Log Cabin Floor Plans

Description

Stripes and checks, florals and pictorials: these are the favorite patterns of country-style decorating, and they instantly add color, warmth, and personality to any room. Country Living’s lavishly illustrated and informative new volume shows readers countless ways to introduce an array of patterns into their home, along with expert advice on exactly what makes various combinations work, and why. Photos display a wealth of charming and colorful country items: vivid quilts, hooked rugs, Beacon blankets, block-printed wallpaper, spatterware, and more. There are inviting rooms dominated by a single stunning pattern; lovely interiors with a perfectly calibrated combination of checks and stripes; and spaces in which carefully patterned accents complement a primarily neutral background. Page after page of stylish ideas are accompanied by practical advice on pattern dos and don’ts, along with valuable tips and sidebars throughout.It’s clear: from classic country printed fabrics to whimsical novelty designs, the possibilities are endless!

Description

Focused on the work of Nicholas Mosse, Country Living Irish Country details the essential elements of Irish country style, as embodied in pottery, fabric and furniture. Each chapter opens with background information, giving readers a little piece of Irish history as they go -- Ireland's heritage of textile manufacture, for example, provides a segue into the chapter on fabrics. In one chapter, the book examines the background of pottery in Ireland, its different forms and techniques, its regional variations, and the modern interpretation of traditional techniques and patterns in the work of Nicholas Mosse. Ideas are given for collecting antique pieces and for creating spongeware of one's own. The fascinating yet practical information combines with specific step-by-step projects within each chapter to allow readers to appreciate the beauty of the objects -- or set about achieving it themselves, following the how-to instructions. Mosse shows how Irish style , with its pare-down simplicity, its earthy colors and its natural materials, can be achieved no matter where a reader lives.

Nicholas Mosse is a successful ceramics artist whose work is sold all over the world from his County Kilkenny studio. Here he acknowledges the inspiration for his pleasing pottery: the understated and softly colorful style of the Irish countryside, which is a perfect foil for trendy flea-market accessories as well as for the classically simple lines of Shaker and Georgian furnishings. Though this is a beautiful coffee-table volume, there's far more here than pretty pictures alone. Mosse approaches Irish style from the vantage point of a collector, emphasizing the fascinating history of the handcrafts of this region, like spongeware, linen and cotton woven textiles, quilts, and rustic furniture like the sugan chairs with straw seats that grace many an Irish pub. Attractive and reasonably simple examples of each craft are given as projects, though they are suitable mainly for those experienced with some basic techniques such as the transfer of template patterns, jigsaw cutting, and the like. --Barrie Trinkle

Description

Two hundred photographs and inspiring ideas for using color, texture, materials, and furnishings show the way. Go beyond the quintessential chintz and florals: think about maximizing light with everything from a big bay window to sheer curtains. Try brick or stone floorings for that warm, traditional look. Transform a hallway with painted floorboards and a rag rug. That’s the essence of beautiful country style.

Luscious photographs and extremely practical decorating advice combine to make this volume both a delight to behold and an excellent resource for anyone looking to emulate the English-cottage look at home. Solid information on basic stylistic elements and on choosing colors and fabrics lays the groundwork for a room-by-room survey of lovely spaces. From entryways and family living spaces to bedrooms, bathrooms, home offices, and outdoor living areas, the text, the photos, and the captions offer wonderful verbal and visual advice on why these rooms work so well and how you can adapt them to work for you. A series of marvelous double-page spreads entitled "Get the Look" feature detailed photos grouped thematically to showcase such concepts as displaying collections, disguising storage, or setting an outdoor table. This is a good primer on cottage-style decorating, and even if you're already familiar with a lot of the basics, you'll still find inspiration in these pages. --Amy Handy