Straight from the cosy, sleek design of Scandi cottage core, comes the charming cottage style décor.
Encapsulating all the character of a cosy English cottage, tucked away in the countryside, cottage home décor brings a cosy feel to any home - no matter the location. So, if you want to turn your modern home into a rustic cottage, we’ve got a few pointers to get you started.
From cosy cottage décor ideas to what colours work best for this rustic style, keep reading for our top five cottage living room ideas.
No matter what style you’re bringing to your home, it’s always best to start with wall colours. This means that when you’re choosing furniture, you can pick cottage décor pieces to match.
When it comes to a cottage interior style, there are tons of lovely colours to choose from. Of course, you have the classic colour basics like beige or white, which are great for brightening up your home and creating the illusion of more space.
However, if you prefer the eye-catching to the room-brightening, then colours like sage green for all the walls, or a dark brown feature wall against a white backdrop is perfect.
Looking for something to really stand out? Well, wood panelling encapsulates the English cottage décor to a tee, and with panelling kits now available at many DIY retailers, can be cheaper and easier than you might think!
Now your cosy cottage décor walls are sorted, it’s time to bring the fresh, flowering fields of the English countryside right into the heart of your home. For example, in summer you can copy the joyful sunflower fields and pick up some fresh sunflowers for your new cottage living room. Keep these in a spacious vase, filled with water, and leave in direct sunlight to really let them shine. Depending on the time of year, daffodils, tulips, roses and even wildflowers also make beautiful additions to your cosy cottage living room.
Or would you rather add a natural element that lasts a bit longer than fresh flowers? Dried flowers, dried lavender, and dried wheat or cotton plants are just as delightful without the necessary upkeep. Layer these together and pop them in a tall, thin vase, keeping them out of direct sunlight.
We’ve reached our favourite part at DFS – picking out the perfect sofa to encapsulate the cottage interior design.
And if you want to go for a classic English cottage décor, the more traditional sofa shape will suit - we think there’s nothing better than an English roll arm sofa. Think soft rounded edges, spacious plump pillows, and a low-slung design, these sofas are timeless and chic. Take it back to basics with colour here too, beige or grey are perfect for this look.
Patterns and colours are the way to go. Think accent chairs with patterned footstools, and rustic leather sofas in luscious brown shades. Don’t forget, decorating your sofa with scatter cushions and throws is a great way to achieve that homely feel too!
Let’s get playful! One of the easiest ways to bring that cosy cottage home décor to your living room is to pick up some decorative ornaments.
Of course, we’ve got the vases from your flowers, but little trinkets, circular trays to hold teapots and teacups, or framed photos of families and friends are just as ideal for cottage décor. You could even try out ceramic bird ornaments or natural wood abstract ornaments too, if you want something more unique. Get the ultimate country cottage vibe by hunting for your ornaments secondhand, at antique stores, car boot sales or even on eBay!
No cosy English cottage is complete without a wide array of lovely books either, perfect when displayed on a rustic wooden bookshelf. But don’t be afraid of using your bookshelf to store other cottage décor ornaments too. For example, hanging plants or flowers will look dashing draping languidly from the edge of your rustic bookshelf!
Lastly, lighting plays a huge role in emulating the warm, cosy feel of a cottage interior style. You’ll want to create a hushed light to cascade through the room, bathing your cottage living room in a relaxing glow. The easiest way to do this is to pick up a few lighting options that you can scatter throughout the room.
Try out wall lamps for the corners and a dimmable light for the main ceiling light. And don’t forget table lamps - these are perfect for providing a bit of light as you read one of those books. When the evening comes, lighting up some candles (or lighting a log burner if you’re lucky enough to have one) will create a lovely soft glow in your cottage living room. Just be sure to put these out before going to bed!
Ready to tune the big city out and let the idyllic country décor in? We thought so – you can start shopping for your coffee tables, sofa, and rugs now! But if you’re not sure just yet, head over to our inspiration page for more style advice and guidance.