Another Coastal Home we Love

We love this lively coastal home designed by Melissa Ervin. The home's first floor has an easy to execute decorating theme of a linen white background mixed with punches of green and warm wood tones. The designer incorporated sea side touches with shells, coastal maps and green glass. The home is located in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina and the decorator completed the entire project in less than ten weeks! An edited collection of old and new furniture pieces coupled with beautifully layered accessories results in a home that looks as if it has been created over years - not weeks. Get ...

The Brigitte Side Table

Is it possible for a table to be sweet and sexy? We think so. Take a look at our new Brigitte Side Table with curvy lines and fresh color. The Brigitte One Drawer Side Table features Moorish inspired cut-outs, a hand-finished tassel pull in chrome, drawer glides, and a light blue lacquer finish. Charming!

Bright and Cheery

This adorable cottage featured on Apartment Therapy just made us smile. The bright whites mixed with lively colors are really perfect for this small guest cottage. If we were invited to stay we might never leave! Architect and homeowner Finley Irwin designed the cottage with his wife Alisha Graham. Even though the cottage is a diminutive 320 sf its clever use of vertical space and the light and airy decorating make it seem larger than it is. Looking for bright and cheery - we've got it. Cottage and Bungalow.

Mix and Match

Mix and match our carefully curated collection of dining chairs and tables to get just the look you want. The secret to the creating the perfect dining area is to shy away from matched sets and create a unique look with different finishes and styles. Why not get creative? Here are a few ideas for mixing and matching to inspire you: Replace two chairs on the long side of a rectangular table with a small bench or settee. This looks great and can be a practical solution to adding extra seating when you are entertaining. Use upholstered chairs at the heads of ...

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If you want all the latest news, updates, ideas and more from Cottage and Bungalow the minute we post it, now's the time to subscribe to our e-mail list. All of our posts will come right to your e-mail. Subscribing is a simple process, just look for the e-mail subscription box on the right-hand side of our home page. Once you subscribe, you will get a subscription confirmation in your inbox. You must confirm in order to recieve our posts in your inbox. Once you've confirmed your subscription, Google Feedburner will e-mail the updates to you everytime something new is posted ...

Cumberland Island

If you’ve never been to Cumberland Island, what are you waiting for?! Fun in the sun, sand, and tranquility await you. Cumberland Island is Georgia’s largest, southernmost barrier island. You can enjoy the serenity of undeveloped beaches or take a ranger guided tour around the island. Here are some of the most popular things to do while visiting Cumberland Island: Outdoor Activities- ranger or self-guided hikes with over 50 miles of trails on the island, wilderness and developed camping, hunting, fishing, star gazing, bird watching, swimming, boating, biking, and more! Places to Go- Dungeness Ruins, Plum Orchard Mansion, and the First African ...

Starbay Furniture

Do you love the colonial style popularized by the movie "Out of Africa" ? If you love furniture that speaks of traveling to far away lands and fine craftsmanship, we recommend you take a look at our Starbay Furniture collection. Starbay hand crafted furniture is designed on three simple concepts that lead to outstanding furniture: Design reminiscent of the grand era of travel in the early 20th century Functionality for a contemporary lifestyle Selection of nature’s finest materials Click here to see our full collection of Starbay Furniture including desks, dressers, trunks, sideboards and more.

Indigo Blue

This cozy paneled den looks likes the perfect spot to relax after a day on the beach. This beach house located in South Hampton, New York was featured in House Beautiful and we just fell in love with it. The mix of interesting materials and the blue and white palette results in true "beach chic" style. [caption id="attachment_782" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="Photo credit House Beautiful"][/caption] The classic look is easy to duplicate with some great pieces from Cottage and Bungalow. [caption id="attachment_784" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Driftwood Chandelier"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_785" align="aligncenter" width="275" caption="Artichoke Lamp in White"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_786" align="aligncenter" width="200" caption="Blue Awning Stripe Pillow"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_787" align="aligncenter" width="200" caption="Seahorse Pillow ...

