Style Show-and-Tell

Barbara Gray, a real estate agent from Pennsylvania, says reading Country Sampler helps her unwind after a hectic day at work. She also uses the magazine to find inspiration for decorating her own home. “I love country and my home definitely reflects that,” she notes. “I love doing the projects on my own, making them and working with my hands.” One of her recent DIY endeavors was covering her dining room walls with a combination of painted and stained shiplap. “I just love how it turned out,” she says.

Sherry Buettner of Wisconsin takes great pride in her backyard, which she has transformed with lush plantings, a gazebo and creatively repurposed garagesale finds, including the nightstand that now serves as a plant stand near the entrance to her garden. An old mirror standing behind it reflects the greenery. “I think it’s nice to see that you can have a pretty yard without spending a lot of money,” she says. Sherry’s lovingly designed yard and garden earned the admiration of friends and family— her granddaughter even selected it as the setting for her twilight wedding five years ago.

“I love the black and white look,” says Robin Botts of Minnesota, who created a wall vignette in her entry to highlight some examples from her collection of vintage cameras. Crocheted doilies provide contrast against the secondhand black shelf, which she embellished with wood accents and chalky-finish paint. The framed feed sack has special significance: “My dad used to draw for the Bemis Bag Company, and this is one of his feed bag designs,” she relates.