Transform any home into a dreamy coastal cottage inexpensively, with a little inspiration and a lot of DIY gusto.
As newlyweds, Matt and Shaunna West built their home from scratch in Troy, Alabama. Finding an open floor plan they loved, they customized their abode with coffered ceilings, a winding staircase and lots of windows.
“I had decorated the house very traditionally and had convinced myself that was the way grownups decorated,” Shaunna says of her heavy color palette of dark wood and red. Everything was coordinated: red sofas, red chairs, and red wallpaper and draperies. “It makes me laugh now, but at the time I was stuck,” she says.
Shaunna’s attitude toward her décor—and more importantly her capabilities—gradually began to change after she and Matt started taking mission trips to Honduras. Building houses for the local people led Shaunna to something she had never imagined: her love for hard work and do it-yourself projects. “As I began to create with my hands, I was hooked,” she says.
Seaside Expressions
Continue reading your story on the app
Continue reading your story in the magazine
EN Plein Air
SURPRISE YOUR LOVED ONES THIS SPRING WITH SHARON SANTONI’S FRENCH-INSPIRED TIPS FOR OUTDOOR DINING
Carefree Country
LEARN HOW TO CAPTURE THE FRENCH COUNTRY FEEL IN YOUR OWN HOME BY MAKING THE MOST OF EVERY SEASON.
Wine & Dine
A MOTHER AND DAUGHTER TURN THEIR LOVE OF FOOD, WINE AND THE FRENCH LIFESTYLE INTO A UNIQUE SHOP
The Good in Everything
An outdated house gets a DIY French country overhaul on a family-friendly budget.
Cottage Creation
Transform any home into a dreamy coastal cottage inexpensively, with a little inspiration and a lot of DIY gusto.
Artful Living
Learn from one of the nation’s top interior designers how to decorate around a collection of fine art.
Always In Bloom
Antique and vintage millinery flowers provide endless color and beauty to your home décor.
Home For The Harvest
10 Tips for Setting a Seasonal Dining Table This Fall
The Heart Of The Home
Rustic Textures With Old World Elegance Combine in This French-inspired Kitchen.
Anchors Away
A Seaside Cottage Receives a Complete Renovation to Revive Its Historic-quality Architecture and Cultural Relevance.