Rooms that invite you to linger. Vintage collectibles displayed with love. A colorful easy-care garden. A porch that says "Come sit!" All yours in the pages of Country Living!
The Sampler • AN A-TO-Z LOOK AT WHAT’S IN THE APRIL ISSUE, AMONG OTHER SEASONAL NEWS AND NOTES
Turn This Scene into a Room • See how CL style editors used this shingled setting to inspire a sweet spot for shut-eye.
12 Ideas for Easter Eggs • This well-rounded assortment—from folk art to faux bois—makes for one happy hunting ground.
“What’s in My Bike Basket?” • Charleston, SC–based Julia Engel reveals the tried-and-trues that help steer her through a day in her (very busy) life.
Creature Comforts • Vetted finds and trusted advice for pets and the people who love them
Pretty Postage • Dearest snail mail devotees: Liven up your letters with this purely color-driven guide to correspondence.
What Is It? What Is It Worth? • Our team of antiques experts weighs in on your treasured finds.
Ladies of the House • A designer’s collection of ceramic head vases makes for one blushing bouquet.
Dogwood Social • Hosting Easter? Plotting Mother’s Day? Let branches in bloom set the tone for a versatile spring soiree featuring punch, petals, and petite party bites.
Quaint Little Cottages • Thanks to lakeside lots, wraparound porches, and river views, there’s nothing humble about these small abodes.
FIELD NOTES • TIPS, TRICKS, AND TACTICS FOR APRIL IN THE NOT-SO-WILD
Country Living
BACKYARD CHICKENS • Backyards have gone to the birds! Everyone from A-list celebs (looking at you, Jennifer Garner and Lady Gaga) to city slickers has taken to raising hens in the name of having farm-fresh eggs at the ready. If you’ve been thinking about joining the chicken-keeping contingency, there’s no need to wing it. Here, a panel of grade A poultry experts (see their cred on page 47) answers your most pressing inquiries, from time commitment and costs to, yes, even how to get those pretty blue eggs.
What does a day in the life of chicken care really look like?
I’VE PINNED APPROXIMATELY 225 CUTE COOPS! • But what exactly does mine need to function properly? (Besides a copper cupola, obviously.)
Coop Dreams • Ready to install your own? These stylish mail-order options bring both country-style charm and true chicken-keeping clout to your backyard.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ALL THOSE BREEDS? • From egg production (spoiler alert: No chicken lays eggs every day) to regal plumage, these nine are among the most prized varieties of backyard hens. Can’t make up your mind? Mixing different breeds in a single coop is no problem at all. In fact, like a well-appointed room, a “curated flock” is all the more alluring.
Feather Your Nest • From coop to countertop, these fun finds will feed your “chicken lady” aspirations.
Meet the “Eggsperts”
WHEN EVERYTHING’S SMALLER IN TEXAS • Don’t let the size fool you: Even though every room is less than 200 square feet, this tiny Texas farmhouse is packed with pattern and patina. Here’s how it lives large.
BOLD Fashioned • An unapologetically more-is-more aesthetic—“granny chic”—is in full chintzy bloom with a new group of tastemakers craving club chair comfort over clean lines. Here’s how to embrace the excess.
OPEN-MIINDED • Veteran magazine stylist Matthew Gleason shares his playbook for making the petite (just 1,300 square feet!) feel palatial—without knocking down a single wall.
Farmhouse Kitchen • Fresh-picked finds and family-friendly fare for your home’s unofficial hub
DESSERTS • From a lemony layer cake to berry galettes, these new spring classics will give that ol’ chocolate bunny a run for his money.
The Recipe...