This English Cottage’s Storybook Whimsy Extends to Every Eave and Nook

Maggie Griffin, an interior designer, found her charming 1940s cottage in Gainesville, Georgia, and immediately fell in love with its historic appeal. The house, with its original features, small rooms, and quirky ceilings, perfectly fit her design philosophy of mixing old and new. Maggie's passion for items with history is evident throughout her home, which is filled with inherited pieces like an antique secretary and settee, alongside modern elements such as lucite and parsons tables. Her approach creates a warm and welcoming environment that reflects her personal style. Upon moving into the Gainesville cottage, Maggie and her husband, David, made minimal cosmetic changes. They focused on refreshing the space with new paint, countertops, and a few faucets, maintaining the integrity of the home's original character. The previous homeowner, who shares a friendship with Maggie, had impeccable taste, which facilitated a smooth transition. The cottage's curb appeal, characterized by painted brick, a charming side addition, a gable roof over the front door, and single-pane windows, embodies the quintessential cottage style that Maggie admires. Inside, the original floors and slanted ceilings on the second floor further enhance the cozy, historic atmosphere. Maggie's keeping room, located off the kitchen and breakfast area, serves as the central hub of her home. This multi-purpose space is designed for family gatherings and features a mix of antique market finds and contemporary pieces. The Thibaut wallpaper adds a touch of happiness, and layered rugs provide depth. The breakfast table and server were sourced from Scott’s Antiques, while the chairs are from Serena & Lily. A settee, inherited from her maternal grandmother, has been re-covered in velvet, adding a layer of family history to the room. An acrylic coffee table from Amazon.com offers a practical, easy-to-clean surface, ideal for a home with a young child. The kitchen, though previously remodeled, received Maggie's personal touch. She painted the cabinets and island, incorporating a wooden countertop for warmth and swapping perimeter counters for granite. This blend of finishes and the natural light from a large window over the sink contribute to the kitchen's inviting ambiance. The exterior also received attention, with shutters painted in Benjamin Moore’s “Herbal Escape,” complementing the vibrant spring blooms of her ten bright pink peony bushes, which bring Maggie joy each summer. Outdoor living is a significant part of the Griffins' lifestyle. From April to October, all meals are enjoyed on their back porch, which is furnished with a comfortable sectional for watching football games and a farm table from Scott’s, paired with easy-to-clean metal chairs. This space is designed for entertaining, accommodating both adult dinner parties and neighborhood playdates, and even hosted over 150 guests for a Halloween gathering. The master bedroom showcases Maggie's affinity for blue and white, with the design originating from a remnant bolt of "La Grenade" fabric by Bailey & Griffin, used for the bed skirt. Nightstands, acquired from a friend’s mother, were painted in Benjamin Moore’s “Half Moon Crest.” A custom upholstered headboard, inspired by Bunny Williams, and a bench from Scott’s with a leopard-print cushion from Lewis & Sheron further personalize the space. The bedding combines elements from Pine Cone Hill and Serena & Lily, alongside a custom bolster. An upstairs sitting room features original pine paneling and flooring, creating a charming den for guests. A camelback sofa, inherited from her paternal grandmother, is recovered in navy velvet. A hand-me-down ottoman and bobbin chairs from Pier 1, re-covered in fabric from Scott’s, complete the seating arrangement. The room also includes an IKEA jute rug layered with an antique store find, and a gallery wall displaying a mix of collected art, personal creations, and pieces from artist friends. Her son Henry’s room, located off the breakfast room, features a sophisticated look with Schumacher linen on the headboard and elephant art by Erika Lackey. A dark-blue chest from Scott’s Antique Market, framed alphabet book pages, and discarded turtle shells decorate the space, reflecting a blend of whimsy and personal history. Henry's bathroom includes Schumacher wallpaper, gray-painted trim and vanity, a Target turtle shell, and antique silver canapé dishes with the New Orleans crest. Maggie's background in furnishings and interiors, influenced by her chic grandmothers and mother, led her to a career in design. Her early experiences at Heery’s Too!, a high-end home furnishings gift shop, allowed her to transition from assisting shoppers with small decorative tasks to managing larger design projects, establishing her career as an interior designer who cherishes history and mixes it with modern sensibilities to create unique, inviting homes. #HomeFeatures #InteriorDesign #CottageStyle #AntiqueDecor #HomeDecoration #GainesvilleGeorgia #MaggieGriffinDesign #OldMeetsNew #FamilyHome

