Blinds, Curtain Poles, Curtain Tracks, Interior Design, Roller Blinds

Country Cottages – Part 5: Quintessentially English

The quintessential English cottage embraces a mixture of styles in terms of interior décor – but what is most apparent is the expression of one’s personal style and heritage. This is the ideal home for showing off what you have and all the little treasures you have kept over the years.

The décor will have a touch of elegance and will be very ‘English ladylike’ – but at the same time it is casual and welcoming. There will be elements to this style that will really bring everything together, but always make room for your own personal expression and remember that comfortable is just as important as the visual quality of furniture. The English country cottage will look lived in – items will be displayed from your past and where possible, decorating will take on a vintage feel.

Just like the English character, this home is not afraid to show a little of its humorous side and easy approach to design. Your methods of decorating will have some relation to the Bohemian style – if something doesn’t match it isn’t an issue! What you can do to bring everything together, is focus on your use of colour and try to make do with two or three main colours throughout the home.

Choosing your predominant colour scheme will be a good place to begin. That earthy, homely atmosphere will come with browns, rusty oranges, mustard yellows and greens taken from the Autumn garden. Pick up darker spaces with an accent colour of Rose pink in finer details and décor pieces. Woods should have an antique look about them (even if they are not!) and try to hold back from using polished furniture in your traditional English cottage.

Interiors tend to be smaller than your average home and so choose furniture such as a drop leaf table that can be opened up at meal times and otherwise left to give you more space. Imagine how an antique shop can look like with its beautiful shelving arrangements – bursting at the seams with interesting porcelain, teapots, brass and trinkets. This is something you should try and replicate in your home – tie everything in with some dried flower arrangements to match your colour scheme.

For window treatments, curtains should be light and perhaps with some lace detailing hung from curtain poles rather than curtain tracks. Another more functional option is to use Jacquard roller blinds in rooms where you will need more control on the light, such as the bedroom or living space.