Indholdsfortegnelse for February/March 2024 i Country Living

I recently stumbled across an Instagram post written in response to some 2024 design trend report. “Oh, goody,” the post said, “it’s the time of year when magazines make us feel bad about our homes for doing the exact things they told us to do a year ago.” Shared by Ingrid Fetell Lee (@ingridfetell), the observation made me chuckle, because it rang so true. This time of year is filled with people (and, yes, magazines) preaching and prognosticating what will be “in” or “out” during the year ahead. But here’s the thing: It doesn’t matter! When I look back through the archives* of Country Living, I’m struck how certain homes feel as fresh now as they did in the late 1980s. The ones that hold up the best (in my…

When Robb Nestor and Bill Reynolds (above) first purchased their circa-1732 farmhouse overlooking Connecticut’s Whalebone Cove, the yard was an appealingly blank slate. “Right after we closed on the house, we walked the property and saw a little flat spot that we knew would be perfect for a garden house,” says Bill. Their newly built structure with an historic front door (salvaged from the property’s farmhouse) provides the gardeners a quiet getaway to scheme and dream, although they’ll admit they’re most at home digging in the dirt. “There’s nothing like getting outdoors and working in the soil. To be aware of the world around you and not what is on a screen,” says Bill. “Nature has so much to teach us. From season to season, gardening allows you to see…

Basket Case Prior to the invention of the Langstroth wood hive (see pg. 25), bee skeps served as homes for domesticated colonies of the honey-producing insects. Typically handcoiled from wheat straw, rye, and other natural materials, the upturned baskets provided a dark, dry space for bees to form their honeycomb. Impractical for modern-day beekeeping, which involves regular inspection and manipulation of the colonies, English and French skeps from the 19th and early 20th centuries now make for wonderfully rustic accent pieces and can often be found for $100 to $500, depending on size and condition. Buzz Words Though apiculture (the scientific term for beekeeping) can be traced back to North Africa, advances in the field in the Americas and the U.K. during the mid-1800s spurred the proliferation of private and…

From the Farm to Your Table Here, five ways to embrace peak cabbage season. Recipes, pg. 82 FIELD NOTES Ripe for the Pickin’ Look for cabbage heads that are small but heavy, firm to the touch, and have tight leaves. Store cabbage wrapped in plastic in the refrigerator crisper—whole for up to two months and cut for up to one week (slice off any brown surfaces before using).…

Hats were not on Mississippi native Mary Landrum Pyron’s packing list when she first headed to Wyoming the day after graduating from Ole Miss in 2016, but Western wear was part of the uniform at the guest ranch where she was set to work as expedition chef. “I got my first hat that April,” she says. “I started wearing one every day, and my passion was born.” After working with a Wyoming hatmaker, Mary Landrum returned to her hometown of Crystal Springs, Mississippi, in 2021 to start her company, ML Provisions (mlpro visions.com), in the 175-plus-year-old barn on Cherry Grove, her family’s farm. “My goal was to sell four per month, and now I see up to 30 people per week during peak season,” she says. Visits to the workshop,…

When designer Emily Henderson (stylebyemilyhenderson.com) set out to revamp her 1910 farmhouse, this bath was marked for only cosmetic upgrades. It wasn’t until her team of architects (arciform.com) discovered some less-than-desirable previous electrical and plumbing work that she decided to give it a complete re-do. BACK TO BASICS: Emily’s team took the room to the studs, although the only major structural change involved adding the cozy built-in tub nook, which is set apart with a custom buffalo check shower curtain. (For similar, try “Cynthia” by Laura Ashley; bedbathandbeyond.com.) SEEING GREEN: Ceramic herringbone tile helps ground the airy space, as does a picket tile border around the perimeter (both prattandlarson.com). Overhead, a reworked vintage light (rejuvenation.com) continues the earthy green thread. TUB TALK: “That vintage-inspired faucet on the new double-ended claw-foot (rejuvenation.com)…

EXPOSED CONSOLE Handsome brass gives this sink a stylistic leg up (and provides an easy spot for hand towels). “Cierra” $989; build.com CLASSIC PEDESTAL Subtle curves help this simple space-saving sink feel like it’s been around forever. “Rowland” $356; rejuvenation.com COLORFUL WALL-MOUNT This striking style comes in 17 colors, or a custom hue if none of those happen to suit you.  Wall-Mount Sink in Arsenic Green $1,016; etsy.com/shop/watermarkfixtures…

