At Home With Country: Review & Giveaway

By Kate Riley September 8, 2010

Recently, I was sent a lovely text called At Home With Country, written by Christina Strutt, owner of Cabbages and Roses, a company specializing in printed linens for home and clothing.   

The very first thing to catch my eye was the cover image, depicting the bathroom from Christina’s own ‘Brook Cottage’.  I love the the intricate detail and thickness of the white mirror over the sink, and the rustic hooks holding cozy bathrobes.  The space proves that even floral plates can actually look lovely in a bathroom !    

  image

 

The book was a delightful read cover to cover, filled with design ideas for adding warmth and character to your home, even if you don’t consider your personal style to be ‘country’. 

I often associate ‘country’ with ‘farmhouse’ but after I read the book, I found that ‘country’ style is not nearly as narrow a definition as I imagined, at least according to this author.  Rather, ‘country’ is the medley of colors and textures, soft florals and cottons, and rustic objects paired with simple elements that are collected over time.  ‘Country’ is the practice of creating a home that is beautiful, but most importantly, comfortable and lived in.

 

bathroom at home with country

 

The book offers glimpses into Christina’s own home, plus others houses scattered throughout England, apartments in New York, and cottages dotting the east coast of the United States.    

red and white bedroom

front porch and firewood

 

You’ll see a lot of classic English country design that stems from the author’s own love of relaxed and comfortable rooms filled with painted furniture and feminine florals. 

kitchen island

blue and white country

 

If you’re passionate about older homes with character, quirky antiques, or if you have your own collection of well loved objects, then you’ll gain a lot of inspiration from the pages of At Home With Country as I did.

    

vignette at home with country

white bathroom

 

Photography by Edina van der Wyck.   All copyrighted images taken from At Home with Country  by Christina Strutt and used with permission.  CICO Books, $29.95; www.cicobooks.com.

 

black chandy

 

white slipcover and fireplace

 

If you want to read a great conversation with the designer and author Christina Strutt, take a peek at this interview over at HGTV.      

And because we all love pretty pictures . . . 

And you know you want another design book for your coffee table or for your bookshelf . . . 

  

white tablescape

 

You can to be entered to win a copy of At Home With Country, simply by answering this question in a comment: 

What does the word ‘Country’ mean to you?

I welcome random answers about music, homeland, or décor.  Close your eyes, say ‘country’ then type what first comes to mind, no matter what it is.  Can’t wait to hear it !

One winner will be sent your own copy direct from the publisher.   Winner chosen at random.  Giveaway ends Saturday September 11th at 8 p.m. 

Good luck!

 

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307 comments

  1. Country to me means back to earth and nature… green fields and close knit farming communities – fresh produce and lots of memories of time I spent living in the country.

  2. Country to me means pure and basic with a close relation to nature. Organic foods, home made jams, selfmade clothes. I grew up on the country. Everything we ate came from the land. There was nothing plastic or polyester inside the house. Aahhh the country…

  3. To me, country means having the time to slow down and live a more ‘connected’ life. Living more in the moment than in tomorrow, and appreciating the little things. Thanks for hosting such a generous giveaway, and please count me in. K x

  4. Country…I love the style and I live in Nebraska. :) Simple living (and decorating), the open plains, corn, animals. It’s everyday life where I live. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. :)

  5. Lightening bugs, sweet tea, fresh peaches, wooden rocking chairs on porches. Thick drawls, pickup trucks, and people who smile and wave at you whether they know you or not. Homemade jam and pies, beat-up wranglers, and of course, dogs that bark and chase you as you pull out of the driveway.

    Sigh…you’re making me miss the South (which I inadvertently associate with “country”)!

  6. Country, to me, means rustic, no-frills, honest, authentic living. Country homes are comforting, welcoming, nurturing and unpretentious. A place where all are welcomed and time moves at a much slower pace.

  7. Country style is for me cosyness, white linens and soft textiles, antiques and both dark wood and shabby painted furniture. All mixed so that your personality shows and you and your visitors are well and comfortable!

  8. Country makes me think to land and flowers, even brown and white colors – confortable places, homes full of love.

  9. to me ‘country’ reminds me of rolling green fields, muddy paths filled with hedgerows and a big red telephone box. Country reminds me of my home country.

  10. When I think of country I see Morning Glories,Sweetpeas,I smell the aroma of freshly baked bread and I hear birds twittering.

  11. Country is a way of living… Relaxed… Pure… Comfy and cosy… Lots of gatherings of family and friends… Sharing… Enjoying… Country is being home and loving it!

  12. I think of things that are collected over time, comfortable and family friendly. Making due with what you have and simplicity. Painted furniture, soft colors, old vintage things and a lot of charm. A place where you can relax and be with family and friend and feel like you are home.

  13. Country style is one of what we called simple living yet stunning creativity!You can make any room or piece of furniture look so cozy and lived in just the way a home should feel! Great Post!

  14. To me, it means relaxed…there is an air of calm and slow breathing when I think of “country”. We all need that.

  15. I once had an online decorating quiz describe my style as modern country. Not sure exactly what I mean, but every time I hear the word country I look at my house and try and figure out what is country about it.

  16. I blogged about this fab book too, a while ago. Isn’t it great? What I love about it is that many of the pictures aren’t what is normally associated with traditional twee English country style but a more Modern take on it all. More pared down, more relaxed and, in my mind, all the more beautiful for it.

    I have the book already so don’t need another copy (although it’s a FAB giveaway!) but I hope that if you like this style then you’ll like my blog, Modern Country Style, which is all about this way of designing.

