Country Living

1 Prettying up the kitchen with fresh flowers, whimsical wallpaper, and sweet cushioned seats 2 Collecting eggs from the coop with your grandmother’s trusty wire basket (For more nostalgic kitchen collectibles, see pg. 21.) 3 Throwing open the doors and windows to fill the house with crisp, fresh air 4 The soothing echo of spring rain on a metal roof 5 Finally bringing your fantasy of a basket-filled hobby room to fruition 6 The first strawberry sighting at the farmstand (Visit countryliving.com/strawberries for your new favorite recipe.) 7 Prepping the guest room with new pillows and page-turners 8 That satisfying spring-cleaning feeling of getting your ducks (or duck!) in a row Follow us on Instagram @countrylivingmag for a daily dose of Simple Country Pleasures. PHOTOGRAPHS BY (CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT) WILLIAM MYERS, INTERIOR DESIGN BY FRANCESCA GRACE; ERIN ADAMS;…

It was poet Mary Oliver who wrote about the in-between-ness of dogs: “Some things are unchangeably wild, others are stolidly tame. The tiger is wild, and the coyote, and the owl. I am tame, you are tame. …But the dog lives in both worlds.” Perhaps that’s why our canine companions also seem to be so comfortable on the porch, itself an architectural mixed breed combining inward-and outward-facing worlds. A porch lets you enjoy the domestic comforts of plush pillows and ceiling fans while communing with the calls of crickets. It lets you greet the world as it passes by while remaining firmly anchored to home. But most of all—and here’s where dogs set the most striking example for us hurried humans—a porch invites you to find a fleeting patch of…

Classic Crooners Ponder a musical moniker if your pup is prone to howling. Try Cash, Charley, Dolly, Hank, Loretta, Merle, or a more instrumental Mando or Banjo. Pastoral Places Let your favorite setting or scenery be your inspiration. Try Camp, Cedar, Creek, Delta, Forest, Nash, River, Summit, Tahoe, or Willow. Farm Favorites Pay tribute to a tool, a task, a crop, a farm component, or an old-timey agrarian job. Try Barley, Bean, Calbert, Coop, Cowboy, Deere, Dell, Granger, or Silo. PHOTOGRAPH BY KATIE CHARLOTTE; INTERIOR DESIGN BY TAYLOR HILL; ILLUSTRATION BY MELINDA JOSIE.…

See more of this house at countryliving.com/singer. 1 Nickel-Gap Paneling So that the new kitchen would be in keeping with the rest of her circa 1965 home, designer Molly Singer (mollysingerdesign.com) skipped the standard drywall and opted for a tongue-and-groove wood treatment whose name comes from the nickelwide spacing between boards. Covering both the walls and the 12-foot-high ceiling, the creamy paneling offers contrast to the red oak beams, corbels, and flooring, all stained with a custom blend (50/50 Cocoa and Natural; bona.com). 2 Character-Rich Cabinetry Painted a fresh shade of blue, the kitchen’s drawers and cabinets feature thoughtful details, including mix-and-match unlacquered brass hardware, furniture-style toe kicks, and—atop the two glass-fronted step-back upper cabinets—classic crown molding. Dark honed Adamantium quartzite countertops help ground the otherwise airy color palette. GET THE LOOK: Ball Cabinet Knobs from…

DATING BACK TO THE 1800S, when European bistros embraced half-height curtains to let in light while allowing coffee-sipping patrons some privacy, café curtains are enjoying a resurgence stateside thanks to renewed interest in breezy cottage style (see: cottagecore) and pattern-happy design trends (see: maximalism). They were once crafted from materials homemakers had on hand—tea towels, fabric remnants, lace—but modern café curtains feel pretty yet practical thanks to fresh fabrics, high-end hardware, and pleating possibilities. Shop This Story! We’ve rounded up our favorite café curtains and hardware. See our picks at countryliving.com/curtains. PHOTOGRAPHS BY STACY ZARIN GOLDBERG, INTERIOR DESIGN BY CAMERON RUPPERT. HELEN CATHCART, INTERIOR DESIGN BY ISABELLA WORSLEY; NATHAN SCHRODER, INTERIOR DESIGN BY COLLINS INTERIORS; BJÖRN WALLANDER/OTTO, INTERIOR DESIGN BY ALISON NEWMAN INTERIORS. CHRISTOPHER HORWOOD, INTERIOR DESIGN BY NATASHA HOWARD…

The CL Fixer-Upper Scale MOVE-IN READY NEEDS MINOR IMPROVEMENTS INVEST IN A DECENT DRILL PUT THAT CONTRACTOR ON SPEED DIAL $870,000 Middletown, CT 5 BR; 3 BA; 3,010 SQ. FT. WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT: Well, there’s the curb appeal courtesy of a white picket fence, lush flower beds, a cedar roof, and a yellow front door. But the interior, with original wood paneling, extra-wide-plank wood floors, and a brick hearth is just as dreamy. The blue kitchen is a must-see, too. AGENT: Sacha Armstrong-Crockett; williampitt.com $550,000 North Branch, NY 3 BR; 2 BA; 1,575 SQ. FT. WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT: Take in stunning views from the large front porch, then putter away in the red barn out back. Inside, recent updates blend modern finishes with plenty of vintage-farmhouse character. AGENT: Susanna Scott-Mitchell; compass.com WORK REQUIRED: $429,000 Frankford, MO 4 BR; 2 BA; 3,403 SQ. FT. WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT:…