a collage of keepsakes that tells the story of a family’s history and travels. Although they chose to settle in the South, the family pays homage to Honduran roots by punctuating their home with authentic heirlooms like linens and furniture. “Seeing these family treasures allows us to reflect on our life together,” the homeowners explain. “More than for aesthetics, we love antiques for the warm feelings that they convey.” Style Idea Seating is key in almost any space. For your rooms consider complementary colors and fabrics on cozy seating to make an inviting setting for guests to gather. In this household, worn and aged accents are preferred over shiny and…
