DECORATE

WITH
FOUND
THINGS

SEASON of COZY
COLORS, PATTERNS & COLLECTIBLES
TO WARM UP YOUR SPACE

FALL 2021 Fall Bucket List:

Vol. 42, No. 3 APPLE PICKING, BAKING,
ANTIQUING & MORE
COUNTRY
HOME
FALL 2021 1
 PHOTOGR APHED BY: (THIS PAGE) NATHAN SCHRODER; (OPPOSITE) JASON DONNELLY
TABLE OF CONTENTS
14 Cottage Comeback
26 Inspired Style
36 Splendor of the Season
44 Living History
56 Fun Flowers
64 Home for Good
74 Hunt, Deal, Display
80 Nature Nurtures
90 Take Your Pick
100 New House, Old Soul

7 Art Makers
110 Resources
112 Get the Look

COVER PHOTOGR APHED BY JOHN GR ANEN;

ST YLED BY JANNA LUFKIN
COUNTRY
HOME
2 FALL 2021
 FROM THE EDITOR

FALL COMES
IN WITH A
BLAZE OF
GLORIOUS Maybe it’s the fact that the season is as fleeting as it is spectacular,

COLORS. but autumn always seems like a precious time. While we gather our
bounty (whether from gardens, flowerbeds, or flea markets) and enjoy
the waning heat and light of summer, it’s time also to refocus on our
rooms and ready them for welcoming our family and friends back
inside in anticipation of colder days ahead.
On these pages, we’ve gathered together an inspiring mix of
creative interiors from nesters across the country who have
mastered the art of country cozy. In the Poconos, the Cruice family
put love and carpentry skills into a basic 1950 house (page 44) to
reimagine it as a charming, personal cottage. Farther south in the
lush Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, the Quartapellas
took their cues from their beloved natural surroundings to create
a retreat that exquisitely marries rusticity with elegance (page 80).
Inspired by the woodlands and waters surrounding her Minnesota
home (page 26), engineer-turned-artist Mary Jo Hoffman documents
her favorite season with minimalist photographs and uses that same
P.S. We’re thrilled to modern aesthetic in interiors that put the focus on nature.
report that Country Home® Autumn’s natural beauty and bounty are inspiring in many
magazine is available four other ways as well. The last hurrah of the growing season yields an
times a year. As always, it’s abundance of decorating materials. Stylist Janna Lufkin gathers
on newsstands, and we’ve materials from the backyard, garden shop, and farmers market to
added a subscription option create simply beautiful ideas to savor (page 36). Another favorite
so you don’t miss a single stylist and friend, Karin Lidbeck-Brent, loves bouquets of bold and
issue. Visit magazine.store beguiling sunflowers so much that she decided to grow her own patch
to sign up today. of the cheery flowers (page 56). And we’re not sure fall would be
complete without a trip to the apple orchard (page 90). Come along to
learn more about the ever-expanding varieties available and how to
use them in delicious comfort foods.
We hope our hundreds of ideas for layering your nest with country-
flavored style and character will inspire you to make your home—and
gardens and even dinner tables—the place you can’t wait to come
home to. Cheers to a spectacular season!

SAMANTHA HART, EDITOR

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 ART MAKERS

CRAFTED by HAND
COUNTRY FOLK ARE BY THEIR NATURE A CREATIVE,
RESOURCEFUL BUNCH. WE CELEBRATE THOSE QUALITIES BY
SHOWCASING A TEXTILE ARTIST, A FLORAL WREATH CREATOR,
A PAIR OF SOAP MAKERS, AND A TYPESETTER. THEY ALL
MAKE MEANING AND ART THEIR DAILY WORK.
PHOTOGRAPHS: (PAGES 7–9) AARON SANDERS HEAD; (PAGE 10) COURTNEY OTHEN; (PAGE 11) BOB STEFKO; (PAGES 12–13) RYAN DONNELL

1 2

1 / Vintage linen steeps in a pot of natural dye made from Osage-orange wood. Alabama textile artist Aaron Sanders Head
forages for the native tree wood after storms. 2 / Aaron applied varying amounts of a pH solution to a
marigold dye, resulting in this range of hues on four fabric swatches.

WRIT TEN BY SHAILA WUNDERLICH

COUNTRY
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FALL 2021 7
 ART MAKERS

AARON SANDERS HEAD

dyer/quilter
Traverse the rural routes of Hale
County, Alabama, and you
might spot Aaron Sanders Head
on the side of the road. The
1 / Natural fabric dyer Aaron Sanders
29-year-old artist would likely
Head is in his element when outdoors
in Hale County, Alabama. 2 / Solidago, be hunched over, picking and
or goldenrod, grows plentifully in west plucking at the local flora. When
Alabama, making it easy for Aaron he’s not roadside, he’s at his
to maintain his sustainable sourcing
studio, a 130-year-old storefront
methods. 3 / A sheet of vivid goldenrod-
dyed linen hangs behind an antique in downtown Greensboro,
student desk salvaged from an old extracting natural dyes from his
Greensboro college. foraged finds and applying them
2 to his hand-stitched textiles. “This
time of year, I love the beautiful,
1 earthy palette that comes from
all the goldenrod, sumac, and
black walnut,” he says.
Aaron curates his own materials,
teaches workshops, and shows
his work internationally. But his
favorite part of the job is the hunt.
He’s even befriended local road
crews, who let him run ahead of
their mowers to collect weeds,
wood, flowers, and bark before
they get chopped down. “I have
a map I worked up of all the best
3 spots for certain dye plants,” he
says. “We call them honey holes.”
PORTRAIT: GRACE BOTH
 4

4 / Vintage cotton and linen spend some time in a marigold dye until the
color is just right. 5 / This Flying Geese quilt block is made from Osage-
orange wood- and indigo-treated linen. 6 / Aaron embellished this
pillow with quilt scraps dyed in black walnut, indigo, and Osage-orange
wood. 7 / Linen handkerchiefs dyed in indigo drape over an old ladder in
Aaron’s bright studio.
5
6
7

COUNTRY
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FALL 2021 9
ART MAKERS

COURTNEY OTHEN
floral and fiber artist
Ontario artist Courtney Othen
juggles at least three lines of
work: floral design, macramé, and
wreath-making. All are creative;
all require their own set of tools
and skills. Bring them together
in a single space, though, and a
thread emerges. In the Bohemian
vibe of her vintage home-
goods shop and the California
canyon look of her dried flower 1 / Courtney Othen holds one of her
arrangements and macramé, it’s signature dried floral wreaths arranged
on a brass hoop. Style details from the
clear that Courtney draws heavily
1970s show up in Courtney’s wardrobe,
from the ‘70s. The knotted fiber home, and art. 2 / The six macramé
art of macramé combines rope, wall hangings displayed in Courtney’s
knots, and extras such as beads waterfront studio in Barrie, Ontario,
comprise half of her 2021 line, which sold
into plant hangers and wall art. “I
out before she finished them. 3 / Artificial
just love the idea that a knot is a eucalyptus, natural and painted palm
knot—it’s already been invented,” spears, and a mix of local and imported
Courtney says. “But there are dried blooms wrap around only the lower
half of a brass hoop for an artful look.
endless ways to reinvent it.” 1
Courtney studied fashion
and floral design, transitioning 2
to wedding floral design after
graduation. Lately, commissions
for her macramé and dried
wreaths outpace Courtney’s
wedding work, which she’s fine
with. “We’re in a moment in time
when we’re spending so much
time at home,” she says, “and
it’s such a compliment to have
someone want my art in their
personal space.”
3
“WE WANTED
TIME
TOGETHER
OUTDOORS,
CONNECTED
WITH THE
LAND.”
—JAMES RAY

JAMES AND EILEEN RAY

2 farmstead soap makers
After years of toiling dawn to
1 dusk in finance and fashion
careers, James and Eileen Ray
decided they’d had enough of the
high-demand, low-reward life.
“We were working our childhood
dream jobs, but we weren’t very
3 proud of them,” Eileen says. So
the couple ditched New York
4 City and relocated to an 84-acre
property in Lebanon, Tennessee,
to start a family and a farm
business. Eileen remembered her
grandma boasting the benefits
of goat’s-milk soap and decided
to try it. Two children and several
1 /James and Eileen Ray with daughter dozen dairy goats later, Little
Cecelia (one of their two children) and a Seed Farm now produces 12 soap
Saanen goat. 2 / Freshly cut goat’s-milk
varieties, a skincare line, and one
soap awaits its packaging on Little Seed
Farm. 3 / Every package of soap bears the of the only dairy goat farms in
name and likeness of one of the farm’s the country whose animals are
resident goats. 4 / Calendula, comfrey, 100-percent grass fed. “We’re
and plantain oil are poured into tins, where
they will solidify into the farm’s organic
pretty proud of it,” James says.
healing hand balm.

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FALL 2021 11
 ART MAKERS

“MY GOAL IS
TO BE ABLE
TO LOOK BACK
AT A CARD I
DESIGNED
10 YEARS AGO
AND SEE
THAT IT STILL
HOLDS UP.”
—SARAH M c COY
1
2 3

1 / Printmaker Sarah McCoy works in her Des Moines studio, where pops
of color accent the industrial setting. One shot of bright red holds
meaning for Sarah—the custom, canvas-lined Cath Kidston work apron,
a handmade gift from friend Stephanie Bracelin. 2/ Sarah prints a card
on her antique Chandler & Price platen press. 3/ This stringed instrument
print for the popular Hinterland Music Festival in St. Charles, Iowa, is
typical of The Permanent Collection creations. 4/ Sarah owns sizable
collections of vintage wood typefaces.

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12 FALL 2021
SARAH McCOY
letterpress printer 5 / Sarah’s goldfinch card is printed on
Crane’s Lettra pearl white cotton
paper. “I pride myself in sourcing the
In the new wave of typography
best paper and materials,” she says.
and printing, old school is the 6 / “I love to play with type and imagery,”
way to go. No amount of photo- says Sarah, who regularly trolls eBay
editing and color-correcting can for vintage carved wood type.
7 / A customer browses Sarah’s lines
match the texture, detail, and
of bespoke note cards, prints, and
finish on a piece produced with stationery, displayed in wood bookcases
wood type on a vintage printing and on old metal shelving.
press. “The printing press creates
RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 110.
an impression on the page that 6
you can feel, and with the wood
type, you can see the fine grain 7
left from the wood block,” says
Sarah McCoy of The Permanent
Collection Letterpress + Design
Studio. “You only get that from
old equipment and materials.”
Sarah works from her Des
Moines studio on a restored
late-1950s Vandercook cylinder
press and circa-1916 Chandler
& Price platen press, using more
than 40 families of vintage wood
type letters from the late 1800s
to early 1900s. Her cards, prints,
and apparel reveal her graphic
design training and deep well of
historical inspiration. “I’m always
looking at early advertisements,
old typography and graphic
design books, Italian product
packaging, and vintage fabric
patterns,” she says. “I have such
a love of type, I can get a charge
from just about anything.”

5
 O P P O S I T E A newly
whitewashed hall
connects public and
private spaces in
Jennifer and Chad
Caudill’s cabin. T H I S
P H O T O Simple nails
hold lake essentials—a
wide-brimmed hat, tote,
and binoculars.

cottage
COMEBACK
A yo u n g fa m i ly with a
l o n g h is to r y o n o n e
of M ic h ig a n’s m os t
d esi ra b l e l a kes l ig hte n s
u p a 1930 s l o g ca b i n
with a n ew f l oo r
p l a n, p l e nt y of wh ite
p a i nt, a n d c l e a n,
co nte m p o ra r y f u rn itu re.