Adirondack Furniture – A Summer Classic

We love the look of classic Adirondack style furniture. We've done a bit of searching and have found the finest and most beautifully crafted Adirondack Chairs, Settees and Gliders, Picnic Tables and Benches, Bar Tables and Chairs. Browse through our gallery, and delight in the unique design, rainbow of colors and finishes. If you have any questions give us a call on our toll-free number 877-441-9222 or drop us an email office@cottageand bungalow.com.

Blonde, Brunette or Red Head?

Do you prefer blondes, brunettes or redheads? Perhaps you like them all? Our popular Picket Fence Mermaids are back! Individually signed and painted by our wonderful Connecticut artist, Suzanne Nicoll in her studio, each is made upon order especially for you. These charming ladies would look great on a screened porch, little girls room or powder room. So, choose your favorite, or better yet get one of each.

Good Bones Great Pieces

We were so excited to see our new Writing Desk featured on the blog Good Bones Great Pieces. This blog is written by a mother daughter team Suzanne and Lauren and the focus is on timeless interior design and fashion. Mom Suzanne is a seasoned Martha Stewart staffer and she provides great advice on furnishing your home. Daughter Lauren is the young fashionista dolling out fashion tips and trends. Last week's post focused on writing desks that could do double duty as a vanity. Here is the post: Since most of us are using laptop computers these days, we just don’t need ...

Beach Cottage …Upholstered!

Our fabulous upholstered pieces are made in the foothills of the North Carolina mountains. Their take on "cottage style" combines clean, contemporary lines with brightly, soft colored cotton fabrics. Made to order, you can select your furniture style and fabric so you get exactly what you want. We have a full range of upholstered pieces including love-seats, sofas, ottomans, chaises and chairs. There are over twenty fabrics to choose from and they have been vetted to represent the best cottage style fabrics out there. The result is furniture that is fresh, breezy and contemporary and will brighten any coastal home. Visit our website to ...

Yikes Stripes!

Photo: Coastal Living Magazine Melissa from The Inspired Room recently wrote a post about her love of stripes. What's not to love? Stripes compliment so many other patterns making them perfect for layering. They give structure to a room with florals and perk up a bunch of solids. We are especially fond of striped rugs and curtains since they lend a bold, graphic quality to any space. Finally, Stripes look right in all styles of rooms be they traditional, bohemian or contemporary. Try them...you'll love them!

Thomas Paul Rugs

We are just mad for these Thomas Paul rugs! New York based designer Thomas Paul got his start in the fashion business working with designers such as bill Blass, Calvin Klien and DKNY. He eventually designed his own line of men’s neckwear, and working with silk eventually led him to his own pillow collection. It snowballed from there, and he now designs a range of home accessories from rugs to tabletop. His designs offer updated revisions of antique, vintage and natural elements. We especially love his hand woven New Zealand wool rugs because they add instant personality and style to any ...

Go to the Caribbean without Leaving your Kitchen

Why not throw a Caribbean inspired dinner party this weekend? Crank up the heat, download some Caribbean music for the Ipod and serve up the Mojitos. Set the table with our beach inspired dinnerware and you have created the perfect environment for a festive party. We like Paula Dean's menu featuring Jerk Pork Chops, Mango Chutney, Coconut Shrimp and a Key Lime Souffle for dessert. Definitely food for the Caribbean soul.

We’re Seeing Red

We just couldn't resist showing off some of our red beauties for Valentines Day! Click here to see more.

Turquoise? We’ve Got it

Pantone, the acknowledged color expert, has named turquoise the color of 2010. They love the serene qualities of green and the invigorating aspects of blue. We love it too. No other color conjures up the feel of the coast and islands more than this lively color. Want to add a bit of turqoise to your home? How about these?

Think Spring: Forcing Bulbs

Are you yearning for spring? Why not try forcing bulbs indoors to perk up you home. Forcing bulbs simply manipulates a plant’s cycle to allow bulb blooming any time of year that you’d like. Narcissus flowers, better known as Paperwhites, are one of our personal favorites. Paperwhites have a beautiful fragrance and sweet white flowers. They are also one of the easiest flower bulbs for homeowners to force, as they need only a shallow container of water and use pebbles for support instead of soil. They also require no “cooling period.” Below are some simple steps to forcing Paperwhites. Step 1: Choose ...

