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 doors down from mine. Which makes me mighty happy, too.
When Dan and I first got to work renovating our lake cottage, Nancy was intrigued. She and her husband, Don, live in a small town in rural Missouri. But they were longing for a little house in Kansas City, where they could come for the weekend, enjoy the arts and entertainment venues they love, welcome their children and grandchildren, and fish. Don had visions of long sunny days fishing off the deck of their pontoon, without a care in the world. When the fixer-upper down the street came on the market, I gave Nancy a jingle to see if she was interested.
The 1952 home needed lots of work, and even more imagination, to turn it into the English country cottage Nancy envisioned. I’m so thrilled Nancy asked me to be a part of the fun. Dan and I learned a lot when we redid our cottage, so I had more than a few cautionary tales to share. Today, we’re revealing the finished living room of Nancy’s cottage, with more rooms to come in the future.
Nancy wanted this room to feel peaceful and welcoming, like the cottages she fell in love with on her vacations to the Cotswolds in England. The soft vintage-inspired floral fabric she found at Nell Hill’s conveyed the mood perfectly, so she decided to wash all her furniture in it. Echoing the same fabric on each piece of furniture made the small seating area feel more spacious. The room reminds me of the movie sets from some of my favorite Nancy Meyers films, like The Holiday.
Lucky Nancy had lots and lots of lovely family pieces just sitting in her basement, ready to use in the cottage. This antique desk belonged to Don’s grandfather, who was a stonemason. The trout hanging over the desk was the first fish Don caught. When he was just 9, Don made the model boat, which sits on top of the desk. His mother sewed the sails for him. It’s still seaworthy: Don and the grandkids have taken it for a spin on the lake.
Nancy shares my weakness for blue and white dishes. This fabulous antique plate rack, imported from England, is the ideal way to display part of her collection, ensuring the plates are easily accessible for mealtime at the cottage.
Nancy and Don’s favorite thing about the cottage was the view of the lake. They knocked out much of the lake-side wall to make way for a bank of windows and French doors. Can you make out the wood adornment above the dining area windows? That’s an antique English plate rack, turned upside down and made into an architectural element.
When they first purchased the cottage, Nancy was down on the dock with her granddaughter, Cora. A gaggle of geese waddled about nearby, and Nancy knew it was a fortuitous moment. So she named the cottage Little Goose. The paint is barely dry in the newly renovated cottage, but this family has already begun to fill it with memories. I’m so glad some of them include me, too!
Next Week … My sister in law throws a heck of a dinner for her book club.
Margie says
February 26, 2018 at 1:26 pmLovely!——-I see Mary Carol’s touch. Is the paint Garrity Cream or Farmhouse White? A guess on my part.
Sandy McCune says
February 26, 2018 at 2:30 pmWhat a delightful story.The house is lovely and the story is too. Maybe your second career could be as a real estate agent.I am looking for a retirement cottage and this one looks perfect. Keep in touch.
PAMELA says
February 26, 2018 at 2:47 pmTHIS INTERIOR REALLY SPEAKS TO ME. I’M SAVING IT SO I CAN REVISIT. IT IS JUST SO PEACEFUL AND QUAINT AND LOVELY. THANK YOU FOR SHARING IT.
Beulah says
February 26, 2018 at 4:04 pmLucky Nancy and Don to have a friend like you to call her about the cottage for sale and give her such good hints and advice. I can see your touch throughout the room so cozy and comfy looking.
Thank you Mary Carol for always thinking of ways to help your friends and customers. Monday a joyful day to see the beautiful pictures of beautiful places you blog
franki says
February 26, 2018 at 5:48 pmCottage-Sweet-Cottage!! franki
Joyce L Johnson says
February 27, 2018 at 12:22 pmHow adorable! Thanks for sharing and can’t wait to see more!
Gwen says
February 28, 2018 at 8:37 amAbsolutely beautiful! What are these colors Margie speaks of? They sound dreamy. Garrity Cream or Farmhouse White? Tell me more please!
Linda L says
February 28, 2018 at 7:05 pmWhat a lovely cozy cottage and on a tranquil lake too. The whole room is so beautiful but I especially like the look of the fireplace, book case and stairs area. All their furnishings and antiques look right at home. Nancy was so lucky to have your renovation experienced help with this project. As I read this I couldn’t help but wonder if this was the same Nancy who turned you on to collecting silver in your blog entry “My Love Affair With Silver”. I can’t wait to see more of this charming cottage. So many good ideas! What a gem!
Sandra Haubein says
March 1, 2018 at 9:27 amSo dreamy. Love all.
Alycia Nichols says
March 4, 2018 at 1:27 pmWho says we Midwesterners are strictly “cow town” in our style? Boo on them!!! This is magnificent styling with comfort galore! It romanticizes the dream of a cozy cottage in all the best ways!
Carol says
March 11, 2019 at 4:15 pmI just Love the two little blue toile pet bowls on the floor.❤️