Embrace the charming style of the English cottage with these 15 tips for bringing the cozy, quaint aesthetic into your home. From floral fabrics to distressed woods,we’ll cover all the essential elements to nail the classic cottage vibe.
Introduce Floral Fabrics
Chintzes, calicos, and ditsy florals instantly evoke the English countryside. Upholster furniture or make curtains from fabric with tiny rosebuds, vines, and other floral motifs. Vintage drops cloths and grain sacks also feature charming faded florals. For a more modern take, look for larger-scale abstract blooms.
Use Plenty of White and Soft Neutrals
Crisp white paired with soft neutrals like cream, ivory, and pale gray create a light and airy cottage palette. Paint interior walls, trim, and ceilings in white or off-white. Choose neutral upholstery and linens to allow accent colors to really pop. Keep wood tones light – painted, pickled, or whitewashed finishes give furniture a well-worn look.
Roll Out Braided Rugs
Handwoven wool rugs with braided texture epitomize the cottage style. Lay braided runners down hallways and scatter round braided rugs in living spaces and bedrooms. Look for rugs woven from wool in muted colors like cream, slate blue, mushroom, and pale peach. Cotton rag rugs in faded stripes, plaids, and solids also have a lovely cottage vibe.
Select Painted or Whitewashed Wood Furniture
Wood furniture takes on a charming, well-worn appearance when painted or whitewashed. Search for secondhand sideboards, cupboards, tables, and chairs to paint yourself. Look for pieces with simple forms – turned legs and carved accents are ideal cottage details. Soft shades like pale blue, sage green, and antique white work well. Or try a whitewashed finish to allow wood grain to show through.
Display Collections of Botanical Prints and Drawings
Surround yourself with images of plants, flowers, and nature. Choose floral still life prints in simple black frames, or opt for hand-tinted botanical engravings. Collect nature drawings done in pen, pencil, and watercolor. Group in asymmetrical arrangements for an informal look. Antique prints, field guides, seed packets, and ledgers offer inspiration too.
Let the Light In with Sheer Linen Curtains
Illuminate cottage interiors with natural light filtered through breezy linen or cotton curtains. Hang rod-pocket panels individually or as a pair on every window. For a romantic look, gather panels at the center and tie back. Choose natural or white linen with subtle stripe, floral or dot patterns. Crisp solid white cotton pairs well with woodland print walls.
Display Collections of Vintage China
Collections of flowery china create charming cottage displays. Hang plates or bowls on the wall or stack them in open cupboards. Seek out vintage English transferware and flow blue dishes as well as delicate florals and rose patterns like Johnson Brothers “Old Britain Castles” and Royal Albert “Old Country Roses”. Mix and match patterns for an eclectic, collected look.
Incorporate Natural Wood Accents
The grain, texture, and color variations of natural wood add warmth and nature-inspired style to cottages. Use branches or slices of wood to make rustic mirror frames or lamp bases. Display wooden bowls filled with fruit on kitchen counters. Make wall shelves from unstained planks and tree limbs for displaying treasured finds. A wooden tree slice used as a side table oozes earthy appeal.
Add Shutters and Salvaged Architectural Parts
Shutters, mantels, corbels, and columns rescued from old houses or barns telegraph the long history of the English cottage. Lean vintage shutters against walls as art. Mount a mantel or corbels on a fireplace wall. Turn legs or columns upside down and use as tables or pedestals. Visit architectural salvage yards to discover doors, windows, tiles, and hardware from bygone eras.
Embrace Shabby Fabrics and Distressed Finishes
The shabby chic aesthetic fits seamlessly into cottage style with its love of salvaged and worn finishes. Look for upholstery and curtain fabrics with uneven faded stripes, slight fraying, and small moth holes. Sand and paint furniture to create a distressed, chippy appearance – don’t be afraid to show wood grain and layers of old paint. Display vintage finds marked by age to add depth and patina.
Include Plenty of Fresh and Dried Botanicals
Abundant plants, both fresh and dried, lend life and nature’s beauty to cottage interiors. Tuck tiny pots of herbs, ivy, and succulents on tabletops and windowsills. Display larger statement plants like monstera or fiddle leaf figs. Hang dried hydrangea, lavender bundles, and wreaths of twigs and dried leaves. Clip stems from the garden to display in jars and pitchers.
