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Madonna Wants to Re-Create Her Former English Manor in NYC
Since her split with Guy Ritchie, Madonna has parked herself in an Upper East Side apartment, moving on from their shared historic estate in Wiltshire, UK, the Ashcombe House. But, according to the Mirror, she misses the English countryside so much that she's asked her architects to re-create her country home room by room in her NYC digs. Let me add that the Mirror is not always the most reliable source, so this news bit still has rumor status.Apparently, she's hired people "to go out and troll the Upper East Side boutiques for candelabras, side tables, and period chaises" and even had the wood floors of her new Georgian-style townhouse "ripped up and replaced with terracotta tiles, similar to Ashcombe."
Midday Muse: At Home on the Edge of the World
Over Thanksgiving weekend, I spent some time in Joshua Tree, CA, with friends who've built an eco-friendly house there. These friends love their peaceful home and amazing view (which goes on for miles with nary a house in site), but they also miss the comforts of city life. While I sometimes daydream about living in a place as remote as my friends' home, I doubt that I would be able to hack the extremely rural reality of this life for very long.
Open House: Country Style Décor
If you watch Samantha Who?, you may have noticed that Regina Newly, Samantha's mother, is all about the country style décor. Blue gingham? Check!
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Coveted Crib: Country Living's 2008 Home of the Year
Contributing editor Danny Seo isn't the only thing about Country Living magazine that I'm enamored with. Check out the slideshow to see a coveted and classic home from Country Living's senior decorating editor Robin Mayer. I'm in love.
Before and After: A Country Kitchen Lightens Up
I spotted the makeover of this small kitchen in an 1895 house in Dutchess County, NY, in Country Living and felt really inspired. When your room is plagued with dated features like these knotty pine cabinets, sometimes it's hard to see the potential in a space — even more so when you've got only 180 square feet to work with.Home owner Jennifer Vreeland saw beyond this dreary space, and chose to remove the cramped, wall-to-wall cabinetry in favor of two open upper storage units and a hanging pot rack. The change immediately opened up the space, making it feel airier and less claustrophobic.
In the News: Country Living Forges Ahead
While the shelter magazine category is having a hard time across the board, Country Living seems to be toughing it out best. When O at Home folded, its former editor, Sarah Gray Miller, took charge of Country Living and put its spine tagline of "Come home to comfort" on the cover, shining a spotlight on the relevancy of its crafting and home entertaining focus in this economy.
The magazine also got a boost from a contemporary face-lift, including new fonts, more product information, and the reappearance of the personal essay.
Coveted Crib: Country Comfort in the City
While this sprawling, comfy home seems like a mellow country abode, it's actually located in South London. That doesn't mean that it's without rural amenities such as chicken coop and garden, though. While the exterior is certainly fun and funky, the interior continues the country vibe with a lived-in arts and crafts style and fun vintage furniture finds.
Home Library: Japanese Country Style
When Yoshihiro Takishita was only a student, he discovered that a 250-year-old farmhouse — known as a minka — was going to be destroyed because it was in the path of a reservoir that was being constructed. Takishita was so taken with the building that he arranged to have it moved to Kamakura. Just as Takashita's thoughtful passion preserved that home, his book, Japanese Country Style preserves the beauty, dignity, and thoughtful design of 16 homes he also rescued from demolition.
Steal of the Day: French Country Bed
If you want to add some old-fashioned romance to your boudoir, look no further than the French Country Bed (queen on sale for $539, regularly $899). While it may look a little bit like Brocade Home (though of course, Brocade claims that there's nothing country about their French furniture), the price is significantly cheaper. From the Chris Madden For JCPenney Home Collection, this whitewashed bed features woven cane and is constructed from solid wood and molded resin.
Su Casa: Contemporary Meets French Country
I'm inspired by the colors and masculine-meets-feminine style in this photo that Rothchild posted in the Su Casa group. (Want to share your photos? Here's how to join Su Casa.) According to Rothchild, "I decorated this room about four years ago and I was really into French Country then.
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