WRIT TEN AND PRODUCED BY KHRISTI ZIMMETH

PHOTOGR APHED BY WERNER STR AUBE
ST YLED BY JESSICA BRINKERT HOLTAM

COUNTRY
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FALL 2021 15
“We didn’t want a fancy place,”
Jennifer Caudill says of the
vintage 1930s log cabin on
Michigan’s coveted Torch Lake
that she and her husband, Chad, bought in 2017. What they did want was
a spot for their family of four to carry on a tradition of enjoying the lake
lifestyle. Jennifer had grown up summering in the area, and a member
of her extended family owns a cottage nearby. “My kids are fifth
generation,” she says, proudly.
Jennifer had long dreamed of owning a place here and was familiar with
the cabin they ultimately purchased long before it went up for sale. “The
same family had owned it for 50 years, if not more,” she says. By the time
the Caudills started looking for their own getaway, the cabin known as
Torchwood had been empty and for sale for some time.
Unfortunately, it showed. Neglect and passing years had taken
their toll, leaving bats, rotting floors, mold, and an awkward floor plan
consisting of a warren of small spaces thanks to years of cobbled-on
O P P O S I T E The Caudills love gathering
additions. “It was a hodgepodge” Jennifer says. “The real estate agent in the original family room, equipped
even tried to talk us out of it.” with new windows that frame the lake
The questionable condition didn’t deter her one bit. For years, Jennifer view. Back-to-back sofas anchor two
seating areas in the large, long space.
felt that the cabin was meant to be hers. “I walked into it,” she says, “and T O P Jennifer is partial to the living
within five seconds said it was more perfect than I ever imagined.” The log room’s comfortable, low-slung chairs.
cabin did have its strengths, such as 150 feet of prime lake frontage and “You can pile 10 kids in them,” she says.
“In the fall, there’s always a fire in the
3,500 square feet of living space—including five bedrooms and three full fireplace and a puzzle on the coffee
baths. That allows plenty of room to accommodate the parents, their two table.” A B O V E Original logs and
children, Owen, 12, and Anna, 9, and any lucky guests. stone give the cabin its vintage flair.
“It was historically interesting with lots
Working with architect Joseph Mosey and designer Jean Stoffer, of character to work with,” says
the family embarked on an 18-month renovation, opening up the floor designer Jean Stoffer.

COUNTRY
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FALL 2021 17
 A B O V E L E F T New windows let plan by removing walls and reimagining spaces, adding and enlarging
light into the sink area of the newly windows, widening hallways, and brightening the once-dark interiors by
renovated kitchen. The kitchen stayed
in the same location but was updated “whitewashing all wood that wasn’t a log,” Stoffer explains. “We kept the
and reconfigured with crisp blue design as simple as possible while keeping the home’s character.”
cabinetry—a nod to the nearby lake, A cheery new kitchen on the back of the house features crisp blue
the designer says. Modern light fixtures
were added throughout the cabin to cabinets, a walk-in pantry, and a movable island worktable designed for
reinforce the fresh feel. T O P R I G H T maximum flexibility. “The kitchen is bright and beautiful. It allows the
The 150-foot-wide lot looks out over gorgeous lake to be enjoyed to its fullest,” says Stoffer, who counts the
Northern Michigan’s Torch Lake, one of
the state’s deepest and most beautiful. room among her favorite spaces in the newly renovated house. Outfitted
A B O V E R I G H T The goal for the with contemporary fixtures and surfaces, the room exemplifies the
kitchen was “a lake house with a little
family’s wish for a “clean, fresh, new age log cabin,” she says. The kitchen
added sophistication,” Stoffer says. “We
cleared out old dividing walls, added is open to the cabin’s original family room with its new windows that
windows, and kept the place visually enhance the view and a vintage stone fireplace.
open by eschewing wall cabinets and
Jennifer is partial to the easygoing family room and to the nearby
making a walk-in pantry instead.”
screen porch. Both look out over the lake and are where they all gather
COUNTRY
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18 FALL 2021
T H I S P H O T O Doorways trimmed with original logs lead into the
updated kitchen. Flooring was replaced with reclaimed wide planks
salvaged from a Michigan barn. The island offers a movable work
surface as well as storage.
Working with Stoffer and architect Joseph Mosey, the
Caudills opened up the cabin’s interior by removing walls and
reimagining spaces. This spacious dining area was once a
screen porch; its doorways now conveniently lead into both
the kitchen and family room. Large enough to host family and
friends, a custom Parsons table and wicker bistro chairs pick up
the honeyed hues from the adjacent living area.

COUNTRY
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FALL 2021 21
 A B O V E Incorporating an original to relax, play games or cards, and do puzzles. “I love sandy feet, the
exterior wall, the screen porch (probably sound of the screen door slamming, and the fact that nothing here is
added in the 1950s, Jennifer says) takes
the living space outdoors. O P P O S I T E , too precious,” she says.
T O P L E F T Autumn’s quiet pleasures The Caudills enjoy the cabin year-round, heading north from their
include enjoying coffee and donuts on Detroit-area home as often as they can. Come autumn, trees of vibrant
the screen porch. O P P O S I T E , T O P
R I G H T A door leads from the family red, gold, and yellow frame the turquoise-hued lake, which is Michigan’s
room into the newly whitewashed deepest inland lake and considered by many to be among its most
and reorganized main hall, which was
beautiful. Fall also brings cold yet cozy mornings, when the family starts
created by borrowing space from
adjacent rooms. O P P O S I T E B O T T O M the day by making pancakes. “The cabin smells like old wood and syrup,”
Jennifer estimates that the log cabin Jennifer says. “I hope the kids always remember things like that.”
had been added onto as many as
Whatever the season, their door is open to family and friends,
eight times through the years. A dark
exterior visually ties together the various continuing a time-honored tradition that began when Jennifer was a child
additions. When the family is away, in another cottage nearby. “When you’re at the lake, it’s definitely the
new mechanicals and Wi-Fi allow them
more the merrier,” she says. The children are bound to remember that. 
to monitor everything from afar.
RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 110.
COUNTRY
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22 FALL 2021
“I love sandy
feet, the
sound of the
screen door
slamming,
and the fact
that nothing
here is too
precious.”
—HOMEOWNER JENNIFER CAUDILL
 “This is
like being
at camp.
It’s heaven
on earth.”
—JENNIFER CAUDILL

O P P O S I T E In the master bedroom,

the team cleared out everything that
wasn’t original, including some 1980s
built-ins, and painted the ceiling white
between logs for a fresh and airy
space. T O P Empty for a number of
years, the classic log cabin known as
Torchwood dates to 1936. Surprisingly
spacious, its 3,500 square feet include
five bedrooms and three full baths.
A B O V E White cabinetry and paneling
in a renovated bathroom are in keeping
with the Caudills’ wish for balancing the
cabin’s rustic attributes with clean-lined
spaces. R I G H T A reglazed claw-foot
tub in what was probably the cabin’s
only original bath adds a vintage feel
and is a nod to the cottage’s past.

COUNTRY
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FALL 2021 25
 A former aerospace
engineer traded
her calculator for a
camera and started
a blog dedicated to
documenting slices of
nature. In a life-imitates-art
twist, her work’s signature
minimalism inspired
her interiors too.

WRIT TEN BY KELLY RYAN KEGANS

PHOTOGR APHED BY VICTORIA PEARSON
ST YLED BY LIZ GARDNER
PRODUCED BY JESSICA THOMAS

COUNTRY
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26 FALL 2021
 T H I S P H O T O For her
living area focal point,
artist Mary Jo Hoffman
took one of her coyote
photos and enlarged it
on cotton rag paper. The
stump side tables are cut
from old telephone poles.
Branches from the woods
provide color. “I stopped
buying flowers in the
grocery store probably five
years ago,” she says.
 L E F T Mary Jo and Jack the
puggle wander the woods around
their home to gather pieces of
nature that will soon find a way into
her photography. B E L O W Autumn
blazes with inspiration. O P P O S I T E
Built-in shelves display sentimental
pieces, such as the demijohn glass
bottle picked up in France and
books husband Steve had as a
student in Paris.

Suffice it to
say, Mary Jo Crisp leaves crunch underfoot as she shops the forest floor for treasures. Tall pines,
fiery red maples, and orange oaks form a canopy over the trail outside her door. “The
Hoffman is hard part is that after a few weeks of photographing oaks, maples, and yellow birch

sweet on leaves, I get tired of the rainbow-saturated images and want to mix it up,” she says.
So goes this aerospace-engineer-turned-artist’s daily quest to find, photograph, and
autumn: “It’s post a piece of nature to her popular blog, Still. Today, instead of picking a flawless leaf,
she’ll challenge herself to find the less obvious: perhaps a beetle shell to put under the
like being camera, which is like her microscope. “I am most excited when I can take a mundane
subject, like a rotting leaf, and make a striking and memorable photo from it,” she says.
a kid in a Following a 15-year career at Honeywell, Mary Jo became a stay-at-home mom who
tapped her creative juices while the kids were in school by making art she kept private
candy store.” in bound journals. On New Year’s Day 2012, when her children were older, she decided
to go public with her daily documentation of specimens she finds mostly on the five
meandering wooded trails surrounding her home north of St. Paul. She quickly gained
a loyal following, including brands like Target and West Elm, and has since produced
home collections for both companies.
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28 FALL 2021
 Mary Jo laughs about launching her blog in the dead of winter, which in Minnesota
means many of her would-be subjects were covered in snow. But she now credits
T O P A N D A B O V E A natural calm the frozen landscape’s constraint for helping her become a better observer. The
is present both around and inside distinctiveness of the seasons in the Upper Midwest provides an ever-changing
this Minnesota home. A B O V E
palette and near-constant discoveries. In the spring she looks forward to watching
R I G H T The home’s exterior is
painted the color of bark and soil purple alliums burst their skins. Summer rainstorms make a dramatic entrance over
(Sherwin-Williams Tricorn Black) the lake behind her house, with winds that sometimes shake loose birds’ nests. She
to blend into the woodsy setting.
Dark exteriors paired with light,
reveals each season with vivid images composed on bright white, or sometimes black,
airy interiors are a hallmark of backgrounds. She arranges her subjects—found seedpods, tufts of fur, a butterfly wing,
Scandinavian style. O P P O S I T E In dried berry bunches—simply and graphically.
the breakfast room, pillows in
a muted palette and a mix of
The minimal aesthetic of her blog spills over to the 1970s ranch she shares with
textiles mimic the natural woods her husband, Steve, and their two kids, Eva and Joe. All-white surfaces, down to
and textures just outside the the painted plywood subfloors, form a museumlike setting for organic textures
bare windowpanes. The pale, raw
woods of the table and chairs
and modern furnishings. “In the past six years I’ve evolved our home to reflect the
reinforce the organic style. Scandinavian minimalism I’m drawn to. At first I said to the kids and my husband,
‘Just let me try this. If we don’t like it, we can change it.’ ” Her family approved. “I think
the lack of clutter was calming, and the house became this oasis.”
Decks off the front and terraced along the back of the house extend the living space
to the outdoors, which is where you’ll find the family most of the time. “I recently
came across the term ‘citizen naturalist,’ ” Mary Jo says, referring to nature lovers
who contribute their findings to researchers. “I think our whole family would fit that
description. We’re curious about our environment and like to know the names of
things, so we spend a lot of time thumbing through field guides and looking up names
and images on Google.” 
RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 110.