  17. “Country” means warm and cozy; well-worn and loved. Country style has a “lived in” , well loved look that can only come using items. For example, on an old silver server, I love to find them when the edges of the slicer are worn just a bit and the handle may not be as “polished” as it once was from “overuse”. I wonder at that point, how many times must this piece have “served” a great piece of cake or a wonderful slice of homemade pie? On an old country linen, maybe the middle of the towel itself is a little softer and thinner than the outside edges because it has been used to dry many, many dishes and hands. Country to me means “Welcome home, come in and sit awhile, tell us about your day and cuddle up to a cozy fire, warm homemade food and a nice, comfy bed; spend some time with us enjoying our lives and our things”.

  18. Country to me means not having to leave it because I am living in the country home where I grew up in! It belonged to my grandparents who came to this country from Hungary. They bought this farm when my mother was a teen ager. Then given to my parents who in turn gave it to my husband and me. So, I remember walking out in the fields, woods, and creeks and just having my imagination run wild! I didn’t need video games, (not that they were invented yet) tv, computers, (they weren’t around either) or malls. I was happy to be out in the fresh air with my dog roaming the country side.
    I just wish that it still was that simple today. The name of my blog comes from the fact that we still have the hollyhocks that my grandmother planted, On Hollyhock Farm.

  19. The pictures in this book are gorgeous! I also reviewed this book, but had to look at it online – I didn’t get a book and never got the giveaway. I hope they follow through with you, Kate. Unfortunately, this has caused me to hesitate on doing reviews of any kind.

  20. What a lovely book! When I think of country I think of relaxed elegance. Simple objects displayed in beautiful ways with lots of natural elements. I think of pots and pans hanging on the walls or overhead on a pot rack, quilts on all the beds, sunflowers and churns. Just thinking about the word country makes me want go there!

    Thanks for telling us about this book – I would love to read it (and WIN it!).

    Jennifer

  21. Country to me is a mixture of things like a farmhouse buffet table with chicken wire on the doors, wild flowers in a vintage vase, catching fireflies in an open field, the sounds of nature outside my window…..this was fun!

  22. My first thoughts when I think of country are casual, comfortable and well worn. easy, breezy & beautiful – (oops those last three would be Cover Girl! :) happy and loved!

  23. Country to me means rustic, well loved beauty. Objects that are time worn and passed down mixed with both handmade and natural elements.

  24. Country — is everything YOU want… Outside Inside, Inside Outside, Breathing the FRESH air, feeling the WARM sun, COMFORT, LIGHT, CLEAN, COZY, SIMPLE, MODERN, CALM, CLASSIC, RELAXED. Country is the mixture of these things to the degree YOU want.

  25. Country means relaxation and enjoyment of family and nature. It means taking in your surroundings and not being worried about all the stress and fussiness in our lives!

  26. Fresh. Not polluted. Earthy smells. Non-pretentious. Comfy. Tradition. Grandmother. Breeze gently blowing wash hanging on the line. So many thoughts and memories.

  27. Quiet. We used to live on 30 acres and now live in the middle of a small town. Opening my windows means I am inundated with the sound of semis, construction equipment, screaming (not laughing, having a fun; screaming, arguing) kids, etc. I miss the quiet of the country. The cows mooing in the distance, the sound of a horse and buggy coming in the distance.

  28. Great book. I think of the words cozy and comfort. A farmhouse ready for a family gathering filled with good food and laughter.

  29. Country means family meals around a huge farm table, lush green yards, tire swings, ponds, peace and quiet…oh, and large farm house kitchen sink (who wouldn’t want that, right?)

  30. I agree with you – country always meant farmhouse to me, until I lived in England and spent a lot of time enjoying their counrtyside. now it’s all about family, warmth and character, a real lived in and used atmosphere – it’s what i strive to achieve in my own home.

  31. Country, to me, means home. Wide open spaces, the rustle of leaves whispering in the wind, and the smell of fresh air, even when you’re inside.

  32. Country brings forth a warm, cozy feeling for me. I normally associate the style with deep colrs of red, green, and gold. I see from the pictures you shared, that isn’t necessarily the case. I would love to win this inspiring book. La

  33. country to me means warm tones against a white background, warm reds, yellows and blues the colors of a farm!

  34. Country to me means my parents’ house. Lots of wood, stone, golden colors, and antiques; curling up on the porch swing with a cat and a glass of sun tea.

  35. Ooooouuuuuuuuu beautiful photos! And it’s my birthday…so SURE I’ll play along. Country to me means the Simple Life! Gardens, quiet moments, BARNS and animals. I live in the ‘country’ and LOVE IT!

  36. Country means porch swings and canning jars filled with lemonade, picket fences and tire swings. It means friends and family to enjoy these things!

  37. I live in the country and the best word to describe it is simplicity. It makes me think about traditional way of living…the simple life.

  38. Country is simple, refreshing, comfortable. It is the smell of white sheets after hanging on a line in the sun all day. It is the smell of fall leaves being raked, it is the silence of a winter snow fall. It is an old faded barn in a field of wheat.

    I love country. That books looks wonderful. Thank you for the chance to win it.
    Penny

  39. Country is a feeling of comfort and ease. It cannot be bought out of a catalog or at the mall. It is collected one loved piece at time, handed down from family, given by that friend that {sometimes} knows you better than you know yourself, and found at flea markets, farmers markets, and yes…in someone’s else’s junk pile. Country is a feeling, not so much a “style”.

  40. Country brings to mind my grandmother who lived in the country and had a beautiful country style home.

  41. Country is relaxed , warm and simple… a room where you want to slip of off your shoes and sink into the furniture…

  42. Depends what mood I’m in when you ask. It could mean music, rustic, rural, warmth…and sometimes cheesy. If done well, in any sense of the word, I love it. And I’d love the book!

  43. Country is home…because that’s where I’m from. I can’t imagine all that white back on the farm though…

  44. home. homemade pies. jellies, jams. fresh air, breath. gardens, vegetables and flower beds! stars, night time sounds ! waking up to birds. quilts, good sleep and rest!

