Innholdsfortegnelse for Summer 2024 i The Cottage Journal

When Samantha and Andrew Chused started the hunt for a second home, they were searching for a true haven from the stresses of everyday life—a place to escape and recharge with their young son and daughter as well as extended family and friends. They found the perfect retreat in a 1969 Cape Cod gambrel-roof abode in the scenic Racing Beach area of Falmouth, Massachusetts. The home had just undergone a full-gut renovation and expansion by a developer who planned to use it for himself but then decided to sell. As luck would have it, the spacious, updated layout showcasing stunning views of Buzzards Bay from every corner proved to be precisely what the Chuseds had hoped to discover. Now, all they needed was to give it the tranquil aesthetic they…

There’s a fine line between coastal chic and beachy kitsch aesthetics—even in Florida. So, when a designer successfully strikes it, coming home can feel like a vacation. This was the mission for Jessica Ranjbari and her team at Mossy Co. Interiors when they were hired to transform a bland builder-grade home for their Tallahassee, Florida, clients. By nixing dark cabinetry, beige walls, and busy accoutrements in favor of muted colors, nature-based focal pieces, and layers upon layers of texture, Jessica elevated this primary home into a serene, seaside-like retreat. The project began, she says, with a decidedly clean slate. “I started with paint—making everything light and bright by selecting coastal colors reminiscent of the sky, water, and sand. With that neutral base in place, we could bring in pops of…

In 2011, a few years after moving from the Midwest to the North Shore of Boston, Massachusetts, Holly Stout and her husband were exploring one of the many quaint coastal towns that now surrounded them when a local art gallery sparked inspiration. “I felt inspired and invigorated at the thought of being able to be on a creative career path,” Holly recalls. “Within months, I was renting a local artist studio space, not entirely knowing what I was there to make, but I knew it involved textiles, color, and some whimsy.” At the time, Holly was a stay-at-home mom with two young children, but in the past, she’d put her entrepreneurial business degree to work as an Ethan Allen design consultant, a real estate agent, and an interior decorator—always gravitating…

Charming doesn’t begin to describe this one-bedroom, 908-square-foot guest cottage built to accommodate overflow from its main historic farmhouse located on pristine waterfront property in the Chesapeake Bay area. “We designed the cottage in a style that complements the existing farmhouse, with beaded lap siding, black shutters, and a metal roof, all reflecting other materials used throughout the farm,” says architect Christine Dayton, who worked on the cottage with local builder Ted Boettger from 2020 to 2021. Perhaps the most striking feature is the cottage’s wraparound porch, which features tongue-and-groove Ipe decking and a beaded board ceiling painted haint blue. The porch adds an additional 835 square feet to the cottage, which features an en suite bedroom, a half bath, and an open-plan kitchen and living room. Jamie Merida of…

While he spends his weekdays producing beautiful gardens for others, Dwight Brown decided it was finally his turn to bring his own backyard retreat to life. As the floricultural manager and outdoor living specialist at Father Nature Landscapes, he and the company’s founders, Daniel and Andrew McCurry, were prepared to transform his garden into a project they could be proud of. “I use the outdoor space daily … it is my sanctuary,” Dwight says. “There is nothing better than to build a big fire, put some steaks on the grill, and have a glass or two of wine and relax.” When he purchased the home in 2011, the house was in its original condition from 1938 and in need of some renovation inside and out. Between the separate garage and…

Classically Southern, casually elegant, and graciously detailed are only some of the ways to describe Ashley Gilbreath’s style. In her debut book, The Joy of Home, Ashley focuses on how to achieve the home of your dreams through excellent design and plenty of personality. Throughout the book’s 240 pages, Ashley breaks down many of her interior design projects and her process for those homes. “For every project, I focus on creating a home tailored to each family’s needs and to stand the test of time.” she says. “I tap into my clients’ histories and memories to understand what resonates with them.” Her ability to dissect each client’s personality and desires while also reflecting her signature touch is what makes her method so interesting. She identifies some of her distinctive elements…

Whether you’re new to gardening or you have an experienced green thumb, it’s easy to see the benefits and many functions a greenhouse has to offer. At Hartley Botanic, we’ve been proudly producing our award-winning aluminium Greenhouses from our factory in England since 1938, making us uniquely positioned to share the key benefits of greenhouse gardening. Propagation: The most rewarding way to produce plants is from seed. Packets of seed cost far less than mature plants and, once you have mastered the simple skills of sowing and aftercare, you can produce as many plants as you like. Plants for spring or summer display, long-term perennials or shrubs and, of course, food crops can all be started from seeds sown in a greenhouse. Growing plants from cuttings will also be much…

Since the late 1800s, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, has served as a relaxing retreat for those wishing to escape the hustle and bustle of city life in the warmer months. Located just 80 miles from Chicago and 50 miles from Milwaukee, its location provides convenient access to the city experience while remaining far enough away to serve as a summertime sanctuary. Lavish mansions surround the 21-mile circumference of the lake—including those that once served as vacation homes for the Wrigleys and Schwinns, to name a couple of the prominent families who set up summer residence. Today, the properties’ inhabitants travel from around the world for their annual respite on the water. Visitors can view these elaborate estates from Geneva Lake aboard Lake Geneva Cruise Line’s U.S. Mailboat tour for a scenic…