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30 FALL 2021
ESSENTIAL SCANDINAVIAN STYLE
For Mary Jo, LET THE LIGHT IN WARM WITH TEXTURE SIMPLIFY SILHOUETTES
Nordic-inspired
design comes down Uncovered windows let in light Natural surfaces and Starting with the bare windows,
to three things: that’s reflected and amplified organic fibers edge out cold focus on ways to streamline
“There’s lots of by white walls. What kind of for a casual and comfortable furnishings and simplify
white to reflect the paint? Mary Jo used untinted mood. Think stone, light collections. For her accent
northern light. It’s Sherwin-Williams paint in woods (pine, maple, and pieces, it’s no surprise that
uncluttered, and a matte finish for walls, satin whitewashed, or cerused, timber), Mary Jo goes natural and
it’s furnished with for moldings, and high gloss for and weathered concrete hyperlocal, and she makes
natural elements.” floors. “The style is not so much
Here’s where with wool, cotton, linen frequent changes. “I like
to start: about modern furniture design textiles, and furs. seasonal nature to take
as a reverence for light.” center stage,” she says.
A B O V E L E F T A N D T O P Mary Jo
and her son, Joe, work on a project
in the recently set-up studio in their
walk-out basement. “I’m pretty
tidy,” she says. “But if I’m in the
middle of a project, the house can
look like a tornado passed over the
forest floor.” A B O V E A N D L E F T
Snippets of nature are organized
in printer drawers for easy access
when the muse strikes. O P P O S I T E
Sunlight floods through skylights,
and a woodsy view enters via large
windows in the kitchen, where Steve
and daughter Eva cook and chat.
 “A SPARE INTERIOR WITH LOTS OF LIGHT SURFACES
ALLOWS THE NATURAL LIGHT TO BE MAXIMIZED AND REFLECTED,
WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT LIVING AT 45 DEGREES LATITUDE.”
—HOMEOWNER MARY JO HOFFMAN

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 A B O V E L E F T Steve built the
couple’s bed out of upcycled dock
materials and the trunk of a fallen
white oak from their backyard.
A B O V E R I G H T A boardwalk
leads Eva and Joe through the
cattails to the lake. R I G H T On
a glorious fall day, the family
relaxes with fishing poles, snacks,
and a puggle. O P P O S I T E In the
summer and early fall, a screen
porch becomes a guest bedroom.
Walls were painted the same matte
black as the exterior. A spare,
see-through shelving unit doesn’t
obscure the view.

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34 FALL 2021
 “I MAY WANT A MORE FEATHERED NEST AS I GET
OLDER, BUT FOR NOW THE SIMPLICITY AND CALM OF
AN UNCLUTTERED ENVIRONMENT SUITS ME.”
—MARY JO HOFFMAN
 hanging around
THE BIG IDEA
Elevate shapely gourds to
garland status by stringing
dried small varieties and
stretching them across an
area you want to accent, such
as this shelf of ironstone and
English pudding bowls.

M A K E I T YO U R S
The best dried gourds to turn
into a garland are Nigerian
bottle gourds and Tennessee
spinners, and you’ll find both
sold cleaned and dried online
(search “bottle gourds”). Stylist
Janna Lufkin bought a package
of 20 for about $30. Her tip: Their
skin is very hard, so use a small
handheld drill and bit, such as
a Dremel set, and work slowly
to avoid cracking the gourds.
After drilling holes, thread
monofilament line or a string
of your choice and hold the
gourds in place with small
knots or dabs of hot glue.
 splendor
of the
SEASON
This fall, it’s all about harvesting
nature’s bounty to create
quick arrangements and decor.
Top stylist Janna Lufkin shows us
how to use at-the-ready arrays
of colorful leaves, wispy branches,
and farm-stand gourds
to weave autumn into and
around the home.

WRIT TEN BY SAR AH EGGE PHOTOGR APHED BY JOHN GR ANEN

PRODUCED BY JANNA LUFKIN AND MATTHEW MEAD

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 a warm welcome
THE BIG IDEA
Cast a cozy mood at your
home’s entry with layers of
seasonal accents. Pillows and
a plaid throw create literal
warmth, and the rustic nature of
a spill of gourds and pumpkins
conveys a casual, come-as-
you-are invitation.

M A K E I T YO U R S
A front porch or stoop, an
interior foyer, or even just a bit
of wall space by the door—any
of these is a prime spot for a
bench cushioned with pillows
and a throw in seasonal motifs
and colors. Janna suggests: To
create a dynamic arrangement,
think in terms of dimension. A
wreath on the wall draws the
eye up, and a heap of gourds
brings the array forward. Avoid
a dark hole under the seat by
filling it with a stack of firewood—
or books or more pumpkins.
 autumn en masse
THE BIG IDEA
Like the piles that build up in
your yard, an abundance of
fall leaves expresses the colors
and fragrance of the season.
Capture that impact with a
wreath made from nothing more
than what nature delivers.

M A K E I T YO U R S
Start with a basic wire wreath
form of any size (you’ll need
exponentially more leaves for
larger forms), then fill a bag of
fallen leaves in various colors
and shapes. The bigger the
leaves, the better. After rounding
up oak and maple leaves in her
yard and the local park, which
had more varieties, Janna took
a casual approach to putting
this together: “I threw the leaves
on the dining table and listened
to a football game while I
worked,” she says with a laugh.
“Don’t think about it too much.”
Make a stack of seven or eight
leaves in varied colors, with the
largest leaf on the bottom. Cut
a length of florists wire to wrap
around stems and bind the
bundle, then use the tails of the
wire to secure the bundle to the
form. As you add bundles, pack
them tight. “It came together
pretty quickly,” Janna says.
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 tasteful table
THE BIG IDEA
Built around items of scale,
this tablescape creates a
focal point that delivers a big
boost of seasonal flavor.
Small items corralled onto a
tray and branches stretching
out of a handblown vase make a
statement with size and color.

M A K E I T YO U R S
Start with a base layer of a
tablecloth, runner, or throw
blanket in the center of the
table. For the tall elements,
Janna snipped branches from
her yard that have colorful
orange berries, and she
snagged a spiky little dried
branch too. “I brought it inside
because it’s cool looking,”
she says. If your yard isn’t as
forthcoming, check grocery
stores and florists for similar
foliage or invest in faux branches
for perennial decorating.
A blue pumpkin echoes the
tone of the organic demijohn
vase; acorn squash and
Bosc pears fill in as other
shapely components.

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 flower power
THE BIG IDEA
Whether you hang it snug to
an exterior door or an interior
wall, a twig wreath makes a
bold natural statement with
its organic shape. Clustering
flowers in a vivid autumn
hue gives it seasonal pop.

M A K E I T YO U R S
As the garden winds down,
snip cool-weather blooms in
oranges, reds, or yellows. Or
grab a bouquet at the grocery
store. It doesn’t matter if the
flowers are past their prime;
they’ll dry on the wreath. Janna
cut the heads of these bright
marigolds with about 2 inches
of stem attached. To reuse
the wreath next year with new
blooms, resist the urge to glue
or wire flowers in place. Simply
thread the stems into the
interlaced branches.
 natural pairing
THE BIG IDEA
Highlight a collection by nesting
pumpkins, squashes, and
gourds into pieces that play
well together in shape,
texture, or color.

M A K E I T YO U R S
Though you can use any
combination of squash colors
that appeal, a blue pumpkin
with bright orange flesh is the
star of this show. Earthenware
pottery pieces in shades of
brown complement it. Other
combos work well too, such
as white ironstone with green
squash or yellowware with white
pumpkins. For a fun visual link,
Janna used a pumpkin-carving
tool to mark a design borrowed
from the pottery.
 a feast for the eyes
THE BIG IDEA
Grace your home’s architectural
and landscape features with a
surplus of autumn flora. This is
the time for lush heaps of
gourds and baskets overflowing
with bright mums and
ornamental cabbages.

M A K E I T YO U R S
Round up a slew of vessels for a
bountiful look. Janna had two
boxwood bushes planted in
galvanized pots already on her
front steps. She added a wicker
basket, terra-cotta pots, felt
planting bags, and some of her
metal urn collection to create a
mix of materials, textures, sizes,
and shapes. When you head
to the garden center and farm
stand for gourds, squashes,
cabbages, and mums, think
of your home’s colors and pick
shades that accent them. Snap
a picture on your phone to refer
to when shopping. Janna’s gray
steps and white railings work
with just about anything, but she
wanted hues that would pop
when viewed from the street.
“I love these deep purples and
bright greens,” she says.
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LIVING HISTORY
Af ter m ovin g into a basic 1950s m ountain
cot tage, th e Cruices set about instillin g it with
c h a r m—u s i n g A p r i l ’s p a s s i o n fo r h i s to r y a n d
J o e’s p ro-l eve l c o n s tr u c ti o n s m a r ts to c re a te a fa m i l y
home filled with color and warmth.

WRIT TEN BY SAR AH EGGE PHOTOGR APHED BY NATHAN SCHRODER ST YLED BY ANNA MOLVIK

O P P O S I T E Bathed in morning light, the breakfast nook is April Cruice’s favorite spot. The faux leather she used to cover the
storage-bench banquette looks like the real deal but is easy to wipe clean. April collects milk glass and asked her husband, Joe,
to build a shelf to display it. “We downsized to this house, and I knew I wouldn’t have room for a hutch,” she says. The chandelier
came from Home Depot, along with most of the other light fixtures in the house. A B O V E April’s plate wall pays homage to
women on both sides of the family. She also included the rose pattern plate, which belonged to the original owner of the house.

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 L E F T April added picture ledges to a
section of the living room wall to display
her paintings while they cure. Some of
her brass candlestick collection and
thrift store paintings and watercolors
join the mix. R I G H T When April and
Joe bought the cottage, they had to
peel it back to the studs to replace
insulation, so they were able to build
in layers of character, including wall
paneling, crown molding, and ceiling
beams. “They were my Mother’s Day gift
one year,” she says. A new fireplace and
built-ins enhance the room’s historical
ambience. Armchairs from IKEA and a
reproduction bergère chair from Macy’s
are proof that April doesn’t care about
a piece’s provenance as long as it has
old-fashioned charm and comfort.

G RACING THE WALL IN APRIL CRUICE’S BREAKFAST

nook is a captivating and unusual family genealogy of
sorts. There, a display of china plates contains patterns from her mother
and grandmother, her husband Joe’s family, and—proudly in the center
of the array—a plate from the family who built the cottage in 1950.
“When we toured the home, it was not cleared out yet, and they asked if
we wanted anything,” April says. “I asked for a few pieces of her china.
I envisioned this wall as a way to display family heirlooms with the
history of our home included in our story.”
April’s passion for the past is on view at every turn in the 1,300-square-
foot house. She and Joe, a contractor, have lovingly remodeled the house
to boost its vintage character and charm, beefing up moldings and door
headers and adding a fireplace and built-ins.
Seven years ago, they moved into the cottage in this idyllic vacation
area in the Pocono Mountains to take advantage of the abundance of
outdoor activities. “There’s a nature preserve, state forest, and game
lands all around us, and we’re close to ski mountains,” April says. The
family loves to kayak, canoe, and hike to nearby waterfalls with their son,
Denali; daughter, Lily; and English springer spaniel, Riley. “We love living
where people vacation,” she says. “We get to live with it all year long.”
The area antiques stores are just as much of a pastime for April. “It’s
a girls’ day out with my mom,” she says. Inspired by a time she spent
living in an area rife with old summer camps in the Adirondacks, April
is always on the hunt for items she can use to express what she calls her
“mountain cottage style.” The snapshots of her early-1900s-style kitchen
or the porch buffered by Craftsman columns have gained her a strong
following on Instagram (@poconomountaincottage). “I think it’s popular
because it’s hard to find looks that are similar to mine,” she says. “There’s
a certain nostalgia to my style. I love warmth and character and mixing
vintage pieces with pops of color.”

