The Cottage Journal

Do you prefer a country cottage color scheme or rustic style in your décor? We think we might have you covered within the pages of this issue as we have selected favorite collections and stories that bring cottage living to life! You’ll tour homes wi

Since ancient times, botanicals have been preserved for their beauty and cataloged to identify different specimens. In Victorians days, slipping petals and leaves into a book was a way to remember a special person or occasion. Today, framed botanical

When Paige and Smoot Hull began viewing properties in Round Top, Texas, they were dreaming of a second home where their children could get a taste of the serenity of small-town life—they never expected to create a unique space for connecting like min

“Everyone needs a place to retreat, to rest, to recharge,” says homeowner Jim Edwards. “For me, that place is Old Town in South Dallas County, Alabama. When I unlock the gate, I immediately relax and enter my retreat.” Jim and his wife, Beth, live an

Jenna Sue has never shied away from a challenge. In fact, after tackling three home renovations, she decided it was time to try something harder—a true flip. “At that point, I had owned and renovated three houses prior, but those were slow renovation

It’s no secret that Doug Sutton loves life on the lake. After renting a cabin on Lake Martin in eastern Alabama for years, he and his partner, Andrew Nix, finally decided it was time to purchase their own—but it wasn’t as easy as they thought. “We ha

When Wendy Morrison purchased her North Carolina cottage in 2012, she could see past its decade of renter neglect. Mustard yellow walls, a leaking roof, and worn floors didn’t dissuade her. Instead, she found motivation in the idea of her home’s firs

The earliest document tracing this home’s history is a tax assessment dated 1930. And yet local lore recalls plenty of Prohibition-era activity taking place here in the years before. No matter the log cabin’s true age, when the Rowland family purchas

Fall-blooming perennials and annuals dress the garden for autumn, but it’s the pumpkins, winter squash, and gourds that really drive home the seasonal message. Going beyond the usual bowl of gourds or carved jack-o’-lanterns, this garden showcases pu

Originally the home of his great-great-grandfather, Chase Applewhite’s New Orleans cottage has a storied past—literally. Nearly two decades ago, the house was purchased to be made into an addition by its next-door neighbor, the Maple Street Bookshop.

When Cathie Caldwell started collecting jadeite more than 40 years ago, she had no idea how fun and addictive her attraction to this cheery green glassware would become. What started as a simple interest soon became a quest. With a collection that no

While selling antiques at local shows, I often hear, “Oh, you are the cake stand lady!” Although I sell many types of antiques, my specialty and first love are my Early American Pattern Glass cake stands. Early American Pattern Glass flourished in Am

Fall was once labeled “the forgotten season.” It was the time when gardeners packed up their tools and tearfully kissed growing things goodbye. But that’s no longer the case. Given some savvy footwork with flowering cabbages and kales, plus a smatter

When visiting this cozy log cabin nestled in the Tennessee woods, it might be hard to believe that the home hasn’t been there long. The cabin is only a few years old, but if walls could talk, these would have stories to tell. Though the homeowners wa

Walking through a white picket fence into the Coghlans’ tin-roofed cottage just feels like coming home. Even on your first visit, the air of hospitality in the space welcomes you like you grew up there. Be it the heirloom antiques, the family-inspire

Pages 9–14—Plants from Shakespeare’s Garden. Pumpkins from Maple Bank Farm. Pages 15–16—Leaf pressing by Lauren Lachance. Pages 27–34—Tin Roof Cottage rental by Pot N’ Kettle Cottages. Pages 35–42—Retreat rental at The Vintage Round Top in Round Top,