Victoria Autumn Bliss 2020

Dear Friends Although many of us have been ensconced within our own environs for several months, I must admit that the arrival of fall always seems to draw me back to the hearth. As a brisk wind ushers in this treasured season, I watch in wonder as the landscape around me takes on a gilded quality. Plump gourds claim pride of place on my porch, the fragrance of fresh-picked orchard fruit fills my kitchen, and nourishing dishes lend warmth the table. Longer nights afford opportunities for settling in before a crackling fire, grateful to savor a quiet moment or to indulge in a cherished pastime. This special issue celebrates the incomparable comforts of home. In Chapter 1, become immersed in the prismatic beauty of this time of year with a cornucopia of…

“WE HAVE HAD OUR SUMMER EVENINGS, NOW FOR OCTOBER EVES!”—Humbert Wolfe “Her pleasure in the walk must arise from the exercise and the day,” penned Jane Austen in her novel Persuasion, “from the view of the last smiles of the year upon the tawny leaves and withered hedges, and from repeating to herself some few of the thousand poetical descriptions extant of autumn—that season of peculiar and inexhaustible influence on the mind of taste and tenderness—that season which has drawn from every poet worthy of being read some attempt at description, or some lines of feeling.” The beloved British author understood the universal appeal of this wondrous time of year. As summer melts away and green turns to gold, nature draws cardigan-clad revelers outdoors to bask in the annual jubilee. Nearby woods…

“THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER MAKES ME FEEL THAT LIFE IS PASSING MORE QUICKLY. IN AN EFFORT TO SLOW IT DOWN, I TRY TO FILL THE HOURS MORE MEANINGFULLY.”—Henry Rollins…

“FALLEN LEAVES ON THE GROUND ARE THE GOLDEN SONG OF IMMORTAL CREATIVITY.”—Amit Ray…

In a quiet suburban neighborhood just outside Washington, D.C., a stone-clad Colonial-style residence nestles amid a bevy of mature hardwood trees, their leaves tinged with the first golden hues of autumn. The beautifully landscaped garden, with an idyllic waterfall and lush plantings, offers a peaceful refuge from the bustling capital city nearby. It’s a setting well-earned by the couple who reside here. “The homeowners have deep roots in the business and political life of the Midwest, as well as multi-generational family histories there,” relates interior designer Anne Dutcher, who has worked with these clients since 2013 to achieve the layered look that so perfectly suits the refined and welcoming interiors. Though the home is just shy of twenty years old, a prized assemblage of thoughtfully curated antiques—some inherited, others procured—gives it…

When a Southern landscape designer and her family found the perfect house, it was essential that the residence exude a sense of tranquility amidst the lilting laughter of children. She turned to interior decoratorJane Hoke to achieve her goals for the dwelling—cozy, relaxed, and welcoming with a subduedelegance throughout. With that in mind, Jane setout to create harmonious areas that embrace guestswith the hospitality that distinguishes the South. “We have an ‘open-door policy’ in the true sense of the word,” says the homeowner, a mother of two and a frequent hostess to friends of all ages. “I cook a lot and love to have people over for dinner. It’s typical for us to have noise, with children running around. It’s always been our style to have everyone walk right in and…