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46 FALL 2021
O P P O S I T E “I drew the kitchen, but
Joe built it,” April says of the renovation
that introduced a wall-mounted utility
sink and old-fashioned cabinets with
inset doors and brackets. Initially the
cabinets were painted white, but April
found the shade too cold. “I wanted
to warm it up and create contrast with
the milk glass and white tile,” she says.
Her pick? Sherwin-Williams Accessible
Beige, which she also used on trim
elsewhere in the house. A German
cuckoo clock that belonged to Joe’s
mother brightens a wall. R I G H T
Open shelves display April’s vintage
yellowware bowls, a recent collection.
“Over the last year or so, I’ve been
drawn to more primitive design,” she
says. “I like the warmth and feel of it.” A
bit of space at the end of the cabinets
had room for a stack of drawers just big
enough to hold a few serving spoons
or a roll of foil. “I love the character and
quirkiness of them,” she says. B E L O W
Joe and April added the covered front
porch after they bought the cottage
seven years ago, and it has become
a favorite spot to hang out with son
Denali, daughter Lily, and dog Riley.
They screwed their house numbers to
an old canoe paddle and propped it in
the corner.

The porch and the kitchen are among the many features of the house
that look as if they were built decades ago but have been completed only
in the last few years. Everyone even assumes the ceiling beams in the
living room are original. But, actually, Joe built the box-style beams out
of new lumber, then he and April banged them up with chains and chisels
to weather them. Anything they add to the house—from the mudroom to
the bedroom wainscoting—has to be based on a historical design. “I want
pieces to look old and handmade and not 100 percent perfect,” April says.
When they installed a new apron-front utility sink in their kitchen, they
discovered it needed a deeper backsplash than they had planned. The
resulting bump-out makes it feel more unfitted and vintage, April says,
“and I got a nice deep windowsill.”

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 The breakfast nook, where April chronicles her family’s history in
china, is also a recent addition. Joe built the bench seating, and April
rescued the table from the side of the road. The Colonial-style pedestal
table is a reproduction that is probably only a dozen years old, but that
doesn’t bother April. As long as it—or a light fixture, oil painting, area rug,
or even paint color—harkens back to an earlier era, she’s fine with mixing
new items with reproductions and genuine antiques. The point, she
says, is to bring history to life and keep it flourishing in their home:
“All the blood, sweat, and tears that went into the renovation gave us a
beautiful home that not only feels historically appropriate and unique
but cozy and homey too.” 
RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 110.

O P P O S I T E The back entrance

originally led directly into the kitchen,
but given the family’s passion for
outdoor activities, April put a mudroom
at the top of their “needs” list. A bench
and cubbies are handy, and April found
deer and moose hooks at a crafts store.
“I couldn’t find enough to go all the
way across, so the mix was a happy
accident,” she says. An all-weather rug
warms the tile floor and sops up messes.
“It takes a beating with the dog, boots,
and mud,” she says. A B O V E April
asked Joe to build a cabinet so she
could hide her washer and dryer but
display collectibles and linens. They
reused a pair of glass doors salvaged
in their kitchen renovation. “I can keep
the linens neat and pretty and show
off decorative things,” April says. “I
made the curtains because I don’t like
the modern stuff showing.” R I G H T
April makes sure the hardy mudroom
addition has decorative flair in keeping
with the rest of the house. Cabinets
are painted Sherwin-Williams Network
Gray, and a painting she made of a
fox supplies color. She tacked a nail
by the door to hold a pair of weighted
pinecones that came from a broken
cuckoo clock. “I thought they were
pretty so I kept them,” she says.

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T H I S P H O T O Painted
Sherwin-Williams
Evergreens, the front
door signals April’s
love of nature and
camp style. She uses
the vintage army trunk
(“There’s a private’s
name inscribed on it,”
she says) to hold all-
weather cushions and
pillows. The doorbell
used to hang on
Joe’s mother’s house.
O P P O S I T E A vivid
wreath of faux leaves
and berries blazes with
color on the front door.
 “WE BOUGHT THIS HOUSE SEEING ITS POTENTIAL.
IT WAS WELL-BUILT WITH GREAT BONES BUT
NEEDED A LOT OF WORK TO BRING IT OUT OF THE ’50 s .
I LOVE THAT OUR KIDS GET TO SEE HOW
OUR IMAGINATION AND HARD WORK PAID OFF.”
—HOMEOWNER APRIL CRUICE

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T H I S P H O T O Joe
and April stole space
from the original attic
bedroom to create
a hallway of storage
under the eaves and
to tuck in a small bath
(at right). Wainscoting
and a panel bed lend
architectural heft
to the room.
A B O V E Lily was a toddler when
the family moved to this cottage. “I
designed the bedroom I wanted to
have when I was little,” April says. Joe
painted the branch on the wall and the
clouds overhead, and built the window
seat. Now 9, Lily still loves the space,
along with the recently added bird’s
nest painting. R I G H T In the tiny master
bathroom, Joe and April squeezed out
an alcove for a vanity constructed using
a secondhand table. They covered it
in polyurethane to make it waterproof.
April hunted online for fixtures with
antique brass finishes, which have the
old-world look she wanted. B E L O W
April staked some studio space in the
three-season porch, which is also an
entry and a home office. She started
taking painting lessons only last year.
“I got three months of lessons before
COVID hit,” she says.

“IT’S NOT ONLY THE CHAR ACTER OF AN OLD

HOME THAT I LOVE BUT ALSO SURROUNDING
MYSELF WITH TREASURES FROM FAMILY
MEMBERS. OUR KIDS KNOW THAT SOME
PIECES WERE FROM THEIR GR ANDMAS,
GR ANDPAS, OR AUNTS AND UNCLES—AND
THAT MAKES THEM EVEN MORE SPECIAL.”
—APRIL CRUICE

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fun
FLOWERS A gardener
and stylist
achieves
the ultimate
country flower
arrangements,
beginning with
planting a crop
of sunflowers
from seed.

WRIT TEN BY SHAILA WUNDERLICH

PHOTOGR APHED BY KRITSADA
PRODUCED BY K ARIN LIDBECK-BRENT
O P P O S I T E Stylist
Karin Lidbeck-Brent
surrounds herself with
the cut-bloom bounty
of her Chatham,
Massachusetts,
sunflower garden.
T H I S P H O T O The
whites and pale yellows
of Johnny’s Selected
Seeds ProCut White
Lite and Buttercream
pair well with this
neutral, vintage
creamware pitcher.

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 ARE sunflowers NATURE’S MOST COUNTRY FLOWER?
Karin Lidbeck-Brent has a hunch they might be—at least they thought of sunflowers as yellow and black, and here were all
are for her. “They’re rustic-looking, totally fuss-free, and always these maroons, dusty roses, whites, and soft yellows.
look great plunked into a pitcher or container,” says the Cape Johnny’s most popular annual, Helianthus annuus, exists in
Cod-area stylist, who produces garden and lifestyle content 70 species, ranging from single-stem or single-bloom varieties
for a variety of publications (including this one) and can always to bushy, multistemmed varieties that produce several blooms.
use a reliable bloom. Karin planted “dozens and dozens” of seeds indoors in April,
For several years, Karin had pondered what to do with a transferring the sprouted seedlings to the ground about a month
hillside of scraggly grass in her backyard. “Most years we just later. “I planted twice as many as I needed, because I had a
let the grasses grow, but recently I’d started introducing some feeling some wouldn’t make it,” she says.
color with black-eyed Susans, coneflower, and hydrangeas,” she About a quarter of her crop was lost to wildlife and weather,
says. “And I loved it. It looked very natural—like it could have but come August, the garden was profuse with sunflowers prime
been blooming there forever.” for cutting. The garden bloomed through October, giving Karin
The organic beauty of the black-eyed Susans and coneflowers a few months of rest before starting a new crop. 
got her thinking about another member of the daisy RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 110.
(Asteraceae) family, and she wondered, How great would it be to
A B O V E Karin believes this quintessentially country flower belongs in an
have my own sunflower cutting garden? equally country container. That includes shapely enamelware pitchers
She began her online research at Johnny’s Selected Seeds and anything galvanized or hand-thrown. The three arrangements
in Maine and was astonished to discover she had her pick of shown here represent the peak of Karin’s crop in early fall. O P P O S I T E
A shapely green glass vase shows off sunflowers’ affinity for loose,
dozens of varieties. “I was blown away, not just by the amount droopy structure. The red, orange, and rust blooms include Autumn
but by the range of colors and sizes too,” she says. “I’d always Beauty, Moulin Rouge, Ring of Fire, and Red Hedge.

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“You can’t just go get these flowers from your florist or grocery
market. You have to grow these blooms to have them.”
—STYLIST KARIN LIDBECK-BRENT
 Karin’s Pro
Clipping Tips
TRIM IN HAND. Karin starts her
bouquets holding them in her
hands. “First, I grasp all my blooms
in one hand, which helps me
determine the size of container
I need,” she says. “Then I begin
pulling stems up and down,
adjusting them to different heights,
until I have the best look.” Finally,
she trims the stem bottoms evenly.
SELECT THE RIGHT CONTAINER.
To pick the best-size vessel, Karin
compares the overall length of the
arrangement to the height of the
container then trims accordingly
across the bottom of her palm. For
style, she has a definite preference:
“I love a handmade earthenware
vessel for sunflowers.”
LEAVE THE LEAVES. Remove leaves
from the stem bottoms only. “I like
to let them peek out of the top of
the container,” Karin says. “It gives
the arrangement more of a wild
feeling.” Leaves can also help prop
up blooms.
KEEP IT LOOSE. Let the blooms
droop and hang sporadically,
allowing the leaves to fill in the gaps
between stems. “Let them reach out
over the pot toward the sun or down
to the floor,” Karin says.
SHOWCASE SINGLE BLOOMS.
Arrange especially striking or extra-
large blooms as single stems.
PAIR WITH PERFECT PARTNERS.
Complementary blooms include
black-eyed Susans, coneflowers,
and hydrangeas.