  45. Country means comfort, the smell of freshly mowed grass, of hearing the sound of my Grandmother’s old singer sewing machine through an open window, the sound of a screen door slamming, the smell of freshly made fried apple pies, the creaking of old wooden floors. . .

  46. Country to me is simple living. Sitting on the front porch, watching the shooting stars without the hustle and bustle of the big city.

  47. Country means family gathered around a table and enjoying each other’s company. Or around a warm fire with snowflakes falling outside. Or a pick up football game in the fall. Just being warm and cozy.

  48. Sunlight dappled fields of corn, laundry drying in the breeze, swimming holes, flowers in a pitcher by the sink.

  49. Country to me is peace. The peace that surrounds my home, from the roosters crowing, hens clucking, my cows calling to me for grain, my kids laughter, and even my husband tinkering with old tractors and equipment!!

  50. it means peaceful, relaxed living. the windows open to fresh breezes and the time to stop and smell the roses:)

  51. Country means children happily playing in the apple trees, picking berries for homemade pie, fresh mozzarella and ricotta cheeses made from fresh goat milk, eggs gathered from the nesting boxes and quiet sleepy Sunday afternoons.

  52. To me, it just means home. Although I haven’t purposely decorated our home in a country style, it is just the same. We live in a rural area, and over time, our house has gotten more and more “country.” One friend told me it’s English country, another said Country club. Either way, it’s what we all are most comfortable with, and most at home with.

  53. “Country” to me evokes peace, calm, a nurturing soul-fulfilment. Love this book! We’re in process of Moving from a 6 year old suburban house to a 100 year old, rough-around-the-edges house, which I plan to decorate in whites, neutrals and natural materials. The pictures you’ve shared are so very inspiring!

  54. Country for me is a combination of all of the above. It’s good music, in a warm home, enjoying the peace so many admirable men and women have given me.

  55. ooh if i don’t win i will put this on my bday wishlist :)

    when i think of country i think of the beautiful farmlands not more than 45 minutes up the road from me in MD. the roads are lined in trees and wind about the different farms.

    i love the drama of black and white in a home but i love a country feel too. i like a home to feel comfortable and lived in and loved.

  56. raw wood, linens in the breeze, and flannel shirts (I dont know why but I always think flannel shirts:) and of course a stack of fresh cut fire wood!

  57. Country says relaxing to me…and comfortable and refreshing. Nothing too decorated but plenty of interesting things to look at (but not cluttered!). Sigh. I want a country life!

  58. Country to me, means patterns and texture, and never really caring if everything matches exactly. It means inviting guests to stay as long as the food and conversations last, and them wanting to stay because their so darn comfortable! I have a country style, and it’s always so nice to hear that people love to come to my house because it’s so cozy. Yes, that’s what country is…….Cozy!

  59. Country to me is simplicity. Nothing pretentious or fussy. The way things were before humans decided to “put on airs”. Pure, honest, but most important.

  60. Country to me means calm… the quiet sounds of the birds chirping in the distance, the delicious taste of homegrown tomatoes, unfussy country home interiors. I’m in the process of building my own unfussy country home interior & would love a copy of this book for inspiration! :)

  61. Country means to me grasses now turning to yellows with pumpkins crawling out the perimeters of their patches. Picnic tables filled with harvest vegetables and garlic drying. Tables that are rough but have old beautiful china on them. Honest and Simple. Old hutches with worn paint filled with ironstone bowls and silver candlesticks.

  62. I grew up in a small town outside of Atlanta, Georgia called Tucker. When I think of country, I am taken back to our little ranch-style home with a yard big enough to keep two little girls busy all day. I think of warm summers, bare feet, bathing suits and a sprinkler, homemade bird feeders, our very own vegetable garden, an apple tree, pear tree, grapevine, and a play house built by my Daddy. I remember evenings of catching fireflies in glass jars, family cookouts, and climbing trees. When I think of country, I think of slower days, longer nights, and a childhood filled with love. :)

  63. Country: crickets chirping, birds singing, comfort food on the table, simplicity in style and life, family, homeyness.

  64. Country is family and simplicity – things that remind of my family’s dairy farm in northeast Pennsylvania.

  65. To me country is home, family, peace and quiet, fresh air, wildflowers… I could go on forever because country is a way of life.

    In decorating, it means comfortable and relaxing. A home that wraps it’s arm around you and says, “Come on in, I am so glad you are here.” Antiques, flowers, good food, lots of laughter…all of this means country here in Oklahoma.

  66. Country means home to me. I grew up on a farm in Washington state and spent all of my first 18 years complaining about being far away from my friends, vowing to be a city girl as soon as I got the chance. After going away to college, moving to Chicago for four years, landing in the Bay area, and now living in Petaluma, I am slowly working my way back to the country. I yearn for the days of peace and quiet at my parents’ house – and head there every chance I get!

  67. Country to me is a very rustic feel where time passes by very slowly ,where I can feel the cool breeze and stop to smell the flowers in the garden…

  68. I grew up in the country and what it means to me is a home filled with beautiful things collected over time, grandma’s bowl, an old ladder from the side of the road, a painting picked up at a yardsale. As much as country is a “style” I also know from growing up there, that it is more of a feeling you get from being away from the hustle and bustle of the city, in a place where peace and quiet are everywhere you go, and it’s not out of the usual to see a tractor meandering down the road!

  69. HOME! Country makes me think of home. I grew up on a horse farm surrounded by fields of soybeans and sweet potatoes and this word conjures feelings and memories from that time. Open spaces and freedom plus hard work and conscientiousness plus love and comfort. <<>> It makes me think I need to get out of the city soon!

  70. Country is… taste. Fresh strawberry jam on homemade bread just out of the oven. Ice cream scooped out of the bucket with my sister as we eagerly waited for grandma to pour cut peaches and cream on top of it. Country is… time. Time for family, cousins, racing in the grass to see who can be the fastest. Time for family dinners with the windows open and the breeze coming in. Laughter as we have time to sit around the table and tell stories of the past. Country is something that I wish my children could experience in a time when everybody is in such a hurry.

