Key West Cottages & Gardens: Inspiration from an American Tropical Island

Bright colors, floral patterns, and cottage styles are all design choices associated with the Florida Keys. Key West, one of the most famous tropical islands in the world, embodies the ideas of the Florida Keys while also presenting its own style and culture. In Leslie Linsley’s Key West Cottages and Gardens, lovers of the Key West architectural and design style will get a chance to look at beautiful photos of tropical homes as well as learn tips for living on the island from Leslie and residents.

Key West is home to a year-round population of about 35,000 with over one million travelers visiting throughout the year. Leslie’s intimate interviews with residents allow readers a peek into what Key West cottage living is really like, even some of the potential challenges. The interviews and photos in this book will show how people live in all different styles of cottages. Whether you’re a local who has made Key West home and want to learn new tips for living in your smaller, outdoor-friendly space or a tourist who loves the feeling and visuals of the Key West lifestyle, this book has you covered. Photos by Tamara Alvarez and home styling by Michael Pelkey.

Leslie Linsley is one of this country’s best-known authors of crafts, decorating and home-style books, which include over 70 titles, most recently Christmas on Nantucket (Globe Pequot, 2020). While putting herself through graduate school with a major in journalism, Leslie sold her handmade decoupage boxes to such upscale stores as Bendel, Tiffany, Cartier and Bergdorf Goodman. During that time, she also published her first book, Decoupage: A New Look at an Old Craft (Doubleday 1975). It sold over 60,000 copies and led to a long and successful career in publishing. For many years Linsley, with her graphic-designer husband Jon Aron, packaged and produced dozens of how-to craft books for major publishers. Most recently she has written books on architecture and interior design, with a focus on lifestyle.