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“You can’t make a mistake with sunflowers. You can’t go wrong.”
—KARIN LIDBECK-BRENT

OPPOSITE A
galvanized flower
display container
holds Johnny’s ProCut
Orange, Sunrich Gold,
Sunrich Lemon, and
Sunrich Lime. T H I S
P H O T O The biggest
surprise from Karin’s
plantings were the
pretty plum shades
of the Strawberry
Blonde variety.
 Sunflower
Secrets
Hillary Alger of
Johnny’s Selected
Seeds breaks down
the must-knows for
the company’s most
popular flower.
IN OR OUT. Sunflower
seeds can be started
indoors and transplanted
when the seedlings
outgrow their pots or be
sown directly into garden
THIS PHOTO beds. “Both ways work
The daisy family well, but plants started
resemblance is indoors have a higher
apparent between a success rate,” Alger says.
tall bunch of black- MULTI OR SINGLE. “If it’s
eyed Susans and a cut flowers you’re going
shorter pitcher of for, choose multistemmed
sunflowers (Sunrich varieties,” Alger says.
Gold and Florenza). Multistems come in a
greater variety and
produce more blooms
per plant compared with
single-stemmed, which
produce just one bloom
per plant.
CLOSE QUARTERS.
When planting seeds or
seedlings in the garden,
space them 4 to 6 inches
apart for single-stem
varieties, 18 to 24 inches
for multistemmed.
PROTECTIVE MEASURES.
“If you do plant in the
field, plant 10 to 20
percent more to mitigate
loss and cover them after
planting,” Alger says.
Johnny’s sells lightweight
row covers to shield
against wind, frost, and
pests. johnnyseeds.com
 2

13

12

11

10
14

1. AUTUMN BEAUT Y
9
2. RED HEDGE
3. MOULIN ROUGE
4. BUTTERCREAM
5 . S T R AW B E R RY
LEMONADE MIX
6. WHITE LITE
7. S O N J A
8. SUNRICH GOLD
7
9. S U N R I C H L E M O N
1 0. F LO R E N Z A
11 . S U N R I C H L I M E
12. WHITE NITE
1 3 . G O L DY D O U B L E
1 4 . S T R AW B E R RY
B LO N D E
8 COUNTRY
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 O P P O S I T E Interiors maven and
talented renovator Charlotte
Collins at home in Greyton,
South Africa, with her faithful
rescue, Oily. T H I S P H O T O
The steel dining room table by
contemporary South African
designer Gregor Jenkin is an
elegant foil to the history-laden
details that surround it, from
original Danish vinyl-covered
armchairs to the exposed
wood beams and handcrafted
staircase, built from salvaged
scaffolding planks.

HOME FOR GOODWRIT TEN BY VICKI SLEET PHOTOGR APHED BY GREG COX/BUREAUX PRODUCED BY SVEN ALBERDING
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When a photo stylist-turned-designer found a charming cottage
in Grey ton, South Africa, she had a plan to renovate it back
to life and flip it. But she wouldn’t have predicted she would fall
in love with the space and make it her own.
 L E F T Charlotte created a
central kitchen island using
a vintage piece that might
have started life in a factory,
given its handy casters. The
worn duck-egg blue paint
helps to create just the right
heritage-inspired mood. The
floor is crafted with slate paving.
O P P O S I T E The timeworn server
delivers personality and history.
Above it, open shelves of daily
tableware and essentials consist
of unpretentious planks and
brackets, the perfect utilitarian
touch for this comfortable
country cottage. Details like the
industrial-style clock and sturdy
pestle and mortar complete the
rustic picture.

F ALLING IN LOVE WITH PROPERTIES IS A PERENNIAL PROBLEM FOR

seasoned renovators and interior decorators like Charlotte Collins. Yet
some finds take hold of one’s heart more than others. That’s what happened
to this prolific talent, known for her interiors prowess and ability to help clients find
their own design language. Charlotte’s weekend home in Greyton, South Africa, has
everything a country cottage should—moody, captivating interior details that never
feel overly decorated, easy-to-maintain surfaces, and, above all, cozy bedrooms and
living areas with plenty of sofas and spaces begging to be lounged in or on.
Charlotte’s journey to enjoying life in this tiny town some 21/2 hours from Cape
Town was unplanned—she went there with no intention of purchasing a home, let
alone making her stay permanent. “I went to Greyton to help a friend of mine with the
interior of her home and had never even spent a night here,” she says. “Originally my
intention was to flip the house that I found—my friend is an attorney and convinced me
to buy it—but as I got further into the project and spent time in the village, I decided to
keep it as a weekend spot.”

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 L E F T Charlotte added an
outdoor patio just off the living
room for alfresco relaxing and
entertaining. The built-in seating
forms a visual perimeter for part
of the flagstone patio. B E L O W
L E F T An unloved space found
its role with faux delft wallpaper.
“The room was previously just
a dumping ground, as it was a
small space that didn’t have a
purpose,” Charlotte says. “As
soon as I had the wallpaper
installed, it really became the
most amazing little sanctuary.”
B E L O W M I D D L E The nook
where the stove is likely once
housed a hearth and became
the perfect size for a modern
replacement. Mexican encaustic
and glazed tiles provide a pop of
color and quirkiness to the space
without being so trendy they will
go out of style. B E L O W Greyton
is a quaint riverside village
surrounded with natural beauty.
O P P O S I T E A porcelain apron-
front sink and marble countertop
create a timeless combination in
this hardworking kitchen corner.

Greyton is that quintessential country village, according to Charlotte, where

everyone knows your name. She spent a year breathing life into what was once a rather
nondescript space. “When I first saw it,” she says, “it was literally a box with one room
for the bedroom, a tiny room off the side, one bathroom, and a living area. It took me
just under a year to bring it to where it is now.” Its current state is a perfect blend of
found and collected furniture, decorative details from years long ago, and a plethora of
clever renovations intended to look as if they’ve aged with the house.
Charlotte once worked on big advertising production sets, a background that makes
her fearless and resourceful in trying to create a look and feel that suits her clients. She
relied on that same creativity when she became her own client. “I wanted the staircase
to look like it’s been there for a hundred years,” she says, “so I bought new scaffolding
planks and traded them with builders across Cape Town for their old worn planks. My
amazing carpenter then used these to build the staircase to connect the rooms in the
attic and the lower level of the house.”

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 L E F T The coffee table is an
upcycled piece made from an old
wheelbarrow topped with glass.
The love seat was reupholstered
in a simple linen fabric that shows
off its elegant lines. “The original
horsehair stuffing freaked me out,
so I pulled it all out,” Charlotte
says. Still, it was worth it. “I love a
mix of old and new, but anything
that has history and conjures up
a life gone by is what I truly love.”
O P P O S I T E Washable linen
slipcovers are perfect for this
cottage. As a former advertising
set stylist and now an interior
designer, Charlotte knows how to
create a historical narrative—the
living room’s paneled back wall is
a case in point. While it looks like
it has been there for years, it is a
new element. She painted it in a
rich green to create intimacy and
set off the original fireplace.

Moments of ingenuity like this have helped Charlotte create a country haven that
has an enormous sense of substance and authenticity. “I wanted to make the house
what you would imagine the perfect little country cottage to look like,” she says, “and
I love how it reflects my love of all things salvaged. I really feel that items with history
can conjure up such a wonderful mood.”
Color plays a big role in Charlotte’s life and work, and yet finding the shades that
felt true to her ideals of rural bliss was not without its trials. The living room’s wood-
paneled back wall, though newly added, is painted the perfect shade of green for a
home with historical appeal. “I took 10 tester cans to find it, and it was the last one
I tried,” she says. “In the pot it looked totally wrong, but I was so sick of the process,
I thought, Let me give it a go anyway. And lo and behold, it was the color I had been
searching for. Everyone is now obsessed with it.”
Like that color choice, finding this cottage was a stroke of luck. But there’s no doubt
that the end results are a consequence of her vision—and determination. It’s the same
pioneering spirit that led farmers to these rural parts hundreds of years ago and drew
Charlotte to a house that, she says, “may have been only a year or so in the remaking
but feels like it already holds generations of happy memories.” 
RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 110.

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 COUNTRY
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O P P O S I T E The main bedroom is an atmospheric space that lures one in thanks to the dramatic and moody wallpaper Charlotte bought in
England before she even bought the house. Its final resting place here feels meant to be. The headboard is two pieces of vintage single beds
from Poland welded together to become queen-size. A B O V E The guest bathroom is anchored by a patterned floor of encaustic tiles
imported from Vietnam. A simple marble-topped vintage table is upcycled into a vanity. The wall-mounted cupboard was a lucky find that
likely hails from Belgium. In this case, pedigree didn’t matter to Charlotte. “I just love the shade of blue,” she says.
 HUNT,
DEAL,
DISPLAY
The thrill of the hunt at flea
markets, antiques stores, and tag
sales is just the beginning. The TOLE TR AYS
BACKSTORY: The word “tole”
pleasure of making a deal ranks comes from the French term
tole peinte de lac, which means
“painted tin.” And that is, quite
literally, what toleware is. The
high too. But putting treasures technique was developed in the
1660s as a way to prevent tin
household items—coffeepots,
on display? That is the crowning utensils, containers, even trash
bins—from rusting. For collectors,
“tole” refers to French wares
achievement of a day spent dating from 1700 to 1900, but most
people use the term generically
to include painted metalware
shopping for collectibles. from the late-19th to mid-20th
centuries. American companies
like Plymouth, Nashco, and Fine
Arts Studio produced “studio
trays” in the 1950s and 1960s
WRIT TEN AND ST YLED BY LACEY HOWARD PRODUCED BY AUTUMN WOOD that were hand-painted with
fruits and florals in fast assembly-
PHOTOGR APHED BY JASON DONNELLY line fashion.

PRICE TAG: Prices can range

from $35 to thousands, depending
on the age, condition, and the
art’s subject matter. Look for trays
that don’t have damage to the
painted areas, ones that aren’t
bent too badly (a little wear and
tear is expected), and those that
are lightweight metal not plastic.

THE BIG IDEA: Hang trays in a

grouping as a gallery wall—over
a dining room buffet, kitchen sink,
or headboard, or cascading down
a stairway. Or hang one or more
in an office space and use as
beautiful magnet boards.
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 Silver plate
tarnishes like
H OTEL S I LVER silver, but
BACKSTORY: Silver-plated
pieces—such as utensils,
stemware, ice buckets, and
the coating
teapots—once used at hotels are
having a shining moment. Pieces
inscribed with a hotel’s name
is delicate
are most sought after—they tell
specifically of the places they’ve
been. The more prestigious the and must be
inn, the greater the prize.

PRICE TAG: Hotel silver ranges in

price from about $2 to $25 at flea
polished with
markets, where you’ll find small
miscellaneous pieces. For larger
serving dishes and the like, turn to
a gentle hand.
a dealer and expect to pay $50
to $300. The value of each piece
depends greatly on size, age,
rarity of the type of piece, and the
hotel’s mark and prestige.

THE BIG IDEA: Shapely wine

goblets and champagne flutes
add sculptural lines and a lovely
patina to seasonal displays on
bookcases or tabletops. (How
much shine you want to put on
your pieces is up to you.) Large
serving pieces make excellent
vessels for floral arrangements.
Or use the tableware as it was
intended—eat, drink, be merry!

TAB LE TO P
AN D HAN D
M I R RO RS
BACKSTORY: Handheld mirrors
were made in ancient societies,
the earliest of which used
polished metal rather than glass
as a reflective surface. Much of
what shoppers will find today is
mirror-and-brush sets that were
the rage in the 1800s and vanity
mirrors that stand upright on a
tabletop and sometimes have a
base with small drawers, dating
from as early as the late 1600s.

PRICE TAG: Mirrors of all shapes

and sizes are an affordable
collectible and can start at just a
few dollars.

THE BIG IDEA: Put mirrors to

good use at a dinner party—as
buffet signage or place markers
at the dining table. Use a chalk
marker to write on the glass
surfaces.

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M I LK GL ASS
BACKSTORY: White milk glass became popular
during the Victorian era as a budget-conscious
stand-in for porcelain. Its popularity waned
during the Great Depression, but mass-produced
pieces from companies such as Anchor Hocking,
Fenton, and Westmoreland in the 1950s and 1960s
are readily available to shoppers today. Verify the
vintage of a piece by holding it up to a natural
light source and looking for the “ring of fire.” In the
sun, milk glass made before 1960 produces a halo
of iridescent reds, blues, and greens.

