At Home with Angie Wendricks

We first found Angie Wendricks the way good things usually happen -- through a photograph. Someone shared a shot of her kitchen, all reclaimed wood and white linen and early morning light, and we recognized something in it immediately. The same quiet intention that goes into the pieces we make. We reached out. She said yes. This is what came of it.

Angie is a photographer and the creative mind behind @countyroadliving -- a home she built from the ground up with old beams, architectural salvage, and a very clear sense of how she wants to feel inside her own walls. We asked her a few questions about the place she has made, and how it changes when fall arrives.

Tell us a little about your home.

What I love most about my home is the simplicity and calmness of it. When I was designing it, before we broke ground, I knew I wanted a mix of old and new -- rustic and simple, warm woods, calming whites, a lot of texture. We used old beams and reclaimed wood throughout, and sourced architectural salvage wherever we could: the claw foot tub, the farm sinks. Every piece has a story.

How would you describe the feeling you want your home to have?

Peaceful and calm. I really crave that simplicity. I love having a quiet space to come back to.

What inspires the way you decorate?

Nature, always. I love mixing wood tones and natural textures and leaning into a calming palette of neutrals. There are always flowers in the house -- every season. I think it's really important to make your home feel special even on the regular days.

Do you have a favorite room or corner?

The window seat at the front of the house. It faces east, so I see every sunrise from there. The morning fog across the field is one of my favorites. I'm an early riser -- I love having my coffee there while the house is still quiet.

What do you love most about your home in the fall?

The transition. The leaves change outside the windows and the big blankets come out and the wood stoves get fired up on the cold nights. After a long summer in the garden, I'm always ready for the cooler temps. It also means more baking, more candles, cool morning coffee time -- all the things.

How does being a photographer change the way you see your home?

It changes everything. You start noticing things you might otherwise walk right past -- the way the morning light comes through the front windows into the kitchen, or the steam rising off the fence in the field when the sun first comes up. I'm a simple person at heart. I love simple pleasures. And being a photographer has made me even more attentive to the ones right in front of me.

Do you cook and bake more this time of year?

Definitely. The closer it gets to the holidays, the more time I spend in the kitchen. One of my favorite fall traditions is baking pies with my mom in the barn kitchen -- music on, wood stove lit. We make her family recipes: my grandma's bread pudding and cinnamon rolls. Those are the days I love most.

You can follow Angie's home and life on Instagram at @countyroadliving and see more of her photography at angiewendricks.com.