  71. “Country” is comforting. It is well-worn and well-loved. It is hand-me-downs and heirlooms and chock-full of memories.

    “Country” is comfortable. It is homey and homely, heart-warming and hard-working.

    “Country” is practical and useful, (re)purpose(d) and down-to-earth: what-you-see-is-what-you-get.

    “Country” quaint. It is rustic and charming, authentic and idiosyncratic (in a good way).

    “Country” is easygoing and going easy.

    “Country” is loved ones and things you hold dear, a welcoming shelter for family and friends, a neighborly nest(le) but, perhaps most of all —

    “Country” is home.

  72. Country is comfortable, unpretentious, and welcoming. It’s the nature of all things American, and just envelopes you in homey goodness. It’s not just a style, but a state of mind….one that creates a feeling of family and togetherness, and really reminds you of what it means to be HOME.

  73. To me country means memories of time spent on my Aunt Mary’s farm in Eastern NC. We were the city kids and totally out of our element but we felt quite at home at her house. She lived in an old farmhouse and everyone gathered around her kitchen table during visits just to catch up.

    I remember the sense of peace my family felt as we drove into their driveway. Always warm and welcoming us into her comfortable home. Thanks for allowing me to think of a very special lady.

  74. Country makes me think of a way of that is just a little bit more relaxed and laid-back. A home that is cared for, but lived in and maybe a bit worn (in that good way we all like so much). Country is the opposite of modern and in the most charming ways!

  75. Country means rolling fields, old red barns, gingham dresses, and big white houses with wrap around front porch!

  76. Simple, basic, worn with use and yet lovely with care. It makes me think of my Pawpaw’s house. Red checkered table cloth, white porcelain bowls with red trim, chenille bedspreads, screen doors, if I think about any longer I will cry.

  77. Country is home; it’s where I wake up next to a beautiful man every morning, it’s space to grow our family, it’s our long dirt driveway, it’s comfortable surroundings that are not in the least bit ‘stuffy’ and it is looking over our 10 acres and dreaming of what it could be. Country is also a state of mind; it’s where you can allow yourself to slow down from the fast pace life we all live and breathe in the fresh air. Our little slice of “country” is all I have ever wanted and it is where our story begins.

  78. Country, to me: hearing the little sounds of the outdoors and being able to take a deep breath.

  79. Country means – blue skies, endless meadows, fluffy white clouds, a claw footed tubs and a softly tousled white bed. An, definitely a big shaggy dog.

    Love from Toronto, Canada

    P.S: I wanted to know how did you get these photos that you used in this post, did you scan them from the book or receive the digital copies directly from the author/ photographer? I always wonder how to upload quality images of books/ magazine clippings I find inspiring to my blog posts.

  80. Country means clean, spare, unpretentious, and very cozy. Good smells like bread baking and the sound of a clock ticking off the seconds. Country means my grandparents’s house in rural Kentucky, which has always been my idea of perfect home.

  81. …barn yard doors, chipped paint, red tin cans, rusty orange and root vegetables.

    those were the first words that came to mind!

  82. For me, country is wooden furniture, vintage linens and handmade decoration. Simple but pretty things that feel like they’ve been loved and used.

  83. Country means to me… peaceful meadow, relaxing evenings, and the smell of fresh air. I loved visiting my grandparents in the country! It was always so low-key and fun! Catching fireflies in the summer and swimming in the creek. Or raking leaves with bonfires in the fall!! Great memories… and great giveaway!! Michelle
    P.S. Love your blog!!

  84. Country is traditional-homey. I think of large farm houses, with wood floors. Curtains blowing in the wind. Sun filtering throught the windows. And the smell of the the earth and sound of animals.

  85. The word Country conjured an image, rather than a word. In attempting to “vocabularize” the image, the first thing word that came to mind was Haystacks. Others that come to mind…gingham, apple pie, harvest, farmhouse, cows, butter churn, and front porch rocker. (Can you tell I was raised in the suburbs? (: )

  86. Country to me is roosters, checkered linens, pots hanging from the ceiling… cows, pigs, pretty sunsets…

  87. Country to me means locally grown food enjoyed outside in the sun while a pie bakes in the oven.

  88. Country to me is red and white gingham covered picnic tables. Homemade ice cream and me sitting on the crank. Talk about COLD! Catching lightening bugs and making “jewelry” from their rearends. (Gross and mean I know. NOW) Sweet tea and buttermilk bucuits. Home, in a sence, when I was little and living in North Carolina.

  89. Country to me means comfort, home, memories. I picture my girls ‘hunting’ crickets & snakes in the fields, feeding the neighbours horses carrots that grew in the garden, watching tadpoles in our pond morph into frogs. Country means fresh, beautiful air, flowers, nature. It means relaxation and ease. Country in decor means much the same (minus the crickets & snakes, or course =). Fresh, relaxed, comfortable. If someone forced me to put a label on my style, I would call it relaxed Country Farmhouse with a twist of traditional. It fits perfectly in our lifestyle and our country home.

  90. Country has a different connotation for me….it means lush green paddy fields, coconut trees swaying in the breeze, a light drizzle and smell of rich soil in the air and open skies with marsh birds flying around!
    That being said, I adore the English country with red roses, sweet cottages and an abundance of flowers and vegetation everywhere!!

  91. Kate,
    The post is just lovely, what beautiful words and thoughts.
    I’m simply enjoying reading everyone’s answer on what ‘Country’ means to them. With warm thoughts and appreciation, we thank you!

    Best

    C & R

  92. I grew up in a very rural area with only fifteen kiddos in my graduating class. Our high school gradutated its last class in 2010! To me, country means rural or out of the hussle and bussle. In design country means laid back, relaxed and not fussy, comfy and cozy.