PRICE TAG: Milk glass was made only as serving

pieces, such as the platter, footed bowls, and
compotes shown here. You won’t find a set of
milk glass dinnerware. Rough or bumpy milk glass
tends to be newer; smooth milk glass is likely
older. Plan to pay $10 to $30 per piece.

THE BIG IDEA: Create a mantel, tabletop, or

centerpiece display with a mismatched collection
of milk glass designs. Hang or prop plates and fill
footed bowls with dried, preserved sheet moss
or Spanish moss. Elsewhere, use compotes to
hold jewelry on a vanity or candy in the kitchen.
Platters are a lovely way to corral mail, phones,
and keys near the front door.
 PHOTOGR APHED BY: BL AINE MOATS
on the hunt
Interior designer Courtney
Warren is widely known for her
love of vintage goods. Although
she calls herself a flea market
queen, “I am not an expert
on antiques, just an interior
designer who likes to use
antiques,” she says. She shares
her current design projects and
hunting tips on Instagram,
@courtneywarrenhome.

best advice
LEAVE THE EXPECTATIONS AT
HOME. “Don’t bring your city
mentality,” Warren says. “Don’t
expect there to be Wi-Fi or
sellers to take cards. Bring a
checkbook and cash.”

BE A SCOUT. ”You want to

be prepared for anything.
Obviously, put on a good pair of
walking shoes. And be ready for
any weather—bring something
for all seasons.”

PRACTICE KINDNESS. “Always

be nice and gracious. The
sellers have been sitting there
a long time and get all kinds
of crazy questions from
customers. They’re hot and
hungry, just like you.”

finding joy
LEARN THE BACKSTORY. “I’m
always on the lookout for
interesting items—architectural
details, wood pieces—that have
M E TAL LE T TERS a story. I always ask what the
story is and where they found it.”
BACKSTORY: Letters and numbers of all shapes, sizes, and fonts were likely
rescued from signage—from large marquees to mailboxes. You’ll find them
painted or patinaed and in a variety of metals and weights. next big thing:
PRICE TAG: The industrial-style trend has boosted the popularity of lettering KEEP AN EYE ON ART. “I see a
and typography. Demand means higher prices but also increased availability. lot of frames and art layering
Expect to pay $1 each for small, simple items. now. I’m on the lookout for art
on my next excursion.”
THE BIG IDEA: Tie letters to napkins as place markers for dinner guests. Or use
mismatched letters to spell out your family name or write a message. The idea is
to have fun and inject personality into your rooms. RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 110.
PR ESS ED
GL ASS
BACKSTORY: Crafted by
pouring molten glass into molds,
pressed glass includes Depression
glass (manufactured during the
1930s) and Early American Pattern
glass (produced between 1850
and 1910) as an economical
alternative to cut crystal. The
telltale sign of pressed glass is
the seam, usually along the edge
where the molds met. While a
rough seam indicates a lesser-
quality piece, it doesn’t make the
piece less collectible; buyers are
drawn to the style of a piece.

PRICE TAG: Jeannette and

Anchor Hocking—the two biggest
pressed glass manufacturers—
sold almost 100 different patterns
that remain collectible today.
Pressed glass is often a real
bargain, and even antique
pressed glass can go for just a
few dollars.

THE BIG IDEA: Set the table

with layers of pressed glass pieces
in various shapes and sizes. Place
solid-colored linens between
each one to show off the patterns.
The glass pieces also sparkle on
bookcases or plate racks. Adjust
the lighting to make them shine.

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 nature
nurtures
A HOME TUCKED INTO THE BLUE RIDGE
MOUNTAINS OFFERS A RUSTIC
YET ELEGANT ESCAPE FOR A COUPLE
IN LOVE WITH NATURE.

WRIT TEN BY SALLY FINDER WEEPIE PHOTOGR APHED BY JOHN BESSLER

PRODUCED BY ELEANOR ROPER

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O P P O S I T E Beth and Drew Quartapella relax
on their deck with Tucker, their Portuguese water
dog. T H I S P H O T O Spilling out from the kitchen,
the screen porch is home to a trestle dining table,
where Beth treats family and friends to her culinary
creations. Slipcovered armchairs offer comfortable
seating for long, leisurely meals.
P ICTURE POSTCARDS ONLY WISH THEY BOASTED
views this pretty. Nestled among leafy hardwoods and
fragrant pines on a placid lake in the North Carolina
mountains, Drew and Beth Quartapella’s home near Charlotte lifts them
far above the tumult of the workaday world.
“It’s such a beautiful setting, and our home makes the most of it,”
Beth says. “It was built in harmony with nature.” Honoring the land was
architect Ken Pursley’s almost-sacred mission. The home’s footprint
steps confidently along a steep ridgeline, always just one room deep to
usher lake and mountain views into every space. “Nothing blocks the
sight lines,” says Pursley, who included the project in his upcoming
book, Finding Home.
Those sight lines unfurl as unhurriedly as sweet Southern molasses,
pouring across a floor plan that amplifies the drama of the steep site.
The perspective can change with each step. Take, for example, the
main floor—starting with the bird’s-eye view framed by reclaimed
timbers in the platformlike entry, moving down three stairs to a

O P P O S I T E The kitchen opens to both the living area and, beyond the bifold
pass-through window, a fireplace-warmed screen porch. Paneled cabinet
doors blend into the background for a seamless look. A B O V E A brown and
cream ikat rug was interior designer Kathy Smith’s first purchase for the home,
launching a muted, soothing palette. Fully retractable doors allow Beth and
Drew to fully invite the outdoors into the home. R I G H T Texture is king in a home
where everything, including this rustic side table, nods to nature and natural
imperfections are embraced.

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 soaring great-room, and descending farther to a cantilevered deck
nearly hidden among the leaves. “It makes the 20-foot walk from the
front door to the deck an emotional journey,” Pursley says. “There’s
what you see and also what you feel.” What the couple feel most, Beth
says, is peace. Their home provides the unrivaled tranquility of nature.
“It’s like you’re in a tree house,” she says.
Pursley ensured that nature was always near. When open, the
accordion doors link the great-room to the deck, and by rolling down a
hidden screen, the entire space transforms into a giant screen porch.
“You hear crickets chirping, smell the pine trees, and feel the breeze,”
Pursley says. And like the breeze, in this open floor plan the living area
flows gently to the kitchen and out to another large, welcoming screen
porch, where dinners are savored under the stars.
He and fellow Pursley Dixon Architecture architect Mark Kline
also brought the outside in with their choice of materials. “The wood
and stone are things you would find on the path to the lake,” Pursley
says. And taking its cue from those earthy materials, the home’s

T O P L E F T In the breakfast room, loosely woven linen curtains create an organic

backdrop and filter the light to a glow. Seating is chosen for its sculptural quality.
T O P R I G H T A door frame constructed of reclaimed timbers establishes a cozy,
organic mood in the entry. L E F T Designed by Pursley Dixon Architecture, the
home embraces its setting by incorporating natural materials, such as wood-
shingle siding and stone chimneys. O P P O S I T E A walnut-and-steel table and
hand-painted bench were custom-built to fit the breakfast space.

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palette nods to the restful hues of stone, bark, and crisp autumn
leaves. “I love the colors we used,” Beth says. “They create a peaceful
aura—it’s calm and rejuvenating. Everything feels comfortable.”
Interior designer Kathy Smith called on muted browns, subtle
creams, and soft greens to whisper through rooms that emphasize cozy
texture rather than bold color. “I didn’t want anything to speak louder
than nature,” she says.
Antiques—many discovered in nearby Cashiers, North Carolina—
accentuate the home’s feeling of warmth, character, and timelessness.
Artwork and artisan-made pieces, including tables and light fixtures,
celebrate both local craftspeople and the immediate surroundings.
The cozy home is a comfortable cocoon where Drew and Beth enjoy
time with family and friends and as a base for their outdoorsy pursuits—
hiking, cycling, and water sports. “It’s an escape that represents the best
of both worlds,” Pursley says. Yes, the home functions well, but it feels
even better. “We treasure the quiet little coves, the trees, the wildlife,”
Beth says. “I can’t imagine a happier place.”
RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 110.

O P P O S I T E A seating area on the screen porch can be enjoyed throughout

the year thanks to a large fireplace. B E L O W To maximize outdoor time, an
additional deck is cantilevered out of the trees, providing stunning views of the
forest and the lake beyond. R I G H T Real bark serves as a wallcovering in the
powder room. A concrete sink adds to the textural story.

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 “I DIDN’T
WANT
ANYTHING
TO SPEAK
LOUDER
THAN
NATURE.”
—INTERIOR DESIGNER KATHY SMITH

L E F T Feather wall hangings by a local artist decorate the hallway.

B E L O W A built-in window seat—made more intimate by gauzy
curtains—offers a place to savor the view. The interior stone wall
invites natural beauty inside and offers design contrast to elegant
velvet fabrics. O P P O S I T E An upper-level built-in bench makes the
most of hallway space and encourages catnaps .

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 TAKE
YOUR
PICK CRISP AUTUMN DAYS MEAN
APPLES ARE RIPE FOR THE
PICKING. FOR MANY, A TRIP
TO THE ORCHARD IS A SWEET
TRADITION. HERE’S HOW TO
MAKE THE MOST OF IT.

WRIT TEN BY SANDR A S. SORIA PHOTOGR APHED AND PRODUCED BY AUTUMN WOOD
FOOD PHOTOGR APHED BY JASON DONNELLY FOOD ST YLED BY SAMMY MILA
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O P P O S I T E Our trip to the orchard
starts with grabbing the right gear. A
work apron made of durable fabric
makes gathering many apples easier.
T H I S P H O T O Strolling through row
after row of fragrant apple trees is a
perfect way to enjoy an autumn day.
When picking, avoid shaking the tree to
prevent wasting excess fruit that might
prematurely fall to the ground.
 A TRIP TO THE APPLE ORCHARD IS ALMOST AS AMERICAN as the
apple pie (or cake or donuts) you bake when you get your bushel back
home. So why not make a day of it? Pack a blanket, grab a good book, and, of
course, scoop up the kids. In addition to enjoying a day outside and appreciating
nature at its most delicious, picking your own apples ensures the freshest fruit
possible. Orchards also offer varieties you just won’t find in the produce section
of the grocery store.
Make the most of this fall tradition by knowing what to pick and when to
pick it. There are so many varieties to choose from these days, and each type
has its special qualities (see page 98). In general, sweet, crisp types are favored
for eating; tart, firm apples are perfect for baking into the recipes featured on
A B O V E L E F T Mornings in the orchard
are a great time to beat the crowds and
these pages. And eat them you should. Apples contain no cholesterol or fat and
get the best pickings. Bring a thermos of are low in calories. The fruit is high in fiber, vitamins A and C, iron, and niacin.
hot coffee to enhance the experience. Apples are also packed with antioxidants, more than most other commercially
A B O V E M I D D L E To extend the
freshness of your picked apples, wipe
available fruits and vegetables. That means a serving of apples has the
the dew from them and store in a cool antioxidant power you need to fight aging, cancer, and heart disease. No
place. Don’t wash your apples until wonder an apple a day has long been promised to keep the doctor at bay.
you’re ready to eat them to prevent
spoilage. A B O V E R I G H T Many
Once you get your bounty home, keep the picked apples in a cool, dark place
orchards sell fresh cider and homemade to increase their shelf life. A basement or root cellar is ideal, but a crisper
pie at on-site markets. Come ready drawer of a refrigerator works too. In these conditions, fresh-picked apples
with a blanket or table to max out the
sensory experience by partaking in will generally keep for weeks and sometimes months, depending on the variety.
those treats—or your own picnic—amid Watch the temperature though; freezing breaks down an apple’s cells, turning it
the fragrant trees. Be sure to check the to mush. To further extend their freshness, wrap apples individually in sheets
orchard’s policies. O P P O S I T E A crisp
salad is a healthful way to enjoy the of newspaper or paper towel. Because they emit ethylene gas as they ripen, they
fruit. This one is a crunchy mix of apples, can speed the ripening of other fruits and vegetables.
celery, red onion, and walnuts. The Before you journey to the orchard, we’ve gathered some tips and treats for
sweetness of the apple is tempered with
zesty lemon and the mildly bitter celery maximizing your day—and your harvest. 
stalks and leaves. RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 110.

