Nantucket Charmer

This Nantucket cottage was built in the mid 1980s for the three Wathne sisters of Iceland who own a line of luxury sportswear known as 'la vie sportive'.

The 4,200 sq. ft. house was commissioned for them and includes four master suites - one for each of the sisters and the fourth one usually occupied by their mother, who liked to travel with them.

The sisters all had canopy beds which were handpainted from their own designs.  And each of the sisters' suites had matching dog beds so their two teacup poodles and little maltese could rotate among the suites at will.

I'm using the past tense because this house was sold by the Wathnes in 2001.

In the living room, you will notice a rabbit theme and what appears to be pink accents.  The cushions that appear to be pink are actually red and white pinstripes.  There is no pink in the room, despite appearances.

On the mantel in one of the master suites is a row of terns.......a nod to the name of the house 'Three Terns'.

Hope you enjoy this cottage as much as I did when I first saw it in Architectural Digest years ago.  I still love it to this day and the classic interiors are as inviting now as they were then.

Enjoy!

Architectural Digest

English Cottage Style

Hi Everyone,

I found some more pictures of The Holiday cottage (one of my favorite movies) and a perfect example of English country cottage.  If you haven't seen this movie yet, it's a must to check out.

The original post was published last July, so I am re-publishing it today.

Enjoy!

Cottage style is all about comfort, so that's a priority when planning your decor.  Comfortable sofas and chairs, lots of pillows, lots of color, floral fabrics mixed with ginghams and stripes, books, soft lighting, art, tables by each chair and sofa, ottomans, area rugs and anything else you love.  You are there to relax in your cozy environment.

Carefree is another word to remember when thinking cottage style.....often the furniture is slipcovered for easy care, antiques mixed with new, and sometimes, painted furniture is common and offers a low maintenance lifestyle.

If using floral chintz on your draperies, then ensure your large upholstered pieces are a solid color or a co-ordinating small print.

Wall colors are usually soft and in natural shades such a whites, creams, greens, yellows and pinks in the traditional English cottages, but deeper colors are seen more often in the contemporary English home. 

And the finishing touch is fresh plants and flowers.

Cottage foyer - love the old wooden door!

Wood floor, antique bamboo coatstand, 

stuccoed walls and timbered ceiling

Low, timbered ceilings and stone wall in the living room

Paned windows, chintz curtains, soft lighting, flowers, books

Comfortable mix and match furniture

Tables by each chair and sofa

Open shelving, fireplace, eat in kitchen table

Blue and white transferware and gingham plates

Small, warm and cosy

Same elements as above photos

Charming cottage bedroom!

Timbered ceiling, fireplace

Big comfy bed and lots of lamp light!

And lastly, the tiny bathroom with 

a painted floor, antique dresser and 

zinc tub!

Above images from the movie, The Holiday and 

Hooked on Houses