Innholdsfortegnelse for Christmas 2020 i The Cottage Journal

COMFORT & JOY Twinkling trees, ornamented wreaths, and garlands of fresh greenery draping mantels, stairways, and doors are the sights that signal the season. We welcome you to this issue of cottages dressed for the holidays with various themes tailored to each household. We know you will enjoy experiencing each home’s unique settings from simply adorned tables to extravagantly laden trees all sharing holiday merriment and inspiration. With this being our 10th-anniversary edition, we are especially grateful to our readers for all your support and loyalty. We began The Cottage Journal magazine with our first Christmas Cottage issue in 2010. It was the idea of Phyllis Hoffman DePiano, our CEO and editor-in-chief. Since that time, we have received a lot of interest in cottage and farmhouse style and made many…

Feelings of excitement and anticipation abound at Christmastime as friends and families gather together and celebrate this joyous occasion. French Country Cottage Inspired Gatherings by Courtney Allison captures the warmth and emotion of entertaining through meaningful moments throughout the seasons, making the book an ideal gift for loved ones to enjoy year-round. A freelance photographer, stylist, and designer, Courtney founded the lifestyle blog and brand French Country Cottage and also has a floral line with Balsam Hill. Inspired Gatherings is her second book, and through its beautiful pages, Courtney shares her love of tabletop style and tips for creating an ambience and experience guests are sure to remember. From Courtney’s favorite florals to the essential elements of the rustic yet elegant style for which she is known, the book’s 224…

In December, the Wilson home goes green. Starting with a family trip to pick out a tree, the holiday season sees the Old-World cottage filled with lush garland and various clippings, prepping the space for a design of creative, personal touches by homeowner and designer Amy Wilson. “I feel like it’s my way of getting in the spirit, because it smells so fresh,” Amy says. Though she admits starting with fresh materials necessitates refreshing them throughout the season, the green is her go-to, and it’s only after she’s decked the halls that she begins adding the extras. “Usually, I start out minimally and live with it for a couple of days,” she says. “And as it’s needed, I bring out more stuff, but I really try to go minimal.” The…

Cottage Confections Pages 13–14—National Gingerbread House Competition™ at The Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina. The Gift of Gathering Pages 17-18—Designs by Courtney Allison, French Country Cottage blog. A Very Crafty Christmas Pages 27–34—Interior designs and decorations by Jen Fancher, Noting Grace blog. Last Christmas Pages 35–44—Interior designs by Josh Hildreth, Josh Hildreth Interiors. Pages 39-40—Stocking by Carole Karvazy from The Sándor Collection. Pages 41-42—Kitchen cabinets painted in Card Room Green by Farrow & Ball. Cabinet knobs from Chloe Alberry. Finished to Perfection Pages 45–54—Interior designs by Beth Ervin, Beth Ervin Interiors. Pages 45–46—Fireplace andirons from Parc Monceau. Page 48—Custom stair runner from Eve & Staron Studio. Buffet from Travis and Company. Lamps from Edgar-Reeves. Sconces from Boxwoods Gardens & Gifts. Pages 49–50—Pottery from The Gables Antiques. Chandelier…

Jen and Trent Fancher knew what they were getting themselves into when they bought their fixer-upper home in 2018. Luckily, they were also experienced enough to handle the renovations, which were needed to revive this previous rental property. After seeing the home’s potential, the couple decided to purchase it when moving back to Trent’s hometown of Birmingham, Alabama. And after two years of renovations, the Fanchers can confidently say now that they love their home, even if more remodeling is planned. “We are slowly loving [our home] back to life,” Jen says. No strangers to DIY projects, the Fanchers were undaunted when it came to renovating their home. So far, they’ve updated the kitchen, sunroom, master “retreat,” bathroom, and a few bedrooms, though Jen is quick to add, “There’s so…

When the holidays arrive, family and friends around the world come together to share memories, laughter, and plenty of good food. And while the mantel and tree are often decked with festive colors and cheerful décor, artist Angelique Tassistro believes that the table deserves the same treatment. Raised in Louisiana, Angelique made her place within the art scene in Asheville, North Carolina, in 2003, but she brought her inspiration with her from home. Memories of playing and dressing up in her grandmother’s attic inform pieces she describes as “playful and vibrant,” resulting in a fun aesthetic that she notes isn’t the norm for functional ceramics. “I think when you get dressed up, it’s usually because you’re going to do something really special,” she says. “You’re going to do something fun…

See more of Amanda’s projects on Instagram at @amandabarkleyfloral.…

Interior designer Josh Hildreth likes to say that his mother was his first client. “I was probably six or seven years old when I started moving the furniture in our living room,” he says. The bond they formed over style and design was cemented at an early age and only grew stronger over the years. After his mother, Maureen, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in January of 2019, Josh had the idea in October to revisit her home, apply his professional expertise, and dress it up for the holidays. “She was my mom, but she was also my best friend,” Josh says. “It felt really fitting to be able to do this for her.” The task at hand required nothing short of holiday magic. Josh’s parents agreed to move out…

The Dreyer home decked for the holidays resonates with the old-fashioned fun of the Christmas season dressed up in a vibrant, youthful palette of lime greens, turquoise blues, coral reds, and blushing pinks. “I’d describe our year-round décor as colorful, fresh, and family-friendly,” says interior decorator Kate Dreyer when describing the Fairfax County, Virginia, home she shares with her husband, Brian, and their two young children. “But just like our everyday décor, all of our Christmas add-ons have to withstand wear and tear from a young family,” Kate says. “I’m grateful for shatterproof ornaments and strands of felted garland; that’s for sure.” Color has also always been a necessity for Kate in her home, and extending it into Christmas décor has been a priority. Preppy patterns and lively prints are…

An entry decked with evergreens and flowers greets guests with festive charm. A traditional balsam wreath can weather the cold outdoor temps quite well, especially when it adorns a covered porch entrance. A fresh-cut display also carries the Christmas holiday scents, like those captured by many fragrant candles available during the season. While the weather outside dips in temperature in most climates, an enclosed porch or sunroom is the perfect setting for arrangements of poinsettias or other wreaths of boxwood and mixed greenery. They add lovely decoration for the holidays and offer a welcome gift for visiting friends, neighbors, or delivery personnel. From white to hot pink and vivid red, a multitude of colors are usually available for poinsettias and other winter-hardy flowers in many planting zones. Combining colors—whether variegated…