Bacon-Cabbage Panzanella WORKING TIME 35 minutes TOTAL TIME 35 minutes  MAKES 4 to 6 servings ½ medium green cabbage, cut into 2-inch pieces5 tablespoons olive oil, dividedKosher salt and freshly groundblack pepper8 slices bacon, cut into2-inch pieces⅓ loaf (about 8 ounces) dark or marbled rye bread, torn into large chunks3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar1 tablespoon Dijon mustard½ large red onion, sliced1 large red apple, chopped3 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (about ¾ cup) 1. Preheat oven to 475°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Toss together cabbage and 2 tablespoons oil on prepared baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Bake until edges are golden brown, 20 to 23 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to…

1 The signs of early spring in the countryside, from fields dotted with daffodils to newly shorn sheep 2 Tinkering around the house—dusting off the china, prettying up the pantry—like a bird dutifully tending to its nest 3 Quiet mornings in a cozy window nook with a cup of coffee and freshly baked bread 4 The I-can-fix-anything feeling you get at the neighborhood hardware store—and the friendly whatcha-workin’-on banter with seasoned store clerks 5 Bringing your favorite lightweight quilts out of storage and delighting in their pretty pastels 6 Finding paint color inspiration everywhere you look, from fabric swatches to pottery glazes 7 Using the extra day of the leap year to get ahead on your 2024 reading list 8 The first let’s-crack-open-the-windows moment of the season in a breezy bedroom Be sure to follow us on Instagram…

Why We Love Them Their Storied Origins: While various Colonial communities had their own style, the decorative folk art we think of today came via the Pennsylvania Dutch and was largely inspired by centuriesold German design traditions. Their practice of Fraktur—which involved embellishing important documents with fanciful painted motifs—bled off the page and onto anything they could get a paintbrush on, bringing beauty to the mundane and effectively birthing the American decorative folk art style. Their Easy Application: Calling all DIY-ers! This look easily lends itself to trunks, wardrobes, or even stair risers. Contemporary folk artist and chalk paint purveyor Annie Sloan offers tutorials and stencil books with modern patterns (anniesloan. com), while The Stencil Library’s compendium provides a breadth of historic designs (stencil-library.com). Their On-Trend Appeal: We’re calling it:…

Golden Hour: The end of the day at dusk—the light is so beautiful. We also like to get an early start as the sun comes up. Garden Muses: Page Dickey, Frank Cabot, and Bunny Mellon. Bunny’s style had great structure, but it was unaffected—it felt used and lived in and not showy. (1) Bunny Mellon Garden Journal $20; amazon.com Sipping Pretty: Robb and I love coming together at the end of the day to say, “Let me show you what I was working on.” We walk the garden with a glass of wine to soak it all in. Sun Staple: I wear an old worn-out straw fedora; Robb is Greek-Italian—he can take the sun. Earliest Garden Memory: My maternal grandparents had a beautiful garden. I lived just 10 minutes away…

FOR THE LOVE OF Buttermilk Biscuits Buttermilk has long been a staple of biscuit bakers for its acidity, liquidity, and fat content—all of which makes for a fluffy, flavorful biscuit and a tempting toast alternative in these Egg-in-a-Hole Buttermilk Biscuits. Recipe, pg. 84 FOR THE LOVE OF Angel Biscuits Super-fluffy courtesy of the addition of yeast alongside the standard leaveners (baking powder and baking soda), these Skillet Angel Biscuits with Spicy Honey Butter are said to be so light they could float up to heaven (hence their name). Recipe, pg. 84 FOR THE LOVE OF Beaten Biscuits These thin, flat biscuits (called “sea biscuits” in New England) take an hour to make when hand-mixed, but our Beaten Biscuits with Country Ham come together much quicker with the aid of a food processor. Recipe,…

Town Stats POPULATION 2,330 LOCALLY KNOWN AS “Apalach” or “land of the friendly people” SCENIC ROUTE The 60-mile stretch of Highway 98 known as Florida’s Forgotten Coast also weaves through state parks, sleepy beaches, and the towns of Port St. Joe and Carrabelle. Claim a stool at a soda fountain, shop for vintage nautical knickknacks……and 9 more ways to embrace a Sunshine State of mind. Rise and Shine: Guava pastelitos and espresso-laced cortaditos bring Cuban flair to the breakfast menu at Café con Leche. Go Overboard: Bedecked in old buoys, The Tin Shed Nautical & Antiques shop (top right) boasts a massive offering of vintage ship wheels, dive helmets, and other “seaphemera.” Light the Way: The nearby barrier island of St. George is the perfect place to dip your toes…

