Black-and-white photos provide
sophisticated contrast.

Intimate Connection

What does a Navajo blanket have in common with English blue-and-white china? Or a 1940s electric fan with a farmer's best straw hats? The connection is an intimate one, drawn by homeowners who mine history and global culture for the essence of country design. Whether in vignettes of cowboy collectibles or old French paperbacks, personal country is about boldly expressing your passions. Inspiration may come from anywhere -- the regional culture, the surrounding landscape, or your own memories. A coastal retreat can emulate a seaborn yacht, a sun-drenched Tucson home, Provencal dreams, a Manhattan loft, or the joie de vivre of Paris.

The look is fashionable and flexible, relying more on accessories than architecture. With the turning seasons, fabrics change from floral cottons to wool plaids, and centerpieces from wildflowers to dried grasses. Souvenirs from recent travels mix with treasured family heirlooms and inexpensive flea market finds. Personal country rethinks castaway objects, adding a new drawer to a folding tray table for use as a desk, or draping vintage hand towels as cafe curtains. Collections may abound, but imagination and a strong sense of play are really the stars in each artful display. Like different actors bringing their life experiences to the same role, this seemingly eclectic style brings together strong personalities reflecting on time-honored country traditions.