Southern Living July 2020

A FEW DAYS after the Southern Living editorial team started working remotely, I posted a picture of my jerry-rigged home office on Instagram. My computer was set up on the dining room table next to a coffee mug and a LaCroix can, and you could see out two double-hung windows into my front yard. Other people on the team posted photographs of their work areas—there was Katie in her living room, Betsy on her back patio, Kaitlyn in her kitchen, Grace at her parents’ farm—and we could view each other in these unfamiliar settings on the video calls that were suddenly consuming our days. Dogs would make guest appearances, kids would interrupt to ask about lunch, or birds would be chirping in the background. Even though we were keeping our…

“I WANTED TO GO INSIDE ONLY TO SLEEP,” says homeowner Hampton Stephens of her vision for lakeside living. Growing up, she spent summers bunking at a cabin on the banks of this tucked-away spot outside Birmingham. But after she started a family, Stephens began scoping out an area nearby to call their own. Up went a temporary tent next door to her parents’ place, but down it came when she hiked to a hillside across the water and was instantly sold on the view. An architect by training, she envisioned a rustic retreat that emphasized spending time outdoors. She collaborated with friend and architect Bruce Lanier (of Birmingham-based ArchitectureWorks) to design a pair of minimalist modern cabins: a main house (with a kitchen and living area on the top level…

Get the Party Started Inside “Entertaining outdoors in the summer is tricky in the South,” says Vann Brock. “Instead of immediately putting all of your guests in the backyard, have cocktail hour inside and let everybody mingle. Move outdoors for dinner when there’s still light but it’s cooled off.” Pull Up a Seat “People feel like they need to have a set of six or eight chairs in their garage that they keep on hand for outdoor entertaining,” says Revels. “Why not use what you already have? We brought out chairs from the home’s dining room and moved a couple from around the pool.” Be a Team Player “We frequently entertain together, so we like to mix and match our stuff, especially if hosting a large dinner party,” says Revels. “Very few people have 20…

OUTDOOR LIVING A Dreamy Sleeping Porch Create a swoon-worthy spot for alfresco snoozing Privacy, Please In their heyday, sleeping porches were often screened to keep bugs at bay. While that’s still a valid consideration, it’s not required for a secluded feel. Curtains and tall potted plants are easier alternatives that you can use as barriers to transform your existing side or back porch into a tucked-away sanctuary. Make It Cozy This is perhaps the most important aspect of a made-for-lounging space. While it’s a good idea to invest in a marine-grade cushion, there’s no need to go full-on weather resistant here because the area is largely sheltered from the elements. (Permission to cuddle with your softest throw granted.) Light It Just Right When the sun starts dipping low, sleeping porches are all about setting the mood. Task lighting,…

PETS TO THE RESCUE THERAPY DOOD Charlie ATLANTA, GEORGIA INSTAGRAM: @charliegoldthedoodle BREED: Mini goldendoodle AGE: 4 DYNAMIC DUO Charlie and his owner, Stephanie Goldstein, are a certified therapy team. As members of Happy Tails Pet Therapy, they bring smiles to a number of Atlanta-area facilities, including an independent-living community, Oglethorpe University, and Ronald McDonald House. “Charlie loves meeting new people, and it shows!” Goldstein says. “He has an infectious energy that he passes along to anybody who may be having a bad day.” A NATURAL “He has always been extremely calm, even as a puppy, and brings so much joy to everyone he sees,” Goldstein says. FRIEND ON THE FLY Clarence DALLAS, NORTH CAROLINA INSTAGRAM: @clarencetheclumber BREED: Clumber spaniel AGE: 7 FIRST-CLASS TRAVEL You can find Clarence most Thursdays at Charlotte Douglas International Airport greeting weary travelers, anxious children, and members of the military before they head out…

WHAT THE HECK? HELP! I am in rose hell! My home has 10 ‘Knock Out’ rosebushes, and three of them have something wrong. Some branches have more thorns than normal, the growth is maroon in color, and the leaves and blooms on these branches are deformed. Is there anything I can do? —SANDY I regret to inform you that your roses have fallen victim to a devilish disease called rose rosette. It is spread by a mite, and once symptoms appear, it’s fatal. It affects all roses. To keep it from spreading, dig up your infected plants (roots and all), seal them in plastic bags, and throw them out with the trash. Don’t plant roses in the same spots again. IN THE CRACKS Can you recommend a low-growing perennial to plant between flagstones in our…