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Oct 07, 2023

9 Ways to Add Charm to an Outdoor Kitchen from 'Home Town' Stars

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Mallorie and Jim Rasberry of HGTV’s Home Town serve up ample Southern style at their family cabin outside of Laurel, Mississippi.

You’ve likely seen Jim and Mallorie Rasberry alongside best friends and fellow DIYers Ben and Erin Napier on their HGTV show Home Town (they're also co-owners of their flagship hometown store Laurel Mercantile). Now they invite you to tour their own outdoor kitchen. Located just up the road from Laurel, Mississippi, their fish camp is loaded up with layers of country charm and a twist of that signature Home Town style. Here’s how the couple made this new cabin feel old again.

Because his grandfather’s original cabin that sat on the property couldn’t be saved, homeowner Jim Rasberry sketched out a plan for his family’s new retreat with a look that honored the nostalgic old structure. Design details such as board-and-batten siding and a metal roof give the exterior that been-around-forever feel. “We wanted it to be an ode to the old cabin,” says Mallorie.

Popular throughout the 20th century, hand-painted metal signs can weather the elements and stand in as artwork to help an outdoor space feel more like a room. If you don’t mind a little rust, you can find good options at antiques malls for less than $200.

Related: 100+ Best Places to Shop for Antiques Online

Just up the road from Laurel in Greenwood, Mississippi, Lynx makes customizable outdoor cooking spaces of all configurations. The Rasberrys’ setup includes a gas burner on one end and a refrigerator on the other. A butcher-block slab, made at the Scotsman Co. factory, provides the prep area.

Get the Look:Butcher Block: laurelmercantile.com

A trio of red sconces keeps the outdoor festivities going well into the evening. This style of gooseneck lighting was most common in the mid-20th century, when farmers across America relied on them to illuminate barn doors. They were traditionally made from aluminum or steel, then coated in porcelain enamel to give them their colorful appearance.

Get the Look:“Asher” Barn Light: lights.com

A wicker fishing creel filled with napkins and flatware makes for a handy grab-and-go serving piece. Stoneware crocks, colorful thermoses, and graphic tins are also put to entertaining use.

Get the Look:Wicker Fishing Creel: basspro.com

A bank of wood windows that Mallorie and Jim salvaged from a neighbor’s renovation project sits between the indoor kitchen’s sink and prep space and the outdoor kitchen’s 14-inch-deep counter, creating a seamless workflow between the two spaces. The Spanish cedar countertop was also fabricated at the Scotsman Co. factory, which the Rasberrys own with Erin and Ben Napier.

In lieu of a cooler, the Rasberrys use a vintage European porcelain enameled baby tub (already conveniently on a stand!) to keep Popsicles in one piece on hot days. For similar, check out salvage yards and online antiquing sites such as Etsy and eBay.

Introduced at the 1937 Paris Universal Exhibition by French furniture designer Xavier Pauchard, these utilitarian chairs made from galvanized sheet metal and coated in a range of colors are now staples of American farmhouses. The screened-in porch’s saddle-slung armchairs are similar to Tolix’s famous “A56” chair, while the stools reference the “Marais” design.

Get the Look:Red “Luna” Metal Chair with Arms: amazon.comRed “Lansing” Bar Stools: wayfair.com

Nothing says summer dining on the porch like a red-and-white tablecloth. While you can’t go wrong with the iconic “Vichy” check, Mallorie mixes various red and blue plaids to complement her star-spangled dinnerware (laurelmercantile.com).

Get the Look:Plaid Napkins: heathertaylorhome.comStar Dinnerware: laurelmercantile.com

Anna Logan is the Senior Homes & Style Editor at Country Living, where she covers design and decorating trends, home features, and gift guides. She also produces home features and styles content for the print magazine. When she isn’t working, can often be found digging around antique shops for the perfect find. Follow her adventures on Instagram!

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1. Character Builder: Board-and-Batten Siding2. Charm Factor: Advertising SignageRelated: 3. American-Made: Lynx GrillGet the Look:4. Bright Idea: Barn LightingGet the Look:5. Smart Storage: Cutlery CaddyGet the Look:6. Party Trick: Pass-Through Windows7. Clever Repurposing: Basin Server8. Country Classic: Tolix Metal SeatingGet the Look:9. Pattern Play: Picnic PlaidsGet the Look:
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