Favorite details from Brookgreen cottage

Southern Living, Sep 2001 by Belden, Derick

Much like a wonderful garden or fine wine, our Brookgreen Cottage, which was featured in our September 2000 issue, only gets better with age. Now open for more than a year, the house has welcomed thousands of visitors, the garden has filled in, and many of the ideas that make the cottage so special have stood the test of time. Remember, however, the house won't be open forever, so if you haven't visited yet, time's running out. It's scheduled to close Saturday, September 8.

All 2,214 square feet of Brookgreen Cottage are hardworking. It is full of great, affordable, and simple ideas for every home. Here are two of our favorites.

VANITY IN A PINCH

When building your dream home, often the first thing to go is your sanity, followed closely by your budget. Simulating the process many folks face, we adhered to a tight budget when building Brookgreen Cottage.

We decided the master bath didn't need as much of an investment as the kitchen or other more public places in the house. So the master bath vanity is designed with two cost-saving ideas. First, it's not cabinetry at all, but a 2 x 4 frame affixed to the walls at countertop height. A decorative fabric skirt attaches with self-fastening strips to hide the plumbing pipes. Add plastic organizers or baskets for convenient storage.

Second, the solid-surface countertop is off the rack. Rather than purchase a custom-designed top and separate sinks, we selected a precut length with integral sinks. This reduced our bill to two faucets, one top, and some simple carpentry work.

BIG SOLUTION, SMALL HOME

Something as simple as a plate rack above the door in the breakfast room provides display and maximizes space that otherwise would go unused. It's the perfect perch for special pieces. Substitute festive dishes for the holidays.

Starting with a 1 x 6 that is 2 inches longer than the door casing, make a groove with a router to hold the plates, and screw the finished board into the casing above the door. You can attach a piece of quarter-round molding to the front of the I x 6 instead of using the router. Finish by painting to match the trim color. Derick Belden

VISITING INFORMATION

As a Southern Living Showcase Home, Brookgreen Cottage is open through September 8. For directions to the house and other information, call Brookgreen Gardens at (843) 235-- 6000, or visit www.brookgreen. org. Working drawings for the house (SL-0109-280) are available from Southern Living Plans. To order call 1-800-755-1122.