Innholdsfortegnelse for French Cottage 2 2022 i The Cottage Journal

French Inspiration Bienvenue! This special issue of The Cottage Journal is one our team looks forward to all year long. French-cottage style exudes a classic timelessness; it transcends the seasons, and each design element tells a story. This issue is filled with elegant homes, decadent gardens, and simple style tips to inspire ways to add storied charm and French flair to your home. Sit back and enjoy an armchair tour of our eight highlighted home tours from across the country. Drenched in natural light and organic materials like wood and stone, these homes beautifully blend the romantic and rustic details we adore about French style. Each of our featured designers and homeowners shares that their inspiration can come from just about anything—like a grand bucolic view of a family farm…

When Kim McDivitt and her husband moved just outside their hometown of Houston, Texas, they were eager to incorporate the French ambience they both enjoyed from their years living abroad. However, the couple’s 2006-build home was dark and dated and didn’t have a great flow for entertaining, so they called on the design expertise of Peggy Fuller, owner and principal interior designer of By Design Interiors, to help them create a comfortable retreat filled with light. “The bones of the house were good, but it was heavy, dark, and the space wasn’t utilized well,” Peggy says. “[Kim] knew what she wanted, but she didn’t know how to accomplish it. So, that’s where we came on the scene, and we had a lot of fun figuring out what to do.” Throughout…

For Sharon and Gary Avants, this Château-inspired new build in Athens, Georgia, was designed to be their forever home—and with a long list of enchanting architectural details, it certainly fit the bill. But once the contractor’s work was finished, it became clear they were going to need a bit more help. “Once they had it complete, they realized that they didn’t really have anything to put in the house,” says Grace Brackman of Maggie Griffin Design. “So, they called me.” The architecture of the home, she says, led the design, and though material choices like hardwood and limestone lent warmth, the neutral walls left things feeling stark. “It just kind of started with layering,” Grace adds. A heavy use of draperies, rugs, and other soft furnishings led the way in…

Melissa and Tyler Smith moved into their 1980s home in 2016 and spent the next three years giving it a French-country face-lift. From improving the exterior landscaping and adding shutters to refinishing the floors, removing a few walls, and overhauling the kitchen, the couple had their hands full. Luckily, the Smiths were up for the design challenge, especially considering Melissa has been styling and decorating since childhood. In fact, she turned that childhood passion into an interior design degree. Since then, she has worked extensively in visual merchandising and is now a magazine stylist. “I love that you can treat your home with that same frame of mind—mix it up and change it to your liking—and for me, that can change day to day,” she says. “I may use all…

Often found in luscious French gardens, emanating a delicate fragrance into the air, lilacs symbolize memories of home and mark the transition of spring to summer. A favorite garden perennial in the 18th century, the flowering shrub, once thought of as a wildflower or weed, is now revered as a cultivated plant beloved by many. In the next installment of the Gibbs Smith flower series, author Naomi Slade and photographer Georgianna Lane present Lilacs: Beautiful Varieties for Home and Garden. Within the book’s 240 pages, the perfumed blossoms of the European flower are captured in breathtaking detail. Highlighting more than 60 varieties of lilacs, this edition artfully catalogs each of the different shades, sizes, and scents showcased during their blooming season. From vibrant purples and bold pinks to pastel blues…

When interior designer Mary McCollister Finch began her full-scale redesign of this Alabama home, her client provided only one stipulation: for the interiors to be a blend of traditional and contemporary styles. Opting for more relaxed furnishings with French influence, Mary captures the gracious balance between elegance and ease that makes the French aesthetic so highly sought after, leaving us with a collection of style ideas to incorporate into our own homes. AN ARTFUL APPROACH Ensure the main gathering space feels polished and welcoming by tucking away electronics, such as a TV, when they are not in use. “The landscape over the fireplace hides a TV in the living room, but I think it’s a very nice focal point, too,” says interior designer Mary McCollister Finch. From paintings to cabinetry,…

