I’m not very good at pampering myself. You won’t often spot me at the spa, getting a mani/pedi. It’s rare for me to take a day off from Nell Hill’s. And, I almost never go on vacation, to Dan’s dismay. But there are two things I do to indulge myself, refilling my tank to keep that bounce in my step. … [Read more...]
The Joy of Dining: A Spring Table at My Cottage
As the flowers poke out of the ground, and the leaves bud on the trees, another force of nature comes back alive: my desire to entertain. In the winter months, Dan and I don’t have folks over as much, preferring to cocoon when we’re home. But one of my rites of spring is dressing my table and … [Read more...]
A Tale of Two Bedrooms
My mom loved a party. So I’m pretty sure that when our big, noisy clan gathers together in the little cottage next door, where she lived at the end of her life, she smiles down on us from heaven. This little nugget of a house, perched on the edge of the lake, has become our favorite … [Read more...]
Bathrooms Get Cottage Charm Makeover
Sometimes, I look at photos of homes with large, lovely, almost palatial bathroom spaces, and sigh wistfully. As a lover of historic homes, big bathrooms are not a reality for me, unless I knock out a lot of walls. But I have found that just because your home has little bathrooms doesn’t mean they … [Read more...]
The Cottage Next Door: A Peek at Nancy’s Living Room
Everyone needs a few Happy Places. Spots where they can go to escape from it all and refill their hearts. One of my friend Nancy’s happy places is her cozy cottage, with its snug-as-a-bug-in-a-rug rooms that look out over a placid little lake. Lucky me, Nancy’s cottage just happens to be three … [Read more...]
A Coastal Dream Home in Blue and White
It all came together on this one. My love of all things blue and white … of furniture crafted by Lee Industries …of the creative work of interior designer Mark D. Sikes … and Coastal Living Magazine’s take-me-away features on drop-dead-beautiful homes. Be still my heart. It’s a Nantucket home washed … [Read more...]