Cottages and Bungalows February - March 2022

ISN’T IT REFRESHING TO START A NEW YEAR OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT? Organized spaces, refreshed rooms, a bit of winter cozy-time to dream about new projects around the house. Ahhh—this all sounds good after the hustle and bustle of the holidays! In this, our “Dream Cottage” issue, we explore homes that, in one way or another, fulfilled a homeowner’s vision. Whether it’s a vacation place for the family to congregate (page 36 and 60), a first-time owner’s fixer-upper (page 48) or a lovingly maintained future retirement home in the form of a sea captain’s cottage (page 70), these abodes are gorgeous! You, too, can create your own dream space—wherever you are—and our shopping guides, with the newest in lighting, hardware, front doors and décor accessories, can help get you started (page…

A Coastal Cottage With Modern Color This striking coastal cottage on Washington’s Bainbridge Island manages to have both modern allure and traditional charm. Rustic Cottage Style With an Edge Designer Ally Whalen’s creative spirit won’t let her keep her rustic cottage style the same throughout the year, so she approaches each season as an opportunity to make a fashion statement in her home. What Is ‘Farm Cottage’ Style? Delve into the details of farmhouse-and-cottage style. There’s a way to tastefully combine both popular genres for a home that’s cozy and comfortable. A Romantic Beach Bungalow A couple creates their own happily-ever-after while redoing the 1920s beach bungalow of their dreams. A Nautical California Beach Cottage A concise collection of coastal décor and furnishings keeps this 1940s California beach cottage livable and clutter-free. Follow us online on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram…

When homeowners Hank Parrott and Lisa Hughes reached out to Kara and Matt Christensen of Garden Gate Homes of Franklin, Tennessee, about renovating their 1900s farmhouse, they had already created a plan for the house with architect C Kevin Coffey of C Kevin Coffey Dwellings. This made it easy for Matt and Kara to seamlessly continue the renovation and design work for the couple. The sizes of the kitchen and master bedroom were expanded, and a laundry and mudroom were added, as well as a huge side porch and a three-car garage. They knocked down walls and played “musical chairs” with the rooms, but many of the existing features, such as the wood flooring, remained. With the help of multiple sponsors, local retailers, savvy styling by Kara and photography by Nick McGinn,…

Rattan is here to stay! It’s comfortable, chic and complements so many spaces. In natural tones and easy-to-move sizes, these accent chairs are beautifully versatile.Visit caronsbeachhouse.com. Mouth-blown in Italy, these opaque glass vases gently recreate waves crashing on the island of Capri. They feature organic shapes in a pearly, luminescent white that captures the beauty of Italy’s coastline. Visit thebellacottage.com. Canopy beds add an extra bit of cozy sophistication to any bedroom—with or without a footboard. Add linen or other sheer fabric draping for even more style. Visit charlesprogers.com.…

Dining rooms and the tables that fill them have certainly evolved through the ages. From the great halls and parlors of old to today’s large, family-sized dining rooms and the ever-popular casual dinettes and breakfast nooks, eating spaces vary greatly. Here are several tables that could work in a variety of spaces.…

We are delighted to introduce our 2022 Brand Ambassador, Kara Williams! After a nationwide call for project submissions, input from our readers and much hand-wringing over the talented finalists, Kara was chosen to represent Cottages & Bungalows this year. Her column will appear in each issue. She will be sharing spaces and places, and, as a professional designer, she’ll be educating us with insider tips for your best home ever. Beginning in January, Kara will also take over our Instagram and Facebook accounts one day per week, sharing DIYs, tablescapes, recipes, seasonal ideas, outdoor styling—all things for the home—plus taking us along to design showrooms and giving us sneak peeks into design projects she is working on. We asked Kara to take it from here. So, without further delay, please welcome Kara. Greetings, new…