This article details the transformation of an empty stair landing in a stately Colonial home in Needham into a cozy reading nook. The homeowner desired a personal retreat, choosing the sun-drenched landing with a balcony overlooking the front lawn for its tranquility and connection to the rest of the house. Barbara Jones, owner of Hearthstone Home, a design firm in Needham Center, was tasked with creating this refuge. Her design approach centered on complementing existing elements, such as the wallpaper, and integrating the homeowner's extensive plant collection. Jones began by using a neutral, tone-on-tone trailing vine wallpaper from Farrow & Ball as a backdrop. This choice aimed to provide a sophisticated aesthetic, aligning with the space's proximity to the primary suite and the client's preference for a less overtly floral design. To introduce a subtle feminine touch and enhance natural light, a bone and resin mirror with a traditional Indian pattern from Made Goods was incorporated. This mirror strategically reflects light, brightening the space. Functionality was a key consideration in the design. A linen-wrapped console by Serena & Lily was selected to fill an otherwise bare wall, offering practical storage for reading glasses and books within its drawers. The console also serves as a display surface for the homeowner's numerous plants, seamlessly blending their passion for greenery with the room's decor. Complementing the console, cubes were added to provide additional seating, anticipating visits from the client's four daughters. These cubes feature a windowpane plaid fabric, which provides a visual contrast to the curved motifs of the wallpaper and mirror, adding a layer of visual interest to the design. The central comfort element of the nook is a large chaise, upholstered in a performance fabric chosen to accommodate the homeowner's cats and dog. This ensures durability and ease of maintenance while offering a comfortable spot for relaxation. A chunky wool rug anchors the seating area, contributing to the cozy atmosphere and providing a soft texture underfoot. Finally, a nature-inspired floor lamp from Currey and Company was introduced to add necessary height to the design and provide ambient lighting for evening reading. The lamp was a last-minute addition from Jones's shop, highlighting her ability to integrate existing resources into the design process effectively. The overall design successfully transforms an underutilized space into a harmonious and inviting retreat, balancing aesthetics with practical needs. #HomeDesign #ReadingNook #InteriorDecoration #CozySpaces #NeedhamHome #BarbaraJones #HearthstoneHome #StairLanding #HomeRefuge

The English country design aesthetic, characterized by natural woods, printed florals, muted shades, durable fabrics, and heirloom antiques, is a timeless style that evokes coziness and warmth. This article explores how Northern Virginia designers have incorporated these elements into clients' homes, offering insights and tips for achieving this classic look. Sara Swabb, founder of Storie Collective, transformed a 2005 Craftsman in North Arlington to blend modern living with Old-World charm. Her approach involved using natural stone, raw wood, antique furniture, warm color palettes, and performance fabrics to create an elegant yet livable space. Swabb retained existing Craftsman features, such as a wood-burning fireplace, and added Victorian moldings to enhance the historical feel. She emphasizes the use of natural materials like travertine and slate, which inherently possess imperfections and tactile qualities consistent with English country style. Swabb also advises incorporating subtle English country influences through fixtures, citing an Urban Electric light fixture as a modern interpretation of an old lantern. To add warmth, she sourced textured fabrics, many from UK vendors, alongside vintage and antique pieces from platforms like 1stDibs. Her designs also feature raw and reclaimed wood, complemented by nature-inspired hues, such as an ochre-colored chaise lounge. Swabb encourages mixing various wood finishes, wood species, and stones, asserting