When Elizabeth and Christopher Frost decided to renovate their kitchen a few years ago, they didn’t have a specific style in mind. “We wanted something lighter than what we’d had,” Elizabeth recalls. One thing was certain, though: it would be tailored to their family. The couple purchased the home in 2008, but it wasn’t until years later that the idea to renovate popped into their heads. “It all started with some old cypress wood on [Elizabeth’s] parents’ farm,” Christopher says about their kitchen redo. During a hurricane, Elizabeth’s parents lost a few trees on their beloved family farm where she grew up. Instead of tossing the downed trees, though, her father decided to have them milled into wood planks. “Every time we visited, he told us we could have them,…

After moving into this charming cottage-style abode more than 25 years ago, one of the most important aspects for this family was creating an additional outdoor room. What started as a large, sloping hill of a front yard was reimagined and reconstructed and now serves as the family’s favorite room of the house. “It’s been a bit like adding a ballroom,” the homeowner says with a laugh. “It gave us a destination to go to. We use it every single day, and we love it.” In the spirit of the French, plein air dining in this enchanting, romantic space can be both casual and refined and has multiple sections spanning the grounds of the cottage’s front exterior. The green hedges shield the intimate dining space from the road, allowing the…

Elegance Meets Ease Pages 11–14—Interior designs by Mary McCollister Finch, Mary McCollister & Company. Floral designs by Jan Miller, Jan Miller Designs. Provençal Repast Pages 15–16—Tablecloth from Julia Amory. Striped linen napkins and yellow stemless wineglasses from ALKMY. Salad plates and flatware from Hammett. Dinner plates, place mats, and vase from Bromberg’s. Page 17—Hat and bag from The Travel Studio. Tea towel on top shelf from ALKMY. Page 18—Estelle Colored Glass cake stand from a’mano. Champagne flutes, Champagne bucket, wineglasses, and cutting board from Henhouse Antiques. French Flair Pages 19–20—Interior designs by Peggy Fuller, By Design Interiors, Inc. Host chairs from Sherrill Furniture. Mirrors from John-Richard. Wallpaper by Anna French for Thibaut. Pages 21–22—Cabinets by Wood-Mode. Island pendant light from Currey & Company. Sink pendant light from Signature Hardware. Barstools…

Enjoy the joie de vivre of an afternoon spent alongside friends inside a dreamy French-inspired hideaway. Imagine a gentle breeze as you sit surrounded by European ambience, with an easygoing vibe and carefree conversations taking place. While the sunlight glows over the table, sip on Champagne and nibble sweet confections straight from the pâtisserie as you linger in reverie. FANCIFUL FLORALS Bring a relaxed French style to your tablescape with a precious centerpiece of fresh flowers, either handpicked from your garden or selected from a local florist. Incorporate a few wildflowers into the arrangement for an informal look that doesn’t distract from the luscious colors of bright yellow tulips and a scarlet-hued vase. Keeping the bouquet small allows other tabletop décor, like a grouping of lemons and freshly pressed linens,…

Situated amongst the rolling hills of bucolic Brenham, Texas, a beautiful farm found its way back to a Houston couple whose family had owned it from 1968 to 1999. The current homeowners were high school sweethearts when the husband’s parents purchased it, and they helped restore a 1920s farmhouse on the property that they continued to use after discovering the land on the market and buying it in 2015. The country escape quickly became a place where longhorn cattle, horses, donkeys, deer, and more kept company with a revolving rotation of visitors. After a few years, it was clear they needed more space, so the couple built a new farmhouse centered around entertaining with French-country character that elevates the interiors but keeps them big family- and farm living-friendly. “They’re empty…

Francie and Ogden Deaton’s ranch-style house might appear to be a classic American abode from the outside, but as you cross the threshold, you’ll find yourself transported to a modern European retreat. Decked in neutrals and accented with vivid color and rich, inviting textures, the entire home offers a delightful respite that feels calm and chic. The living room exudes a relaxed and casual atmosphere, perfect for lounging, while an abundance of windows allows natural light to cascade in. “Our kitchen and family room have a casually elegant style that we love,” Francie says. “We knew this would be the spot where our family and friends would gather, so we wanted it to be cozy and comfortable.” The main living area leads into the open-concept kitchen, where contemporary style blends…