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 CELERY AND
APPLE SALAD
WITH WALNUTS
START TO FINISH: 20 minutes

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon
juice
2 teaspoons honey
1½ teaspoons chopped
fresh thyme
Salt and black pepper
3 celery stalks with leaves,
thinly bias-sliced
(1½ cups)
1 medium red apple, cored
and thinly sliced
¼ cup thinly sliced red
onion
¼ cup coarsely chopped
walnuts, toasted

1. In a medium bowl whisk

together olive oil, lemon
juice, honey, thyme, and, to
taste, salt and pepper.
2. Add celery, apple, onion,
and walnuts; toss to coat.
NUMBER OF SERVINGS: 4
 “WHAT A HEALTHY OUT-OF-DOOR
APPETITE IT TAKES TO RELISH THE APPLE OF
LIFE, THE APPLE OF THE WORLD ...!”
—HENRY DAVID THOREAU
O P P O S I T E For many, apple cider
donuts are a classic apple-season
treat, as anticipated as a trip to the
orchard. Make your own, then dip them
in our pie-spiced glaze, which is literally
and figuratively the icing on top. N E A R
R I G H T Dazzling colors and fresh-
from-the-bough apples are two of the
season’s greatest rewards. To make a
day of it, take a drive to a small-town
orchard. Country orchards often add
old-fashioned activities and treats to
enhance the apple-picking adventure.
F A R R I G H T Transfer your picks to a
reusable tote or bushel basket—but do it
gently so the apples don’t bruise.

APPLE CIDER DONUTS

PREP: 45 minutes RISE: 1 hour 45 minutes REST: 10 minutes FRY: 2 minutes per batch

3¼ to 3¾ cups all-purpose flour Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning much oil, it is important to maintain oil
2 packages active dry yeast once to grease surface of dough. Cover; temperature at 365°F.) Remove donuts
1½ teaspoons apple pie spice let rise in a warm place until double in with a slotted spoon and drain on paper
1 small apple, peeled, cored, and finely
chopped
size (1 to 11/2 hours). towels. Repeat with the remaining
½ cup butter 3. Punch dough down. Turn out onto a donuts and holes.
½ cup apple cider or apple juice lightly floured surface. Divide dough 6. When the donuts have cooled enough
¼ cup milk in half. Cover; let rest 10 minutes. Line to handle, dip the tops in Spiced Glaze.
¼ cup granulated sugar a large baking sheet with parchment Drizzle donut holes with any remaining
1 teaspoon salt
paper or waxed paper. Lightly flour the glaze. Let stand until glaze is set.
2 eggs
Vegetable oil for deep-fat frying
parchment paper. NUMBER OF DONUTS: ABOUT 20 PLUS HOLES

1 recipe Spiced Glaze 4. Using a rolling pin, roll each dough

half to 1/2 -inch thickness. Cut dough with
SPICED GLAZE
1. In a large bowl stir together 13/4 cups of a floured 21/2 -inch donut cutter, dipping
In a small bowl combine 2 cups sifted
the flour, the yeast, and apple pie spice. cutter into flour between cuts. Reroll
powdered sugar and 1/4 teaspoon apple pie
In a medium saucepan heat and stir apple, scraps as necessary. Place donuts and
spice. Stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons milk to
butter, apple cider, milk, granulated donut holes on the prepared baking sheet.
make a thin icing consistency.
sugar, and salt just until warm (120°F to Cover; let rise in a warm place until very
130°F) and butter almost melts. Add cider light (45 to 60 minutes).
mixture and eggs to flour mixture. Stir to 5. In a heavy 3-quart saucepan or deep-
combine. Stir in as much of the remaining fat fryer heat about 11/2 inches oil over
flour as you can. medium to 365°F. (If using an electric
2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured fryer, follow manufacturer’s directions.)
surface. Knead in enough of the Fry donuts, two or three at a time, about
remaining flour to make a moderately 2 minutes or until golden brown, turning
soft dough that is smooth and elastic once. (Use a deep-fat thermometer to
(3 to 5 minutes total; the dough will be check the temperature of the oil. To
slightly sticky). Shape dough into a ball. prevent the donuts from absorbing too

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 UPSIDE-DOWN
APPLE-HONEY CAKE
PREP: 25 minutes BAKE: 35 minutes at 350°F
COOL: 35 minutes

1½ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup milk
½ cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 medium Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious,
and/or Pink Lady apples, cored and
sliced crosswise into ½-inch rings
½ cup pecan halves
2 eggs, room temperature

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium

bowl stir together flour, baking powder,
and salt. In another bowl whisk together
milk, honey, and vanilla.
2. Place 1/4 cup of the butter in a 9-inch
square baking pan. Place pan in oven
until butter melts. Stir in 1/2 cup of the
brown sugar. Arrange nine apple slices
and the pecan halves in pan.
3. In a large bowl beat the remaining
1/4 cup softened butter with a mixer on

medium to high 30 seconds. Gradually

add the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar,
beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs;
beat 1 minute. Add flour mixture and
milk mixture alternately, beating on low
after each addition just until combined.
Carefully spread batter over apple slices
in prepared pan.
4. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a
toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan
on a wire rack 5 minutes. Loosen sides
T O P Just-picked apples will last a week or two if you want to enjoy them in an of cake; invert onto a serving dish. Cool
arrangement. Hard apples, such as Granny Smith, have less sugar so will last longer.
30 minutes; serve warm.
A B O V E L E F T When leaves begin to turn, it’s your signal to get to the orchard. A B O V E
R I G H T This careful picker knows not to grab and go; preserve the apple’s stem and it will NUMBER OF SERVINGS: 9
store longer. Roll the apple upward off the branch and give a little twist. O P P O S I T E A
delicious alternative to apple pie, this honey and apple cake serves up a tasty twist. Each
piece features a gorgeous apple ring that hints at the warm fall flavors baked into the cake.

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 Apple Varieties
It’s easy to eat an apple a day
with these delicious options.
1. RED DELICIOUS: Introduced in
Iowa in 1874, this icon has long been a
popular snacking apple thanks to its
crunch and mild sweetness.
2. GRANNY SMITH: This tart,
crunchy favorite is perfect for eating,
baking, and sauces. The bright green
fruit keeps longer than most others.
3. HONEYCRISP: Created in
Minnesota in 1991, this ultra-juicy,
snappy, mildly sweet variety became
an instant hit. It complements savory
and sweet recipes.
4. FUJI: First grown in Japan in the
1930s, this firm, sweet, flavorful variety
keeps well and is ideal for snacking,
freezing, and baking.
5. AMBROSIA: With floral notes and
a fine-grain flesh, this highly sweet,
low-acid variety won’t brown quickly
after being sliced, making it perfect
for snacks or salads.
6. GOLDEN DELICIOUS: This apple
ripens late, developing a delicate
sweet flavor. It’s best known as an
eating apple and stores well, keeping
3–6 months if refrigerated.
7. ENVY: This hybrid hit markets
in 2009 and soon gained a loyal
A Dutch baby is a puffed following due to its firm white flesh
baked pancake that only and sweetness. It’s best for snacking.
looks difficult to make.
8. CRIMSON GOLD: A cross
between an heirloom apple and
a crabapple, this small apple has
a complex sweet-tart flavor that
SAUSAGE-APPLE DUTCH BABY makes a lively cider and holds up
PREP: 25 minutes BAKE: 15 minutes at 425°F when baked or poached.
9. CRABAPPLE: The blooming
beauty in your yard is likely
3 ounces fully cooked smoked 2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl beat
chicken-apple sausage, thinly sliced decorative, but some types are
eggs well. Add flour, milk, granulated edible—and tart. Cook them with
3½ tablespoons butter sugar into jellies, desserts, or pickles.
sugar, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon; whisk
3 eggs
vigorously until smooth. Immediately 10. LADY APPLE: This crisp late-
½ cup all-purpose flour
season apple balances sweet and
½ cup milk pour batter into hot skillet over the tart with hints of citrus. Its small size
1 tablespoon granulated sugar sausage. Transfer to oven; bake about makes it less popular for cooking but
½ teaspoon vanilla perfect for salads and snacking.
15 minutes or until browned and puffed.
¼ teaspoon salt 3. While pancake bakes, in a medium 11. GREEN DRAGON: This oblong
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon apple is highly fragrant with a sweet
saucepan melt remaining 2 tablespoons flavor profile that includes notes of
1 medium red cooking apple, cored and
thinly sliced butter over medium-high heat. Add apple pineapple and pear. It’s great for
snacking and cooking.
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar slices. Cook, stirring occasionally, about
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup 12. PINK LADY: Effervescent and
5 minutes or until apple is crisp-tender loaded with sugar and acid, this
2 teaspoons lemon zest and browning on edges. Add brown sugar versatile apple is slow to brown. Eat it
and maple syrup. Cook 2 to 3 minutes fresh, in salads, and in most recipes.
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. In a 9-inch cast- 13. GALA: Gala has a sweet, spicy
more or until apple is tender. Serve Dutch
iron or oven-going skillet cook sausage in flavor that is well-suited for snacking
baby topped with apple slices and zest. and sauces. As of 2018, it beat out
11/2 tablespoons hot butter over medium Red Delicious as the most popular
heat until browned. NUMBER OF SERVINGS: 4 variety in the United States.

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 3
2

13

11 12

5
9 6

10

8
7
 N E W H O U S E,
OLD SOU L
TH IS N E W KE NTU C K Y H O M E WR APS ITS FAM I LY
I N CO M FO RTAB LY TI M E WO R N C HAR ACTE R .