that natural materials blend harmoniously and are a hallmark of English country homes, allowing for a sophisticated yet subdued breaking of design rules. GTM Architects, in collaboration with builder Steve Smith of Ventura Group LLC, designed a Cape Cod-style home in Arlington with strong English country influences for clients relocating closer to family. The homeowners desired earthy tones, high-end materials, paneling, siding, and reclaimed pieces. A notable custom feature is the "boot room," a British-inspired mudroom designed for practicality, where the homeowner could shed gardening boots. The home also includes a unique reading nook on the second-floor landing, featuring ample shelving for books. In the study, an antique fireplace was seamlessly integrated into the room's paneling, and reclaimed wood was used for the flooring. Additional touches, such as a grandfather clock and an antique secretary desk, further underscore the European aesthetic, blending style with functionality. Kristin Harrison, founder and principal designer of Georgia + Hunt Design House, designed a powder room in a McLean home, demonstrating how small spaces can be made impactful within the British design philosophy. Harrison explains that British design often prioritizes making smaller areas an experience, a principle her firm embraces. For this powder room, she utilized natural materials, including a custom marble sink basin and an antique wooden mirror. The room was then enveloped in a beautifully printed wallpaper, which serves to transport visitors to the English countryside. This approach highlights the effectiveness of natural elements and decorative details in creating a distinctive and charming atmosphere, even in compact areas. #EnglishCountryDecor #HomeDesign #InteriorDecorating #NorthernVirginia #DesignTrends #Renovation #ArchitecturalStyle #HomeRemodel

The article explores the enduring appeal of the house featured in the film 'Practical Magic,' describing it as a blend of East Coast tradition, witchy charm, and deep-seated coziness. The author recounts a childhood memory of being captivated by the house's design, including its white Victorian architecture, glass conservatory, beadboard, open shelves, and apothecary jars. This aesthetic is contrasted with the 'daylight fantasy' of Nancy Meyers's kitchens, positioning the 'Practical Magic' house as an 'after-dark' ideal, characterized by moody jewel tones, color drenching, a touch of Whimsigoth, and inviting textiles. The piece highlights the house's ability to appear cinematic yet function as a lived-in home, emphasizing its design elements that evoke a sense of warmth and history. The house's timeless appeal is attributed to its architectural bones and character-filled accents, such as ironstone, apothecary jars, and stacked books, all illuminated by layers of warm lighting to prevent moody hues from appearing murky. The article emphasizes that the house functions as a character in itself within the film, creating a dynamic backdrop for scenes like the 'midnight margaritas,' where the home actively participates in the characters' experiences. It notes how details like herb bundles, botanical galleries, and talismans—such as jarred spices and pressed flowers—contribute to a sense of shared memory and childhood bonds. The designers, Robin Standefer and Stephen Alesch of Roman & Williams, are credited with intentionally crafting this sense of history and lived-in charm. They reportedly built the exterior from scratch, drawing inspiration from late-19th-century scrollwork, East Coast lighthouses, and Victorian homes, and meticulously added details like tincture jars and plant etchings to create a feeling of accumulated memory. The article connects this design philosophy to the contemporary 'Whimsigoth' trend, which combines Victorian revival with soft gothic elements, incorporating saturated greens, inky blues, dark wood, brass, velvet, brocade, botanicals under glass, apothecary jars, and taper candles. The 'Practical Magic' house is presented as a quintessential mood board for rooms that prioritize lamplight, book stacks, and intentional patina, offering a retreat from the outside world. The author concludes by providing a five-step guide to replicating the house's atmosphere at home without creating a mere 'costume' effect. These steps include incorporating glass cabinets and doors to display everyday objects and reflect light, utilizing farm tables and copper pots as versatile kitchen centerpieces, employing warm task lamps rather than overhead lighting for a cozier ambiance, applying color-drenched beadboards in moody tones to create an enveloping feel, and integrating greenery, jars, and book stacks to infuse life, ritual, and soul into spaces. #PracticalMagicHouse #HomeDesign #InteriorDecor #Whimsigoth #VictorianRevival #CozyInteriors #FilmInspiredDesign #ApothecaryStyle #ColorDrenching

