Defining a style is a tall order to fill. For each person a slightly different mental image may be conjured up. When talking of cottage style, one might picture a quaint little house on the coast of Maine, a rustic shack by a lake, or a simple dwelling in a rural farming community.
Cottages were originally summer or vacation homes or simple country houses. As a vacation house, owners were interested in it being easy to care for, fun, durable and mostly for spring and summertime use. They were often furnished with leftovers, hand- me downs, or bargains. Pieces were meant to be used and enjoyed. Time spent at the cottage was supposed to be full of pleasures for the senses.
I like to think that cottage style is more of an attitude than a list of design details. The gentle breeze of a summer day, the relaxed bliss of a vacation, a cold glass of lemonade enjoyed on a porch swing, waking to the chirping of birds, and the scent of fresh cut grass bring a mindset of comfort and relaxation. Those sensory experiences can be duplicated in cottage style design. The trick is to find pieces that you love that summon cottage attitude while still producing a cohesive look.
Cottages were originally summer or vacation homes or simple country houses. As a vacation house, owners were interested in it being easy to care for, fun, durable and mostly for spring and summertime use. They were often furnished with leftovers, hand- me downs, or bargains. Pieces were meant to be used and enjoyed. Time spent at the cottage was supposed to be full of pleasures for the senses.
I like to think that cottage style is more of an attitude than a list of design details. The gentle breeze of a summer day, the relaxed bliss of a vacation, a cold glass of lemonade enjoyed on a porch swing, waking to the chirping of birds, and the scent of fresh cut grass bring a mindset of comfort and relaxation. Those sensory experiences can be duplicated in cottage style design. The trick is to find pieces that you love that summon cottage attitude while still producing a cohesive look.