Style with Chippy Painted Signs and Crates
Vintage painted wooden signs add folksy flair to cottages, inside and out. Seek out old shop signs, seed crates, fruit crates, chests, and boxes to display. Look for pieces with worn and peeling paint for that chippy, timeworn look. Paint your own signs and boxes using stencils and freehand lettering with sayings, your family name, or quaint cottage nicknames like Rose Cottage or The Briars.
Show off Heirloom Silver and Crystal
Polished silver, glassware, and crystal shine against the worn and weathered woods of the cottage. Display treasured pieces handed down to you like sterling silver tea sets and trays, crystal decanters, cake stands, and punch bowls. Group items atop sideboards and hang ornate silver serving spoons on walls. Turn an antique drawer into a flatware divider. Glass-front cabinets keep heirlooms free of dust.
Embellish with Romantic Fabrics like Eyelet and Voile
Lightweight embroidered cottons like eyelet, Swiss dots, and voile perfectly suit both shabby and romantic cottage style. Use on bed canopies and curtains or as tablecloths and chair covers. Look for eyelet embellished with floral cutouts or go for graphic black and white patterns. Delicate voiles create dreamy billows in windows. Crisp dots on Swiss cottons feel fresh and modern.
Style with Timeworn and Weathered Elements
The essence of cottage style is about embracing imperfections and traces of time and the elements. Incorporate salvaged or reused items marked by age and nature like an old window transformed into a picture frame, a warped glass cloche covering a display, a dinged-up watering can, crusty brick walls, or an aged door hung on the interior as art. Let pieces evolve naturally without restoring or refinishing them.
Create Cozy Spaces for Relaxing by the Fire
At the heart of the cottage is a warm, welcoming hearth. Set up a cozy lounge area in front of the fireplace with slipcovered sofas and chairs along with plush pillows and throws. Hang teakettles from pothooks along the mantel which can also display candles and greenery. Lay braided rugs on wide plank floors and place a low coffee table for afternoon tea. The crackling fire invites comfort and conversation.
Questions and Answers
Q: What colors work well in an English cottage?
A: Soft neutrals like white, ivory, cream, and pale gray make a lovely backdrop in English cottages. For accents, look to powdery blues, muted greens like sage and moss, dusky pinks and peaches, as well as warm antique white and woodsy brown shades.
Q: What kind of flooring is best for a cottage?
A: Wide plank wood or stone floors suit the cozy cottage aesthetic. Pine and oak boards have great rustic appeal. For stone, choices like slate, travertine, and limestone add natural texture. Brick floors or a mix of brick and stone also look charming.
Q: What are some key pieces of furniture for an English cottage?
A: Essential cottage furniture includes whitewashed wood pieces, secondhand painted cupboards, armoires and dressers, farmhouse-style trestle tables, and vintage-inspired upholstered chairs and sofas. Wicker furniture also fits the casual, welcoming cottage mood.
Q: What architectural details lend to the cottage look?
A: Details like exposed wood beams, brick or stone fireplaces, mullioned windows with diamond panes, built-in window seats, interior window shutters, and salvaged doors help create quintessential cottage charm.
Q: What type of lighting works best in English cottages?
A: For fixtures, look for wrought iron chandeliers, industrial pendants made from pipes or barn lights, and antique crystal sconces. Lanterns and ceramic table lamps also provide cozy, ambient lighting. Avoid harsh modern overhead lights.
Q: How can I accessorize in cottage style on a budget?
A: Look for vintage bottles, baskets, and enamelware at flea markets and antique shops. distress wood frames and fill with botanical prints or pages from old books. Display collected china and glassware in open shelving. Add soft throw pillows, woven blankets, and greenery in vases.
Conclusion
With its charming emphasis on all things comfort, tradition, and nature, cottage style brings coziness and character to any home. Embracing neutrals, florals, whitewashed woods, and patinated metals allows you to easily capture the essence of an English country retreat no matter where you live. The relaxed vintage vibe of the cottage remains endlessly appealing – just add in personal collections and family heirlooms for an interior that tells your unique story. With this list of tips in hand, you’ll be enjoying tea and scones by the fire in your lovely new cottage-style digs in no time!