  93. To me country means a slower pace of life, comfortable and beautifully worn. A focus on outdoors, family, and happiness.

  94. After 27 years of city living, my husband and I moved to the country. We live in a 200 year old farm house, with acres of apple orchards right out our back door. We’ve had many wonderful adventures along the way. I find that country to me, has remained the same. Country is my heart, my style, my life, no matter where I live.

  95. Closing my eyes………….”Flowers, peace, hanging laundry, the smell of hay, open windows, antiques, candles and silver, basket of eggs, and kittens. Definitely kittens. And I can’t forget the sound of the train whistle.”
    God bless!

  96. Country means my mom’s house built in 1880. In the country with forest surrounding. The buzz of the bees outside the lace covered window. The yellow flowered wall paper and the morning sun shining through the lace.

  97. Country to me is ecclectic/rustic/worn and florals whatever makes you happy when you look at it.
    I love the unmatched array of furniture and accessories that just make you feel comfortable.

  98. Lightening bugs, sweet tea, and old rockers on wooden porches. Beat up pickups, howling dogs, and dirt roads that end at friends’ houses. Bright stars that you can see because there aren’t any lights obscuring them. Good, worn out blue jeans, homemade pies and jams, and maybe even a John Deere parked near the driveway.

    Man, you’re making me miss the South, which I invariably associate with the country!

  99. Country to me is home. Lived in and a bit rustic and earthy. Summer and the smell of fresh cut grass and a lush garden.

  100. Sorry, I didn’t mean to enter twice…I didn’t think my first entry took (my internet died right after typing it out). Please feel free to delete my second comment!

  101. Beautiful pictures….when I think of country I see fire flies, tall grasses blowing in the wind, I smell hay and horses and hear the sound of the creek flowing by.

  102. Awww. That’s a sigh of contentment. That’s what country means to me. That’s where I grew up and that’s where my heart will always be. I live in the suburbs now, but I love to go back to my parents house and spend the days outside with my kids, enjoying all that the “country” has to offer. Fresh air, lots of room to roam in the yard, and backroads driving. Love it!

  103. Country means HOME. A place that’s warm and comfortable and there is always something to do.

  104. To me, country means functionality is of foremost importance. Living out in the country, I know that every single things has a specific purpose and in that purpose is beauty.

  105. “Country,” to me, means a place where deep roots get planted–in terms of gardens, farms, big spreading trees, and of course, family. It’s a place where these things have a chance to grow and last.

  106. Country is to me my Grandma’s house, always a warm kitchen, fresh baked bread with raspberry jam, horses in the field, dogs laying in the grass and good company. Recently a friend of mine commented that she thought my house had a country style to it, at first I was offended thinking of gingham, rooster decorations, and cowboy boot planters. After reading this post, I am suddenly liking the country description, I love old things and the rustic yet fresh clean look, so maybe I’ll take my friends comment as a compliment. This book looks soo good!

  107. For me counrty means open space. I grew up “in the country” and spent my childhood wondering fields, making forts, and raising farm animals. It was a great way to grow up. This book looks beautiful!

  108. country means peaceful and relaxing, laundry on the line, lemonade and sweet tea, bright and open, pretty and simple.

    though sometimes I only see the 80’s country decor of geese, ugly plaid combinations and ducks.
    No offense to anyone who likes that old style of country! I do love the new “modern” country. :)

  109. Country. Country to me is having your home in the country, having a peace within and looking around at all the beauty GOD has blessed us with!

  110. Country to me instantly makes me think of Home. Of comfort, great smells, fruit trees, rubber boots, cozy sweaters, fireplaces with WOOD! I was drawn to move to the west for that reason, I was feeling the pull to return HOME.

  111. Since I grew up in the country it simply means home. Now, I live in the city so it is quite a change from where I grew up.

  112. “country” connotates a style my mom embraced as I grew up. White geese, dusty roses and blues, the 80’s version of country. But guess what! I loooooove those pictures, I love primitives and other antiques, and I’d love that book!

  113. To me, country means laid back, lived in, and homey. It’s a bit roughed up, but it’s still comfortable and fresh.

  114. “Country” means home.

    Family, sweet tea, riding the tractor in the back pasture while the sun sets, talking on the porch with the dog at your feet.

    …i miss it.

  115. corny country apples and mama ducks that you remember from the 80’s.

    lovin’ the new “country” but that word in a decorating context just means those awful 80’s things. especially when I close my eyes and snag the first thing that comes into my head. :-P

  116. Country makes me think of a large field, covered in yellow wildflowers, sun coming down, and I am holding my family by the hands and we are spinning in circles. It is happy, relaxed, natural colors, and family.

  117. Country means home to me. When I was growing up, my mother loved all things country. Our house was a home – warm, inviting and happy. All of my friends loved to spend time at our home because of it.

  118. Country means, fresh, fresh everything, from air to eggs. Country means you work to live and the living is good. Cutting firewood, hanging the clothes on the line, feeding the animals. Watching the combines in the fields each fall. Country is a way of life, homemade biscuits are just one of the many perks!

  119. Country means “Home” to me. Always welcoming, always relaxed, always someone who loves you eager to have you come and “sit a spell”.

  120. Country to me is being at home with my family looking out on my grandparents porch to see cattle and pecan orchards. I love using a few country elements to decorate just to give my home a more eclectic feel!

  121. Country to me is being cozy, snuggling up with my kids and dog in front of fire relaxing or playing board games and laughing out hearts out or quiet evening with my hubby outside in rocking chairs…
    Country seems lots of comfort, relaxed hues on the wall and fabric, and constant connection with the nature, wood and stones all around the house and flowers outside.