SIMPLE SKIRTED Available in four colors, this bateau-style tub works with most design schemes.  “Kateryn” $3,649; signaturehardware.com DOUBLE SLIPPER The exaggerated silhouette of a double slipper tub invites long, lean-back soaks, making it ideal for a spalike retreat.  “Mimi” $1,999; vintagetub.com STOCK TANK The shape evokes the charm of a farmhouse favorite, but soaking in this acrylic pick feels anything but rustic.  “The Meredith” $4,952; deluxevanity.com…

When designer Jenni Yolo (@ispydiy), host of Makeover by Monday on the Magnolia Network, embarked on a reno of a circa-2003 fixer-upper, she knew she was in for an uphill battle—to start, the walls were concrete. To keep costs low and timelines on schedule, she worked within the existing framework. MOODY BLUES: Deep blue walls (Waterloo by Sherwin-Williams) and 44-inch-high blue ceramic tile wainscoting (“Marrakesh”; tileshop. com) create a blanket of blues in the new space. (The same blue tile extends to the shower in a checkered motif.) FLUORESCENT FAREWELL: A charming brass light (kohler.com) replaced the unflattering fixture above an out-of-the-box vanity (kohler.com). CROSS SECTION: On the floors, Jenni opted for a modern cross iteration (“Cross Porcelain”; tileshop.com) over more standard bathroom selections. Interspersing white cross tiles adds more…

In With the Old PAGE 23 Skeps: Canvas & Cargo, canvasandcargo.com; Legacy Vintage Building Materials & Antiques, legacyvintage.ca. PAGE 24 “Mughal Flower” grass cloth wallcovering in Soleil; lisafinetextiles.com. Books: Patrick’s Rare Books, patricksrarebooks.com; Tamila Morgan, @the_ BeeFarmer; Honey Bee Mill Books, honeybeemill.com; White Owl Books & Import, whiteowlrarebooks.com; VintageLove579, vintagelove579.etsy. com; Rare Books, rarebooks.etsy.com; Opal Stackhouse, opalstackhouse.etsy.com; NACI, nacillc.etsy.com; Kennebec Trading, kennebectrading.etsy.com. PAGE 25 “#004 Fleur” fabric in gold; lesindiennes.com. Smokers: Artizmo Eclectic, artizmoeclectic.etsy.com; Old Fangled Finds, oldfangledfinds.etsy.com; Gazaboo, gazaboo.etsy.com; Not Without Vintage, notwithoutvintage.etsy.com; The Junkies Shop, thejunkiesshop.etsy.com; Lesa Jo’s Antiques & Collectibles, lesajosantiques.etsy.com; Yesterdeals, ebay.com/str/yesterdeals. Langstroth hive: Decorative Antiques by Hamish Webster, decorativeantiques.uk. PAGE 26 Bee carriers: Primitive Addiction KR, primitive addictionkr.etsy.com; Wyrembelskis Vintage, wyrembelskisvintage.etsy.com; Piccadilly Prairie, piccadillyprairie.etsy.com. Honeypots: Sparrow’s Nest, sparrowsnestnc2.etsy.com. PAGE 27 Honey tins: Tim Denton, waterfordantiquemarket.com. Farm Fresh PAGES 34-35 Classic stoneware bowls; schoolhouseelectric.com. “Mercer Merrow-Stitch”…

If you have a soft spot for old homes, you’ve likely heard the phrase, “They don’t make ’em like they used to.” Whether it’s original millwork, wavy glass windows, or hand-hewn hardwood floors, there’s a sense of craftsmanship with homes of the past that can’t always be found in your run-of-the-mill new build. That’s likely why today’s homeowners often go to great lengths to save, salvage, or source old doors, even when they’re oddly sized, charmingly mismatched, or coated with peeling paint. Sure, it would be easier to buy a new batch in bulk, but old doors are paneled pass-throughs to the past. Just think of all the things they have seen—the back-and-forth bustle of a working farm, the slams of a temperamental 19th-century teenager. (“But Dad, I don’t want…

Flora Stylized tulips—often intertwined with decorative leaf borders or set in overflowing baskets—were initially used by the Pennsylvania Dutch and are one of the most common floral motifs, as are daisies and roses. Fauna Folk artists loved to depict the recurring animals of country life such as roosters, deer, and songbirds. Patriotic eagles bearing arrows or banners became popular following the 1776 Declaration of Independence. Figural Pastoral hunting scenes, soldiers on guard, Colonial-style houses, and romantic “sweetheart” couples were often found stitched or painted on primitive canvas and displayed in the home.…

