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" My friend just acquired a little cottage. How can we decorate it in a country fashion but keep it manly?  Debbie Bennett  Dear Debbie, Country decorating really is gender neutral. If your male friend is making the design decisions, the cottage will probably end up feeling masculine. If you are also contributing to the design process, I&amp;#039;d steer clear of shabby-chic pastels, florals, rococo, or Victorian furnishings and the color pink.   There are many manly design cues. Here are some that I think work really well: Mission-style furniture with its simple lines, hardwoods, and sturdiness is a great look, as are handmade rustic furnishings, either painted or left natural. European country style or casual, creative aristocrat-chic works too \u2014 mix in some equestrian or dog-themed stuff. Industrial style \u2014 strong materials, steely metals, and big wheels \u2014 can also be quite beautiful, especially when mixed with other simple primitive woods and natural materials. There are plenty of textiles out there to suit a man&amp;#039;s taste! Plaids, checks, stripes, houndstooth, herringbones, and toothy linen are all used in men&amp;#039;s clothing. In cool weather, you can bring out wools like cable-knit pillows, cashmere or near-cashmere throws, quilted canvas lap blankets, and flannel blankets. There are also fabrics that are used in sports such as billiard cloths and sailcloths. Chenille works well in a man&amp;#039;s environment, as does mohair, velvet, and, of course, leather.  Nick Bewsey, co-owner of Blue Raccoon, in New Hope, PA (blueraccoon.com), has personal experience with cottage living, but his shop, which he owns with Nelson Zayas, caters to cottage dwellers and castle dwellers alike. Nick has always been a proponent of leather club chairs. He has them at home and sells a ton at the store. He offers this money-saving tip: Use a rich fabric for your chairs and then apply leather welting to dress them up. Nick also likes a discreet application of nail-head trim.  Accessories will add charm and interest to the cottage. Does your friend have a collection he could display? If not, here are some suggestions for accessories that I&amp;#039;ve seen in masculine homes. Line kitchen shelves with green USA pottery (mostly matte); hang tramp art frames randomly in an entranceway; stack old, hard suitcases as an end table; mass vintage sprinklers on a windowsill; nestle wooden balls in a bowl; group measuring sticks (a lot of companies used yardsticks and rulers as advertising giveaways) in a corner; hang draftsman&amp;#039;s tools, like a giant wooden protractor, over a buffet in the dining room; position photographs and landscapes down corridors and over desks; and, of course, shelve or stack books anywhere.  Here are some additional sites worth checking out:   watsonkennedy.comvictoryvintage.comhickorychair.comhenredon.compolo.com  Good luck!  Photography by Michael Luppino "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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