Sallie Middleton Parker reminisces about her childhood summers at 'The Cove,' the whimsical Chunns Cove retreat built by her grand-uncle, architect Douglas Ellington. This home, described as both a fairytale cottage and an arts-and-crafts dream, was a hub of sparkling conversation and creativity, often hosting notable figures of twentieth-century Asheville. Its distinctive features include brick and field-stone chimneys, a central tower, hand-split wood shingles on a hip roof, Roycroft-red casement windows, and a rounded front door. The cottage's aesthetic is one of magic, with ivy climbing its walls giving it a hobbit-like appearance. Douglas Ellington, renowned for designing iconic Asheville buildings like City Hall, First Baptist Church, and Asheville High, conceived 'The Cove' as a more intimate and imaginative expression of his architectural ideals. He and his brother, Kenneth, settled in Asheville after Ellington’s success in the city’s booming years. The property, purchased by Kenneth, included a 19th-century log cabin that Douglas preserved and expanded upon. The interior features unique elements such as a living room resembling a ship's bow with hidden details, and an exterior adorned with medieval-inspired figures and a stained-glass door quoting Shakespeare. Local artists, many of whom worked on Ellington’s larger projects, contributed intricate wrought-iron hardware, chandeliers, and sconces to the home. Ellington was known for his hands-on approach and commitment to specific vision, often joining his construction crews. Ellington also embraced recycling, incorporating materials from demolished downtown structures, such as marble from City Hall, tiles from the S&W; cafeteria, and bricks from a pharmacy, into the mosaic of the living room floor. Stone from local fields and chestnut wood from the cove were also integral to the four-year construction. 'The Cove' was more than just an architectural marvel; it was a vibrant social and intellectual gathering place. Asheville’s artists and intelligentsia, including Thomas Wolfe, were frequent guests. The interior design fostered a bohemian elegance with local artisan furniture and a warm, inviting atmosphere. The home was a nurturing environment for learning, creativity, and imagination. Middleton Parker recounts tales of a 'witch’s rock,' a 'red fairy' leaving leaves on pillows, and 'fairy trees' showering children with toys, alongside Kenneth’s fantastical bedtime stories. Children often put on puppet shows, with Wolfe occasionally in attendance. The tradition of fresh flowers in the house continues to this day. Sallie Ellington Middleton, Kenneth's daughter and Middleton Parker's mother, found inspiration for her career as a watercolor artist and illustrator in the home and its natural surroundings. Her intimate knowledge of Chunns Cove's woods is reflected in her detailed renderings of local flora and fauna, published in 'The Magical Realm of Sallie Middleton.' Despite Douglas Ellington’s short time in Asheville before the Depression necessitated his move to Maryland, 'The Cove' has remained a cherished family gathering place. It has hosted various events, from Preservation Society meetings to family celebrations. Recently, the home has been selectively opened to the public for weddings and events, with a strong emphasis on sustainability. The caretaker’s cottage has been converted into lodging, featuring Ellington Middleton’s art and Ellington’s signature Art Deco feather motif. The house is regarded by many, including the Preservation Society of Asheville and Buncombe County, as truly magical, seamlessly blending into its landscape with timeless charm. The article concludes by highlighting Douglas Ellington's significant impact on Asheville's architectural landscape during its boomtown era. His distinctive Art Deco designs, beginning with the First Baptist Church commission, rapidly shaped the city’s skyline. A list of his notable works in Asheville, including the Merrimon Avenue Fire Station, Lewis Memorial Park Office, Asheville City Building, Asheville High School, Historic S & W Building, Biltmore Hospital Extension, and his own house, is provided for those wishing to experience his enduring legacy firsthand. #FairytaleCottage #DouglasEllington #AshevilleArchitecture #ChunnsCove #ArtDecoDesign #HistoricHome #ArchitecturalLegacy #ArtsAndCrafts #HomeDesign