WRIT TEN BY SALLY FINDER WEEPIE PHOTOGR APHED BY JAY WILDE

PRODUCED BY JESSICA BRINKERT HOLTAM
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100 FALL 2021
O P P O S I T E Soft, simple, neutral
furnishings offer a calm backdrop for
family time in the Louisville home of
designer Tori Jennings. T H I S P H O T O
Surprise! That’s not an avian-theme oil
painting over the fireplace. It’s The Frame
by Samsung—a television when it’s on; art
when it’s off. “It’s a great way to disguise
a TV without putting it in a cabinet,” Tori
says. “And let’s be real—a family is going
to have a TV in the living room.”
T HE CRISP WHITE PLANK WALLS, NEATLY SLIPCOVERED
furniture, and even the stained-oak Dutch door are all new.
But this just-built Louisville home feels like it’s been cocooning
generations of family inside its simple farmhouse walls. “I like a
home with history,” says designer Tori Jennings, who shares the
home with her husband, Jim, and daughter Mary. “I’m from
Long Island (New York) originally, and I wanted what I grew up
with: a little Early American and Old World, a little cottage, a little
farmhouse. A little bit of everything—but totally comfortable.”
To launch a successful mix, Tori began with a neutral envelope.
White on walls, wainscoting, sofas, and chairs creates a canvas for
the meaningful things she loves to spotlight, including intriguing
secondhand finds, architectural salvage, and everyday items—like a
favorite linen apron with flour in the seams and stoneware that holds
both the Thanksgiving turkey and family memories.
“My signature style is all about black, white, and wood,” Tori says.
Hits of black on light fixtures, cabinets, and painted benches pop
against the receding white backdrop and ground her airy rooms.
Natural wood elements layer in organic warmth and infuse a
collected-over-time feel with their deliberately mismatched finishes.
When she can’t find exactly what she wants, Tori makes it. “My
husband and I are DIYers—we do everything ourselves,” she says.
“That’s how my Etsy shop, The Linen Rabbit, got started. I wanted
things I just couldn’t buy.” She began crafting pillows, kitchen linens,
and more, some from charming vintage yardage.
Even when she buys new, Tori gravitates to things with an old
soul. One of her favorites: wallpaper based on a 1730s botanical
illustration, which she juxtaposes against black cabinetry and a
glass-front fridge. The paper looks like it’s been there forever, an
example of Tori gently merging the old world with the new. “It was
a leap of faith, like many of the decisions I made in decorating our
home,” Tori says. “But when you put together things you love, it
works. We walk in and know we’re home.”
RESOURCES, SEE PAGE 110.

T O P L E F T A clean and classical portico signals the design approach

found inside on the other side of the door. A B O V E L E F T A pair of cabinets
function as a hutch, positioned to be handy to the dining table. Wood shelves
display dishware and collected treasures against a graphic wallpaper
background. L E F T “We live out on the porch in the summer,” Tori says.
“It just feels welcoming.” Stained oak on the Dutch door nods to nature’s
beauty, as do boxwood topiaries and baskets of flowers. O P P O S I T E Linen
slipcovers bring homespun cottage charm and modern-day cleanability to
the farmhouse dining table. A lyrical Hitchcock-style bench contrasts with the
straightforward farm table.
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 “WE LOVE THE
DUTCH DOOR—
ESPECIALLY
POTTER,
WHO LIKES
TO SAY HI
TO NEIGHBORS
WHENEVER
THEY PASS BY.”
—HOMEOWNER TORI JENNINGS

T O P L E F T “I wanted the kitchen to

feel like a real living space,” Tori says.
“I included upholstered pieces so
people would feel comfortable hanging
out even when we’re not cooking or
eating.” She was happy to sacrifice
upper cabinets for windows that usher
in natural light. Reclaimed barnwood
makes the new workbench-style island
seem like an heirloom. T O P R I G H T
Veining in the marble window wall tile
and countertop adds subtle movement
to the space. L E F T The iron fireplace
surround in the kitchen is an antique
piece. Potter the Bernese mountain dog
waits to greet folks. A B O V E Antiqued
bronze hardware punctuates chic
black cabinets. “The black cabinets are
such a pretty balance against white
elements,” Tori says. “I’d never go back
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HOME
104 FALL 2021
T H I S P H O T O Installed in a
seating nook tucked between tall
cabinets and a glass-door fridge,
wallpaper introduces old-world
botanicals. The cabinets feature
Gothic-style detailing.
 BUDGET
HELPERS
Tori Jennings’ home
looks like a million
bucks. But its decor cost
far less, thanks to these
smart moves.
SHOP DISCOUNT STORES.
Amid the mundane, Tori has
unearthed some gems—
like a $100 rug that looks
antique. “People comment
on it all the time and are
surprised when I tell them
where I got it,” she says with
a laugh. “I love antique rugs,
but that wouldn’t be a wise
investment in a house with a
dog and a teenager.”
TAKE IN CASTOFFS. Prowling
junk shops and secondhand
stores has yielded a wealth
of fun finds that fill her
home with history and
architectural character. One
piece, a century-old iron
air-return cover from an Ohio
convent, now serves as a
transom that separates the
kitchen from the dining area.
“Salvage gives a new house
history,” Tori says.
DO IT YOURSELF. Tori and
husband Jim like to roll up
their sleeves and tackle
projects, such as tiling
the living room fireplace
surround using marble
tiles, which are much less
expensive than slab marble.

A B O V E A black marble tile floor brings

style and durability to the combined
mudroom and laundry space off the
garage. Black cement tile stenciled
with whimsical stars nods to the
family’s love of Harry Potter magic as
it balances white wainscoting. The
pillows and cushion are among Tori’s
many handcrafted notes. R I G H T Tori
loves to bake and outfits her pantry
with pretty, functional containers for her
supplies. “I’m always baking something
and wanted a space to house our
tools and ingredients in a playful and
highly organized way,” Tori says. F A R
R I G H T Horizontal tongue-and-groove
paneling used throughout the house
underlines the vintage farmhouse
aesthetic, as do the natural pine floors.
T H I S P H O T O The
powder room displays
the breadth of Tori’s
aesthetic: old-world,
black-and-white, and
collected. She paired
a wallpaper based on
a William Morris design
with black fixtures, a
wood vanity, and an
antique mirror—which is
actually a jewelry tray.
“The wallpaper makes
it feel like an abundant
green garden. It’s a little
spot of joy,” she says.

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 “I LOVE
THAT OUR
HOME IS
MEANINGFUL—
A TRUE
REFLECTION
OF OUR
FAMILY.”
—TORI JENNINGS

A B O V E A new brass bed has an old-

fashioned aura that aligns with antique
mirrors and a botanical illustration.
L E F T A mirror and chair Tori spotted at
a secondhand store match the vintage
character of the toile wallpaper and
snowflake-pattern mosaic tile flooring
in the master bath. B E L O W A ruffled
waterfall cushion is an old-fashioned
notion that was used to prevent wicker
from snagging nylons. O P P O S I T E A
botanical coverlet echoes the floral
linen upholstered headboard Tori made
for the master bedroom. Board-and-
batten wainscoting is topped with a
picture shelf to make art displays easy.
The blush of pink visually ties together
the accent furnishings.
COUNTRY
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 RESOURCES
CONTACT THESE DESIGN PROFESSIONALS
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR
SERVICES OR PRODUCTS.

ART MAKERS HOME FOR GOOD

PAGES 7–13 PAGES 64–73
FABRIC DYER: Aaron Sanders Head; Instagram: INTERIOR DESIGNER: Find more about
@aaronsandershead; aaronsandershead.com. Charlotte Collins’ work on Instagram:
FLORAL AND FIBER ARTIST: Courtney Othen, Petal @charlottecollinsdesignstudio.
Pusher Studio, Barrie, Ontario; 705/715-5931;
[email protected]; Instagram:
@petalpusherstudio; petalpusherstudio.com. HUNT, DEAL, DISPLAY
SOAP MAKERS: James and Eileen Ray, Little Seed
PAGES 74–79
Farm; Lebanon, Tennessee; Instagram: INTERIOR DESIGNER: Courtney Warren Home;
@littleseedfarm; littleseedfarm.com [email protected]; Instagram:
PRINTMAKER: Sarah McCoy, The Permanent
@courtneywarrenhome; courtneywarren.com.
Collection; 520 E. Sixth St., Des Moines, IA
50309; 515/201-4049; Instagram: @thepcpress; NATURE NURTURES
thepermanentcollection.net PAGES 80–89
ARCHITECT: Ken Pursley and Mark Kline,
COTTAGE COMEBACK Pursley Dixon Architecture Inc., Charlotte,
PAGES 14–25 North Carolina; 704/334-6500;
INTERIOR DESIGNER: Jean Stoffer, Jean Stoffer
pursleydixon.com.
Design, Grand Rapids, Michigan; 708/954- INTERIOR DESIGN: Kathy Smith,
7596; jeanstofferdesign.com. Kathy Smith Interiors, Belmont, North
ARCHITECT: Joseph Mosey, Joseph Mosey Carolina; 704/641-4881;
Architecture Inc., Northville, Michigan; [email protected];
248/515-4477; Elk Rapids, Michigan; 231/498- kathysmithinteriors.com.
2500; josephmoseyarchitecture.com. See more projects from this design team in the
new book, Finding Home, published by Rizzoli
International Publications, September 2021.
INSPIRED STYLE
PAGES 26–35
ARTIST AND DESIGNER: Find more of Mary Jo
TAKE YOUR PICK
Hoffman’s work at stillblog.net and Instagram: PAGES 90–99
@maryjohoffman. ORCHARD: Nathalie Jodoin, La Vieille Cave,
Mont Saint-Hilaire, Québec; 450/446-0332;
lavieillecave.ca.
LIVING HISTORY
PAGES 44–55
CONTRACTOR: Joe Cruice, J. Cruice & Sons LLC; NEW HOUSE, OLD SOUL
Pocono Lake, Pennsylvania; 570/355-1103; PAGES 100–109
Facebook: @JCruiceandSons. Visit Tori Jennings’ blog and store, The
Linen Rabbit; Instagram @thelinenrabbit;
thelinenrabbit.etsy.com; thelinenrabbit.com.
FUN FLOWERS
CONSTRUCTION: Joe Kroll and Dan Swigart,
PAGES 56–63
Mastercraft Homes LLC, Louisville; 502/817-
SEEDS: Johnny’s Selected Seeds; johnnyseeds.com 0534; Facebook: @MastercraftHomesLLC.
ENAMELWARE AND SPLATTERWARE PITCHERS AND
VESSELS: Butternut Farms Antiques; Instagram:
@Butternutfarmantiques.

COUNTRY
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110 FALL 2021
 GET THE LOOK

Country Home® (ISSN 0737-3740), August (Fall) 2021, Volume 42, No. 3. Country Home is published quarterly in February, May, August, and October by Meredith Corporation, 1716 Locust St., Des Moines, IA 50309-3023. Periodicals postage paid at Des Moines, IA, and at
additional mailing offices. Subscription prices: $20 per year in the U.S.; $30 (U.S. dollars) in Canada. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 507.1.5.2.) NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: Send address corrections to Country Home, P.O. BOX 37508, Boone, IA
50037-0508. In Canada: mailed under Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40069223; Canadian BN 12348 2887 RT. Your bank may provide updates to the card information we have on file. You may opt out of this service at any time.
Country Home is a registered trademark in the United States. © Meredith Corporation 2021. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.

LASTING IMPRESSIONS
AUTUMN IS THE TIME FOR LAYERING UP A BIT. THIS ENTRYWAY
HAS ALL THE ELEMENTS OF COZY COUNTRY STYLE. LET’S COUNT THEM.
one A deft mix of pattern adds interest to a space, stoking visual energy and warmth. Spotlight a bold pattern—such as this graceful
wallpaper—in small doses on an accent wall, then bring in supporting patterns for added dimension. two Knit together patterns
with shared color, using warm hues for visual heat. three Reimagined from an old panel bed, this one-of-a kind bench lends a warm
sense of age and character. Its burnished wood tones turn the heat up another notch. four Rely on texture to make a room more
touchy-feely and intimate. A sisal rug, weathered finishes, and crocheted pillow all add visual crunch. five A pop of personality is
always inviting. Show yours with favorite collectibles or artwork, like these antique portraits and the cast-iron canine.

PHOTOGR APHED BY ADAM ALBRIGHT PRODUCED BY LYNNE BELKNAP AND HEATHER HARDT
COUNTRY
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112 FALL 2021
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