The Joy of Collecting
• Cool ways to display classic must-haves—wooden horses, redware and more—that are hot now.

• The decorating palette for an Italianate Victorian in New York was inspired by a single swatch of toile. The creative owners (one is director of merchandising for Crate & Barrel) fashioned a perfect backdrop for their collections.

• An art professor’s collections, including an eclectic array of paintings, Ikebana baskets and old flintlocks, fit perfectly into the 1840 South Carolina cottage he shares with his wife.

• A passionate collector of blue and white transferware invites us in and gives us collecting advice.

History Buffs
• Experienced renovators take on a New England antique, restore it lovingly and update it realistically.

High Style
• A dreamy mountaintop retreat, designed to celebrate the gorgeous views of Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains, is also the perfect spot for entertaining friends and family.
Plus, making Shaker-style brooms, a way of life since 1928.

• White Wash
A tiny 1780 stone cottage gets a whitewash and looks bigger for it.

• Bright & Bold
After building their new traditional, this Southern family decorates it with rich colors.

How 23 accessories under $35 can add vintage chic to any kitchen, old or new.

Collectible aprons as ornaments or wearable art.
Plus, make an apron pocket.

Chicken waterers and other collectible stoneware—how to know what you’ve got and what to look for.

Reclaimed wood becomes tomorrow’s heirlooms. Plus, woodworkers who specialize in recycling.

Chase winter blues with splashes of spring color—our market bonanza.

See what our crafty readers have come up with now.

A budget no-sew drape in minutes.

Making a treasured teddy bear from old clothes.

Turning quilt appliqué flowers into wall art.

Country carpets get even more artistic. Plus, pile styles and a guide to materials.

A freeze-drying florist preserves memories. Plus, do-it-yourself drying.

Which country garden—cottage, entrance, rose, serenity or kitchen—suits your personality? Planting & planning tips galore!

Delicious recipes for flourless chocolate cake, banana walnut French toast with chocolate drizzle, and more.

Find country-minded correspondents.

Country Puzzler

What transforms a room or cheers you up, and fits inside a can of paint?

ON OUR COVER:
Fragrant lilac adds the finishing touch to a cheery guest bedroom.

photo: Eric Roth for Susan Sargent