Cottle & Gunn - Shop & Home Tour
Our retailers are quite a creative bunch! From their clever uses of MMS Milk Paint to their gorgeous shop displays, we are constantly “wow’d” with the ways they create beauty in their corners of the world.
One of those creative souls is Deb Cottle of Cottle & Gunn in St. Marys, Georgia. Deb regularly goes live on our Facebook page showing all sorts of helpful tips and tricks for using MMS Milk Paint. Recently, she gave a tour of her shop and home (which happens to be right above her store).
We know her creative ideas, collections and color schemes will inspire you too!
Say “Hello” to Cottle & Gunn
Deb Cottle lives and works in St. Marys, Georgia. She’s a lover of small town living, and her sweet shop, Cottle & Gunn, is situated so perfectly along the road. The flag bunting, cedar shake and fencing along the walkway are the tip of the iceberg in her charming world.
Deb’s store is on the first floor of this gorgeous building, and her beautiful home is on the top! How cool is it to live above where you work?
The Hall of “Meers”
Once you take the stairs or the elevator up to Deb’s apartment, the first thing that greets you is her hall of mirrors. (Or, as Deb says in her sweet southern accent, hall of “meers”!)
As you’ll see, Deb is a lover of collections. She has artfully and tastefully displayed her treasures all over her apartment. These mirrors are just the start! She says that you can either strike a pose in each one as you’re leaving for the day, or turn right around and go fix your hair before you go to the store.
The College Pie Safe
As you walk down the hall towards the kitchen and living room, one of Deb’s favorite pieces greets you.
This pie safe is a very special piece. Deb says she will never paint it because she loves it just the way it is. She even took it to college where she graduated with a degree in hotel management. (Later, she left all of that behind to open a paint shop, which is now Cottle & Gunn). The pie safe currently holds kitchen items.
The 1930’s TV Console
If you haven’t figured this out already, Deb is a lover of antiques. Her TV console is a shining example.
It’s painted in Ironstone with a touch of French Enamel. Deb also has the matching dining room table, but she left the original finish on it. Because both pieces originally had a shiny and slick finish, Deb painted on a layer of Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan first, and then followed up with her custom Milk Paint blend of Ironstone and French Enamel.
A Lineberry Coffee Table with a Special View Outside
While winding down after a long day downstairs in the shop, Deb kicks up her feet on her Lineberry factory cart turned coffee table.
She’s got quite the view to enjoy out her front windows for a few reasons. First, her collection of globes sit cozily on a shelf that spans the length of the wall.
Second, Deb’s view looks out onto a vacant plot of land and tavern across the street. It may not sound like those would be pretty things to look at, but Deb has recently announced that she purchased the tavern and lots next to it to expand Cottle & Gunn! She gives you a peek at everything in her video, which we’ve shared below. Now, Deb can look out on her next adventure and let her creative mind run wild with ideas!
Everything Has a Memory
Deb has a love for all sorts of antique and vintage treasures. As you continue to walk through her home, you’ll see assortments of glass bottles, books, tin toys and more. In her words, “it’s not really hoarding if it’s cool stuff”!
What we appreciate and admire most about Deb’s collections are that they aren’t random - they all have meaning and intentionality. For example, this collection of milk bottles shows her love for milk paint.
This Farmhouse White scalloped table is next to the chair where she has her coffee in the morning. The top was sanded down a bit and hydrated with our Hemp Oil wood finish, and the original casters are still attached at the bottom!
Everything on the table has a special meaning to Deb. The glass in the Ball jar is from Cuba when she held a paint workshop at Guantanamo Bay. The small square painting of cotton has a special place in her heart, as does the Sanka coffee can. Deb recently won Business of the Year, and her glass award sits proudly next to a Sanka coffee can that holds a special place in her heart. (You can learn why in our video at the end of this post.)
Medical Supplies
Deb’s love for medical supplies can be found all over her home. From the collection of first aid kits in her bathrooms…
…to this amazing dental cabinet, she artfully displays her treasures in ways we absolutely love! The set of drawers behind the right door were painted in a watered down coat of French Enamel. The body was painted using a Wax Puck resist. (If you’d like to learn how to do that, click here.)
As you wander up to the third floor of her building, the hallway has treats for the eye including a second small medical cabinet and typewriters arranged on the wall.
Deb is on the lookout for a red Royal typewriter, so if anyone has a lead, let her know! (cottleandgunn@gmail.com)
A Navy and Green Bedroom
One of Deb’s favorite color combinations is navy and green. She has these shades all over her bedroom in curtains, upholstery, bedding and furniture.
This beautiful scene was inspired by our founder, Marian Parsons (aka Miss Mustard Seed).
The framed chalkboard art was inspired by one Marian had in her home, and Deb absolutely loves the verse. A pop of Boxwood adds the perfect green touch that she loves so much! The dress form is a perfectly antique way to hold her jewelry too.
One of Deb’s nightstands is painted in Lucketts Green for another perfect pop of green.
A Video Tour
Deb has graciously opened the doors of her home to us, and we’re so grateful she shared her creativity with us. We know this Facebook live video will inspire you too!