Traveling this Winter? Get Inspired!

[caption id="attachment_137" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Photo Roger Foley Coastal Living Magazine"][/caption] When you take a vacation to a new destination — be it exotic or simply different from where you live your daily life — there are plenty of adventures waiting to transpire. Maybe you take pleasure in seeing the architecture, savoring new foods, or hearing a different language. Maybe you just like the experience of a different culture and the feeling you get when listening to music and entertainment that is completely different from your own. Or maybe for you, the best part of traveling just might be the fact that ...

Check out Coastal Living!

Our beautiful Island Headboard was featured in this month’s issue of Coastal Living. It’s not surprising that the article featured the 15 prettiest island rooms. This bedroom really is pretty. Although the feature focused on island rooms, this classic design works on the coast or inland as well. The headboard shown in Coastal Living is in a classic chocolate brown tortoise but why not try one of our yummy colors such as periwinkle blue, poppy orange or eucalyptus green? Pair this headboard with some of our wonderful bedding for instant style.

Wabi-Sabi Green Products

Just added from Wabisabi, our Crab Pillow, star white on aqua: Wabi-sabi style is derived from an ancient Japanese art form which celebrates the beauty of imperfection found in nature. Examples of wabi (cycles of erosion) and sabi (recurrence), can be seen in the ripples of a sand dune, the spirals of a rip curl or a colorful sunset.

Ina Garten’s Fresh Seafood Platter

Ina Garten is the founder of the famous Barefoot Contessa food Emporium on the Hamptons, Food Network chef and a best selling cook book author. We love her casual approach to entertaining that focuses on the best possible ingredients and presenting them in a beautiful way. Ina often arranges locally grown fruits, vegetables and herbs on platters for simple and appealing entertaining. Her Seafood Platter is an easy and delicious dish that will impress your guests. Wouldn't this look beautiful served on the Square Lobster Platter from our Marblehead Tableware Collection? Click here to visit the Food Network site for the recipe.

Ken Buckner, Nature Photographer

Born in Ohio and raised in Michigan, painter and nature photographer Ken Buckner was educated at the University of Michigan and graduated with honors from the Art Center College of Design in California. Additional study in London was followed by a successful career in advertising in New York and Los Angeles including national recognition. He moved to the North Carolina coast from Connecticut in 1976 and began his career as a fine artist. [caption id="attachment_100" align="alignright" width="260" caption="Dunes Path by Ken Buckner"][/caption]

Malibu Beachfront Style

While on the West coast, the Malibu Beach House project by Pamela Burton & Company was an award winner with the ASLA (American Society of Landscape Architects), and it's certainly a winner with us. The ASLA site has full details and photos. We love the prolific use of the grasses to add color and movement, while drawing in the beach as a part of the living environment. [caption id="attachment_94" align="alignleft" width="270" caption="Photo by Bruce Botnick"][/caption]Opposite is a strip mall, but the design has also incorporated a beautiful screen for privacy. All of the plantings are sustainable and native to the ...

Welcome To Our New Blog!

We are thrilled to announce our innovative new online presence that will allow you to interact with us in brand new ways and also to keep abreast of the latest trends and developments. Much more than just a new website or blog, our new online presence will provide easy and convenient new ways to stay informed, shop, learn and network. We’d love for you to jump right in and contribute! Got an opinion on something you read here or a related topic? Just click on “Leave a Comment” and share your thoughts — we can’t wait to hear from you. Join the conversation!

Eco-Friendly Lighting

Posted on August 26, 2010 · Leave a Comment

There is no need to sacrifice style when selecting sustainably designed products. Cottage and Bungalow’s selection of eco-friendly lighting features cocoa leaves, abaca rope, nito vine and durian fruit fiber. A special leaf fossilization process results in a beautiful leaf skeleton. Each natural leaf used to make the lamp absorbs dye differently so the result is a one of a kind of product.