  122. country reminds me of my parent’s home (my childhood home and still there) so it leaves me with the feeling of baked goods, warm scent. love and comfort.

    But in decorating terms, lots of blue, quilts, and rustic antiques

  123. Country means “home” to me. Country means quite, refreshing, and natural. “Country” means getting down to the bones, back to the very core of me.

  124. Forest, fields, green lawn, a little red house decorated with hand-me-downs and thrifted finds. Comfortable, a little worn, unhurried.

  125. To me, “country” means fresh grass + lots of sunshine + dogs running alongside you + CRABCAKES!

  126. Country to me means, comfortable, warm, inviting. Rustic pieces that tell a story, even if it isn’t your story. Flowers, birds, all things natural.

  127. Country makes me think of going to my grandparents house when I was really little. They still didn’t even have an inside bathroom, so we had to use the outhouse! And, no, I’m not that old, I’m only 41, but they were just still very poor and had not advanced as much as everybody else. I remember my cousins, my siblings and I sitting on their swing on the front porch, eating our grandmothers yummy southern cooking, drinking water straight from the well and running around and playing in the woods on a hot summer day. Wow, now THOSE were the days! Well, except I was extremely terrified of their chickens. LOL! :o)

    This magazine looks fabulous! Thanks for the chance to win it!

    Blessings,

    Teresa <

  128. I hate the use of the word “country” in design. While I love the things I see in this book and would like to win the drawing… “country” conjures images of dusty pink. roses roses roses. dried roses. wicker baskets. doilies. light blue and blue gray. hearts. lots of hearts. even cowboy boots and awful muted watercolor prints hung on the walls that have absolutely no contrast. I hate the word, country when used with the word, design.

    Cottage, okay. Country, no.

  129. Country: Reminds me of home in tennesse with my family and the cozy, cumfy, light, feminine, white and blue color scheme my grammy has in her home. haha how is that for adjectives;) It makes me feel at home and relaxed.

  130. Such a simple word has so many meanings. In my family, ‘country’ was a part of our credo. It means something you stand up for, something you believe in, somewhere you feel safe and at home. In a way, all home decor is a little country– it’s a part of who you are, and what you love.

  131. To me country means a slow, simple way of life. Nothing extravagant. Never cold- in any sense of the word. Always warm and welcoming.

  132. Country:I think of breezes & sheer panels,a relaxed atmosphere, clean-not sparse, comfy-inviting pillows and cushions, old and new joined perfectly together. Folk art,antiques,streams and birds. I think I like it!

  133. I think of ‘country’ as design with a rustic, fresh and comfortable feel. A friendly atmosphere where each piece has a story and the overall aesthetic is lovely and free, in a slightly old-timey way :)

  134. “Country” for me means a simple, comfortable life and decor. No fuss, not too much formality, just a comfortable place to live (whether you live in the country or not).

  135. “Country” makes me think of a comfortable and simple lifestyle, family gatherings, working hard and relaxing fully. Spring and summer – fresh linens and laundry on the line flapping in the breeze, a walk through the fields on a warm summer evening, riding on the John Deere Tractor, making hay, fishing in the pond, planting and working in the garden and feeding the cows!. Fall – decorating with all of the beautiful colors of autumn, harvest time, picking up pinecones and putting out the pumpkins, making apple butter and sipping apple cider by a bonfire, nesting. Winter – warm afghans and quilts made by grandma, reading a good book while sitting by the fire (wrapped up in the quilt, of course), bundling up for a walk through a cold, snowy field looking for the perfect Christmas Tree, sledding down the big hill. Ah! Now I’m homesick!

  136. Kate,
    The post is just delightful, thank you for those wonderful words and thoughts. We appreciate and send warm thoughts your way.

    Best

    C & R

  137. I love the soft colors and calming mood these images induce. Country to me means relaxed ambience with clear air and blue skies…wrap around porches, cowboy boots, rich leathers and light cotton fabrics…beautiful in an old-fashioned way. Loves me some country :).

  138. Beautiful images, Kate. “Country” sometimes says “my mom’s house in the 80s to me,” but I am thankful that the definition has evolved to say “warm, charming, cozy, and inviting.” Meant to tell you how much I like your new banner. :)

  139. To me country means home. Whether that’s the home I grew up in, the home I live in now, or the home I’m trying to create for my family. It means a loving, comfortable, and live-able home :) Thanks for the fabulous giveaway!

  140. To me, county means simple and comfortable. When I look at the photos from the book, I see my lifestyle : slow and simplistic, yet so inviting and beautiful. I would never give up my country farmhouse for the world!

  141. “Country”, whether elegant or casual, is what glorifies all the aspects of homemaking and uses those things in decorating the house to become a comfortable and pleasing home. It engages all the senses and is always welcoming.

  142. Country still calls up images of dusty wreaths with forest green ribbon and wooden goose plaques that say “kiss the cook!” on them. You know — that 80s vibe. This look is more what I’d call farmhouse — comfy but not busy, practical, relaxed and welcoming.

  143. Country to me means light, breezy colors, and warm wood tones! Beautiful breezes and that comfy cozy feel that makes life feel easy!

  144. Country…………giant white down comforters,roaring fires, laundry on a line smelling like downy,fields of lavender and suflowers and great smells coming from the kitchen. Dogs running outside and chasing a few chickens and planting flowers up the walkway.I guess that means country is a state of mind? I think so. That book looks wonderful, thank-you for the chance to win! <3 Donna

  145. Country means old and new mixed together to me. I love a new sideboard paired with an old white rustic pitcher, or serving tray. Is means I’m not going to feel stiff as a board sitting in the wingback chair, or stand uncomfortably wondering which hard and solid piece of furniture should I sit on!

    It also means the house I’m going to have someday away from the ‘burbs..in the rolling hills of Anyplace, USA..lots of dirt roads and black, black sky to backdrop the stars. Aaaahhh! Now that’s the dream!