$799,000 Jasper, AL 5 BR; 5 BA; 6,900 SQ. FT. WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT: As if the wraparound porch weren’t enough, this grand Victorian home is filled with gleaming hardwoods, seven marble fireplaces with hand-carved mantels, and even an elevator! Pretty backyard retreats include a garden gazebo and a two-story carriage house. AGENT: Floyd Franks; josephcarterrealty.com WORK REQUIRED: The CL Fixer-Upper Scale MOVE-IN READY NEEDS MINOR IMPROVEMENTS INVEST IN A DECENT DRILL PUT THAT CONTRACTOR ON SPEED DIAL $674,000 Omaha, NE 6 BR; 4 BA; 2,972 SQ. FT. WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT: From your first step into this fully restored beauty, you’ll be greeted with splendid original details such as an ornamental staircase, tiled fireplace, stained glass windows, carved millwork, coffered ceilings, and pocket doors. Upstairs, the bathrooms pair period-appropriate…

“While renovating, we found these rolls of wallpaper wrapped in newspaper in the ceiling.” —M.A., Levittown, NY WHAT IT IS: Circa-1950s Little Golden Book Wallpaper “What a fabulous find!” says appraiser Bene Raia of Raia Auctioneers. Your rolls of Little Golden Book wallpaper were designed and manufactured by Katzenbach and Warren, Inc., a company founded in 1928 and renowned for their historic period wallpapers used in Colonial Williamsburg. “These children’s wallpapers were imprinted with colorful illustrations from the beloved Little Golden Books,” says Bene. She adds that your paper appears to be in good condition with only the usual signs of brittleness along the edges. WHAT IT’S WORTH: $75 to $100 per roll “I recently acquired this cabinet. There is a table that pulls out far enough to seat three.”—S.P., Kingston, WA WHAT…

Inspired by: Lauretta Jean’s bakery in Portland, Oregon Local Flavor: Just past the striped turquoise awning, you’ll find owner Kate McMillen—who named her shop after her grandmother—slicing up generous servings of her cult favorite citrusysalty confection. Portlanders know not to dally because it’s only on the menu through March, but you can try your hand at the saltine-crust custard pie at your leisure. Recipe, pg. 86…

Read, Rinse, Repeat. The phrase “bath library” seems to be bubbling up more as of late, with designers and bibliophile homeowners taking a page from reading rooms and studies when it comes to the bath. “It definitely makes the space feel more like a room,” says designer Stephanie Sabbe (sabbeinteriordesign.com), whose reading respite at right feels like an ideal spot to while away the hours—or, even better, The Hours. (Fun fact: Author Michael Cunningham boasts quite the bath library himself.) Drop-in, alcove, or undermount tubs like the one shown here are best suited for this look, as they provide a natural base for built-ins, but any open shelving (pg. 69, bottom left) serves up space for a condensed collection. Worried about water? Consider a tub-friendly reading rack (“Mercer” bath caddy…

When Ohio-based designer Halle Baran (silandpark.com) was tasked with turning a dated 55-square-foot bathroom into a roomier, familyfriendly retreat, she focused on bringing back some charm to the 1950s Cape Cod-style home, while still keeping things fresh for her client’s young family. STOP AND DROP: To make the space more friendly for three children under age seven, a drop-in acrylic tub (signaturehardware.com) was a nonnegotiable. An eyebrow arch shower surround adds character, and the larger centered window allows for more sunlight. SHIPSHAPE SELECTIONS: Painted Light Blue by Farrow & Ball, clean-lined shiplap paneling (homedepot.com) on the walls and tub skirt brings interest and texture without sacrificing the room’s open and airy feel. WHAT THE HEX: On the floor, blackand-white hex tiles (stonecenteronline.com) feel both youthful and timeless. A black-edged mirror…

IN SEASON Trusty Terra-Cotta Welcome early spring with a terra-cotta pot wreath. To make, thread floral wire through the drainage holes of 3- to 5-inch pots, then weave the wire through a grapevine wreath, nestling pots closely and in opposing directions. (For full instructions, visit countryliving.com/terra-cotta-wreath.) SAVE THE DATE Country calendar On the docket: celebrity rodents, snow moons, and pursuits of the creative note Get Your Phil On February 2, pint-size prognosticator Punxsutawney Phil will (ground)hog the spotlight. While the weatherpredicting rodent’s accuracy rate is a bit shadowy—just around 40 percent—he still has his share of superfans. (Psst: Phil’s even available for personalized greetings on Cameo.) Scratch the Itch From February 14–17, The Fairgrounds Nashville will be packed with primitives courtesy of two long-standing antiques events: Fiddlers Antiques Show (fiddlersantiquesshow.com) and…