Mini Butterfly Square Lamp

Gekko Sconce

Butterfly Leaf Lamp

Visit our website to see our full line of eco-friendly lighting.

Favorite Tomato Recipes

Posted on August 24, 2010 · Leave a Comment

Our Square Hydrangea Platter

Our southern readers may have seen peek tomato season come and go already. However, folks up north are enjoying their tomatoes fresh off the vine. Here are some of our favorite tomato recipes that are just perfect for entertaining.

Bobby Flays Grilled Flatbread with Ricotta Cheese, Fresh Tomatoes, Oregano and Roasted Garlic Oil

Roasted Garlic Oil:

1/2 cup olive oil

6 cloves roasted garlic

1 recipe Flatbread, recipe follows

1 (8-ounce) container ricotta cheese, drained

Salt and freshly ground pepper

3 plum tomatoes, very thinly sliced

2 tablespoons chiffonade fresh basil

Roasted Garlic Oil:

Place oil and garlic in a blender and blend until smooth. Strain.

Flatten flatbread dough, gently press into a large rectangle, brush liberally with olive oil, and throw on grill. Grill on both sides until golden brown. Spread 1 side with ricotta, sprinkle with salt and pepper, scatter tomatoes over, drizzle with Roasted Garlic Oil, and garnish with basil and more freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.

Flatbread:

1 1/2 cups warm water (105 to 110 degrees F)

1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive or canola oil, plus more for bowl

Mix water and yeast in a large bowl and let stand 5 minutes to proof. Gradually pour in 2 cups of the flour and stir to incorporate. Mix for about 1 minute to form a sponge. Let stand, covered, for at least an hour.

Put sponge in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the dough hook, add the salt and oil, then add the flour, 1/2 cup at a time, to form a dough. Remove from bowl and knead. Place in a clean oiled bowl and let rise, slowly, about 2 1/2 hours. Divide dough into 4 balls, if desired, let rise again for 1/2 hour, and then roll out as desired.

Yield: 4 individual flatbreads or 1 large flatbread

Ina Gartens Roasted Tomatoes

Ingredients

12 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise, cores and seeds removed
4 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Arrange the tomatoes on a sheet pan, cut sides up, in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle the garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper over the tomatoes. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until the tomatoes are concentrated and beginning to caramelize. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Michael Chiarello’sHeirloom Tomato Panzanella

Ingredients

2 pounds ripe heirloom tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced
1/4 cup minced red onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1 teaspoon sea salt, preferably gray salt
Several grinds black pepper
Panzanella Croutons, recipe follows
2 cups trimmed arugula
Wedge Parmesan, for shaving

Directions

Drain the tomatoes in a sieve to remove excess liquid while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, basil, tarragon, salt, and pepper. Add the croutons and toss well.

Divide tomato mixture among 4 plates. Top each serving with an equal amount of the arugula. With a vegetable peeler, shave the Parmesan over the salad. Serve immediately.

Michael’s Notes: I’ve used basil and tarragon here, but you can use any herbs you like. Parsley and marjoram come to mind as good alternatives.

Panzanella Croutons:

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 tablespoon minced garlic

6 cups crustless cubed day-old bread (1/2-inch cubes)

Sea salt, preferably gray salt, and freshly ground black pepper

6 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and preheat a cookie sheet in it.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and cook until it foams. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the bread cubes and toss to coat with the butter. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the bread to a baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle with the cheese and toss again while warm to melt the cheese.

Bake, stirring once or twice, until the croutons are crisp and lightly colored on the outside but still soft within, about 8 or 9 minutes. Let cool. Store in an airtight container.

Michael’s Notes: I use a serrated knife to remove the crust from day-old bread, then switch to a chef’s knife to cut the cubes because it doesn’t tear the bread. Also note that I recommend grating the Parmesan finely so that it will stick to the bread better.

Yield: about 6 cups

All recipes via the Food Network.