  146. To me country brings to mind clean, comfortable, simple homes filled with laid back living gentlemen and sweet tea drinkin’ southern belles. Where the kids use their manners and are taught to love and serve the Lord. Country is the place where your always welcomed to sit a spell. More than anything to this raised in the city gal, country means the small town in the south that I call home. :)
    Thanks for the great giveaway!
    God’s blessings,
    Sarah

  147. Beautiful images. Country means worn, comfortable, outdoors, wide open fields, the smell of fresh cut grass, running rivers and creeks, fresh air, beautiful views, green trees, strawberries, corn on the cob, bare feet, sunsets, and rustic barns.

  148. Country means the Big Sky of Alberta, home of prairies, foothills and the Rockie Mountains!

  149. Country means, back to the ways things used to be, comfy, cozy, warm and simple. Aprons, clothes lines, warm wood and old chippyness –

    bee blessed
    mary

  150. Country is crickets and frogs signing their lullaby’s at night. And stars shining boldy in the sky.

  151. to me “country” means just going back to the basics… rustic charm, farmhosue inspired, homespun textiles…. it’s all about history and pieces made with love and mosty by hand.

  152. I think of plaids, dark wood, and pig and cow stencils when I think of country. Cottage is what comes to mind when looking at the photos in this post.

  153. Country means wide open spaces, small town cafes and boutiques, big yards, fiddles in the band, homecooking, wooden frames, rocking chairs, cattle in the ‘backyard’ and smiling at everyone. :-)

  154. The first thing I thought of when I thought “country” was home. I grew up in a fairly rural community or in “the country”. The book looks great!

  155. Country means sitting on the back porch of my great grandmother’s old red farmhouse. Country means using her mixing bowl as the inspiration for my turquoise kitchen. Country means repurposing again and again as the inspiration strikes. Country means distressed, but not stressed out. Country means linens dried on the line, cayotes howling at night, and running through the field between my grandmother and great-grandmother’s houses. Country is plates on the wall, floral in every room and letting the kids wear their shoes in the house.

    Country is home.

  156. Really lovely images– they made me actually breathe after a long day! To me country just means comfortable… sunny blue skies, a warm throw right where you need it, nothing fussy, everything lived in. Country is “help yourself’ and “make yourself at home”. Thanks for the chance!

  157. My mom’s house has a country style, so ‘Country’ means home to me – that definitely includes fresh cut flowers and something yummy baking in the kitchen.

  158. Country means comfy cozy to me… lots of quilts and fluffy beds, old furniture, and beautiful landscape portraits right outside your window! And of course a settle breeze blowing through the windows lifting the curtains…

  159. To me, country brings images of comfort and peace, lots of trees and wide open spaces. Maybe a big tree with a tire swing and a nice garden. Country is good : )

  160. The first thing that came to mind was music- then I had visions of hottie country singers. What’s wrong with me?? I so love the new blog design- pretty, clean, and so user friendly. First class.

  161. The first word that came to mind when I thought “country” was comfortable. I think of it as a comfortable, easy style. Nothing too elegant or formal…a place where you could put your feet on the coffee table and eat cookies in your chair.

  162. In my mind’s eye, country means Texas. I love decorating with rustic Lone Star touches, from bronzed fixtures to tin stars to a touch of red, white and blue. Comfortable, homey and Texas… country.

  163. *Country* to me signifies…..warmth…welcome to our home kind of feeling when you enter…pop your feet up on the coffee table and grab a delightful mag. from the wicker stand and have a good read with a cup of coffee….pretty wildflowers in a mason jar on the fireplace mantle..delicate ol’ rose curtains trailing down the window sills….ummm..that country feeling! Cheers, Valerie.

  164. Country means comfortable, cozy, cottons, quilts, and furniture with history. Nothing fussy!

  165. I think of the words “homey”, “realxed” & “at home”. I love country always have! I really love how country was done in the photos above! Clean, white & I LOVE painting furniture!! So cool!

  166. Country to me means space to breathe and the simple comforts that makes it effortless to do so…

  167. When I think of Country I instantly think of the rolling hills of Vermont. Cows in the pasture, beautiful sunsets, old statuesque barns and random rusted farm equipment laying around.

  168. To me, country is home. Bozeman, Montana lives inside me, and I miss it all the time. It’s the autumn wheat fields, dinner in Grandpa’s cabin with the warmth of the fireplace at my back, the big sky stretching over my happy soul. I love country.

  169. Country- The view outside the french doors in the dining room, the expanse of pasture grass that lies just beyond the back yard fence, the bulldozer that my husband bought so he could build a lake in the midst of all that grass, the John Deere tractor that is always near by, the gravel driveway, the mail lady that gives the dog a treat everyday with her delivery. Country is where I live, raise my son, and relish the everyday nuances of country living

  170. To me “Country” means: a home that is comfortable! Simple and vintage are two other descriptive words that come to mind. I love color and changing my surroundings with the season.

  171. I’m a Southerner through and through so country to me means sweet tea in mason jars, rocking on the front porch on a summer night, Sweet Home Alabama playing in the background, and the smell of homemade pie in the air.

  172. Country means: corn fields, back yard gardens, outdoor dogs, gravel drive ways, quietness that goes on for miles, family, painted mailboxes, good cookin’, big tractors, hard work, shade tree and animal sounds. Country decor is a place where you can kick up your feet and relax a while. Rocking chairs on a porch, clean and tidy interiors that are still so inviting, big windows with wonderful views, crisp and relaxed linens. Nothing too fussy or that can’t hold up to some good use. Country decor is like your most comfortable broken in pair of blue jeans that fit just right.

  173. Country means home…comfort and mom. My mother was always very into creating a space that was country home. It was inviting and warm. Filled with great smells and interesting juxtapositions. We even raised our own chickens, had a pet goat, grew all our own veggies and then canned them!

