Cottages and Bungalows August - September 2021

change is in the air

CAN YOU FEEL IT? There’s change in the air! We are slowly getting to the other side of this devastating pandemic, warm summer breezes are blowing and cautious optimism grows for safe family gatherings, concerts and sporting events. How wonderful for us all! We’ve made a few changes at Cottages & Bungalows as well. You may have read in our last issue that our talented and beloved Director of Content, Jickie Torres, who has also been the long-time editor of this magazine, gave me the tremendous honor and blessing of adopting her role as Editor and Brand Leader. To say I am humbled and delighted is a massive understatement! May I share with you how that unfolded? Flashback to 2016 when I was decorating a 450-square-foot place at the beach, posting before/after photos…

like it, love it

House Tour: A Vintage-Filled California Beach Cottage A home is many things, but when you treat it like a creative playground, inspiring things happen. And Carol and Steve Cook of Ventura, California, certainly do. Come, be inspired! Design Recipe: Cottage by the Sea It’s no secret to us that cottage living brings out the best in home and heart. Getting the look in your own home is easier than you might think. 6 Reasons You Should Add Wallpaper This Summer Wallpaper is an easy way to change up the look of a space, and the options have become more affordable and easier to apply. Check out a few great ideas to try. Throw a Summer Ice Cream Social Summer is the perfect time to give in to your sweet tooth. Scoop up a few of your closest…

coastal with a southern twist

The owners of this 1990s timber-frame home were attracted by the proximity of Gibson Island, Maryland, to their primary residence in Washington, D.C. and the beauty of the Chesapeake Bay and the Magothy River. While the location is idyllic, the home left a lot to be desired. The interior spaces were dark and dated, and the outside setting lacked entertaining spaces. The homeowners enlisted Jim Rill of Rill Architects to help them navigate the whole-house renovation that was needed to make their summer getaway the relaxing retreat they wanted to share with family and friends. Jim designed a new wraparound porch that immediately enhanced the home’s curb appeal, as well as providing outdoor living spaces with a swing flanked by seating and dining areas plus cascading steps, instead of railings, on…

know your terms

• Cascading stairs: Cascading stairs wrap around the corner of a low deck and are an attractive and functional approach to increasing the usable area. They usually consist of five or fewer steps to avoid safety concerns. • Timber-frame: A frame structure of large posts and beams that are joined with pegs or other types of decorative joinery. The walls of the structure are almost always positioned on the outside of the timber frame, leaving the timbers exposed for visual effect. They are extraordinarily strong structures that can last hundreds of years.…

soaking up summertime

Hi friends ! Happy Summertime! I’m soaking up all the goodness of this season with my boys and spending lots of time outside in our backyard and garden. We love growing our own fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers, and it’s so much fun to walk the garden and pluck an apricot from one of our trees. Our strawberry and blackberry bushes give us the sweetest treats, and my favorite activity is clipping fresh flowers for arrangements. We also love dining al fresco during the summer months, so we set up this DIY Farmhouse table in the middle of our garden and strung tons of lights above for ambience and cozy vibes. 3 STEPS TO CREATING A SUMMER TABLESCAPE Layers and Texture I love me some layers, and rustic and romantic vibes are forever my favorite. For…

easy hardware update

We had the pleasure of working with Delaney Hardware to update our front door hardware, and it turned out beautifully. For over 25 years, Delaney has offered a full portfolio of hardware including door hardware, digital locks, barn door hardware, bath accessories, commercial hardware, trim hardware, and steel doors and frames. The instructions to install the hardware were easy to follow, and the only tool my husband needed was a power drill. We chose Castille in Aged Black from the Rustic Retreat collection and love its clean and simple lines. It is rugged enough to stand up to our two busy sons and the hot California sun, but it comes with a mechanical lifetime guarantee too. TO SEE MORE OF DELANEY’S COLLECTION, VISIT DELANEYHARDWARE.COM OR ON INSTAGRAM @DELANEYHARDWARE.…