  174. Country means to me a state of mind. Finding beauty in the simple things. Creating a home for your family that is rich in love, hugs and kisses.

  175. Country to me means comfort, home, cozy rooms and roaring wood burning fireplaces. Big backyards with big old trees, having the freedom to play outside with the kids and dog. Most of all, country means home.

  176. To me, country means down-home, relaxing comfort. You know? That word encompasses so much more than I realize. It’s actually quite difficult to describe for me. It runs pretty deep, I think!

  177. Country means white curtains and calico quilts. picnic tables with red checked cloths. warm woods and simple transfer-ware.

  178. When I think of country, the words warmth and worn-in comfort come to mind. My grandma always listened to country music when I was growing up… Alabama, George Strait, the Judds.. the memories make me feel warm and comfortable!

  179. Country to me is a lifestyle. When I was a kid, I hated the look of country/old/antiques, but my tastes have matured and “country” is what I prefer. I have tried to decorate my home w/ as much of a country feel as I can currently afford. My wedding last year had a “country” theme (from the pictures of my husband and I as kids hanging out twine to galvanized bucket my flower girl carried her flowers in to the barn we had our reception in). The country style gives me warm feelings and reminds me of home. The pictures from the book are great inspirations for decorating and made me miss my momma!

  180. When I think of “country”, I picture a field of wildflowers surrounded by mountains. Some words that come to mind are simple, rustic, beautiful, and relaxed; everything that I would love my home to be.

  181. My grandmother’s house as a child. Nights on the sleeping porch. Always cool under hand ironed linen sheets. The smell of rose Geranium and lemon verbena all around us.

  182. Country evokes so many things… I’m from the south so it means a way of life, a genre of music, the manner in which people [should] treat one another, a place (as in, out in the country), and of course a way of decorating to create a welcoming space that’s a refuge for friends and family.

  183. country is a casual, comfortable, rustic dining room table filled to the brim with piping hot platters of home-cooked food and surrounded with a ton of smiling and chewing and laughing faces.

  184. I would love for my home to feel “country” a place where you go and you never wanna leave………so cozy and so and inviting : )

  185. Country means comfortable to me. Not rushed, inviting, lived in. Filled with items that make you love your home.

  186. Well, we now live in the country, so when I think of country, I think of lots of wide open sapces and old-time decor. I think of simple but comfortable accessories.

  187. Country to me is a home where things are always comfortable and all of your needs are met. The fabrics have that home made look, the furniture is always comfortable and you are never afraid to sit on the couch, use the kitchen table for a project or anything else. It’s simple, pretty and a throw back to days of old.

  188. When I think of ‘country’, I think of home! Home is in Georgia although I no longer live there but, more than that that… country reminds me of my grandmother, a simple kind of life. Country reminds me of peaceful skies, clean air and organic surroundings. Country is the feeling of comfort.

  189. First of all I wanted to say that I love the new header decoration and font..not that the old was bad but this is nice too. When I think of Country, I think of think of green, wide open spaces, gingham, denim, cowboy boots and rustic or simple decor. What a beautiful book!

  190. Country means the best things about my childhood. Growing up in farm country in Wisconsin, down the hill from a herd of cows, goats in the back yard, ducks in the front. It means watching Amish buggies trot by on the road and the smell of home made bread in the oven. It’s running around barefoot with my siblings and swinging on a tire swing; trekking through the woods to get raspberries, finding wintergreen, and swimming in the river. It means a dining room table and chairs built by my uncle. Home renovation done by my dad. Clothes made by my mom. It’s the smell of the wind coming through the trees without a trace of civilization carried on it. It’s watching deer run across the fields. It’s listening to the Canadian geese fly overhead. It’s putting hats and mittens knitted by my grandmother on top of the wood-burning stove so they can dry in winter. It’s snuggling up under heavy crocheted blankets from my aunt. It’s the smell of laundry that’s dried out on the line. It’s light and warmth and family and creativity and happiness and so much more than I can explain.

  191. French country & Gustavian furnishings. Most everything painted white or greyblue. Quilts and apple pie. Country is so very home. It’s where we live, literally, and where we feel most comfortable.

  192. country means a BIG front porch with lots of extended family pulling up the drive… And cutting down a fresh Christmas tree. What a spectacular find this book is! Thank you for the opportunity to win a copy!
    Ht

  193. Country means…HOME! Its the log cabin my parents built that I grew up in with my brother and sister. Its the cross stitch my mom does, the gardens my dad tends, and the place I always go when I need a break.

  194. to me country means good food – apple pie, beef stew… all those good yummy homecooked meals!

  195. When I say the word country, I am immediately brought back to my childhood and spending time on my grandparent’s farm. They let us pick sweet corn, play tag in the hay barn, and scamper off down to the creek to do whatever the heck we wanted to do. I will never forget those days.

  196. No matter how ‘country’ is defined, the photos are absolutely a style I love. They remind me of my maternal grandmother, and especially of my great-grandmother (her mother). Her home was always quite neat and filled with beautiful handmade linens, jelly glasses, etc.

  197. I actually grew up in a pretty rural area so country for me means wide open fields, fresh farm grown produce, big porches you can sit on in the summertime to drink fresh lemonade. It also brings to mind great food, spending time with family (all the time), and being in a place without all of the modern gadgets and technology… nothing more than a tv and a phone.

  198. When I say country I think of items that are simply beautiful, natural, and yummy

  199. “country” to me refers to a way of living that is carefree, relaxed. It’s being surrounded by nature whether it is outside, with a expansive countryside view, or inside with wooden furniture, cotton and linen drapes, flowers in a vase, sisal rugs. “Country” is also handmade with simple hand sewn pillow covers or quilts, original yet simple artworks and fun diy projects. It is a simple, or at least simpler!, way of living…even for those living in the city like me!

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