When you think of a cottage, you likely think of a cozy cabin in the woods with the scent of a wood burning fire crackling away in a nearby fireplace, surrounded by comfy chairs and rustic plaid fluffy blankets.
Maybe a picture perfect lake with a floating dock pops into your mind. And maybe the dock has a fishing boat, or canoe, maybe even deck chairs all lined up to watch the evening sunset.
Whatever image is the strongest for you, they all have certain similarities. It’s sweet, gentle, and cozy. A cottage is all about the feelings that it emits through its wonderful architecture, and gorgeous details. It’s designed to make you feel at home, safe, and secure.
What Is Modern Cottage Style?
When it comes to the term ‘modern cottage style’, we’re not just talking about physical cottages. We’re referring to the decorative style and the architectural style that brings forth the feeling akin to a cottage.
When we talk about a modern cottage style, we’re talking about updating the traditional cottage décor to reflect modern style elements – while still retaining the country charm that we love about our cottages.
At the modern cottage style’s core, it’s about bringing forth that cottage/farmhouse charm, but with a twist. The modern twists can include such things as using reclaimed wooden pieces, chunky textiles, adding moody paint colors.
It’s picking up on trends that are common within modern houses and infusing them with the cottage aesthetic. No matter what, a modern cottage style should always feel welcoming, and like you’re cozy at home.
So, now you’re probably wondering how to create this fabulous look, so let’s dive into the details.
10 Ways to Get the Modern Cottage Look
We’ve created 10 fantastic ways to get the modern cottage look. Some are a little costly, while others are very inexpensive, so no matter your budget, you can create this gorgeous style within your home.
Let’s get into it.
1. Add Country Plaid Fabrics to Your Home
Our first suggestion is to add a touch of modern plaid fabrics to your home.
A little plaid history: the Scots used this fabric to stand as a representation for their family or clans. These plaids represented family, togetherness, and unity of clans.
When used in moderation, plaid patterns will immediately give your home a rustic, vintage feel.
If you’re worried about it being too country, don’t be — we’re not telling you to cover your home head to toe in plaid prints. Rather, we’re telling you to incorporate it more into the décor of your cottage or home.
For bolder looks, you may opt for a touch of plaid designs in curtains or wallpaper. This will immediately create that soft effect, as they are focal points of a room. If you prefer these aspects to be neutral, you could instead opt for bed sheets with a plaid pattern.
This has a very chic look. For added layers, you could use a mixture of plaid throws, and plain, chunky throws.
If you want to add a little more, some plaid artwork would look wonderful framed on the wall.
Also, you can add some small details throughout the house, from oven mitts, to floral soap designs.
2. Utilize The Architectural Features
Depending on the type of home you own, and what year it was built, you may, or may not have architectural features that you can heighten.
This is much easier in period homes, as they tend to be full of character. If you own a period home, be sure to keep the original stone, as it’s very quaint and quirky. Also, be sure to show off the original beams, instead of covering up the ceiling.
You’ll want to ensure that you create a soft look throughout the house, otherwise, it can look too harsh. You’ll do this with textiles and furniture.
If you don’t have a period house, examine the architecture of your house. Are there any weird nooks? If so, think about making them more noticeable and giving them more life.
3. Create Faux Charm With Rustic Wooden Paneling
This is a great option for those who do not live in a period house.
If you want to add a modern cottage aesthetic to your home, consider adding some tongue and groove paneling.
It’s a quintessential cottage look. To add further charm, you can paint it a soothing color, like a duck egg blue, or sage green.
You don’t have to add this all throughout your house, just a couple of rooms. Even one room would help. It’s easily applied to the bathroom, and can also look great in bedrooms and living rooms.
4. Fresh Flowers and Plants
This is a very simple and inexpensive way to add the modern cottage style to your home.
It’s pretty simple. All you need to do is buy plants for your property. Add them to the living room, the kitchen, the bathroom — anywhere and everywhere.
This will immediately give the house a relaxed, rustic feel as you are literally bringing life into your home. Plus, as long as you look after the plants well, they are a long-term investment, meaning they should last for years.
Fresh flowers are obviously beautiful. Bouquets of fresh flowers, with gorgeous blues and pinks, will really give you a pop of the modern cottage look.
Flowers do not have to be expensive, you can find a lovely bunch for less than $10. When it comes to the vase, you could opt for plain white, or duck egg, or sage green again. Whatever the colors are within your house, be intentional with your matching.
Or, you could go for a completely different color, if you’re looking for quirky mixed patterns.
5. Invest In a Freestanding Roll Top Bath
Okay, this is one of the ideas on our list which is on the pricer side.
If you’re thinking about upgrading your bathroom in the upcoming years, this idea could work perfectly for you. A roll-top bath immediately gives off a British, traditional feel. It’s sleek, elegant and really makes the bathroom stand out.
Before you do this, you’ll need to check if your floor needs reinforcement, otherwise, you could be in danger of the floor collapsing.
6. Mood Lighting
Lighting is very important to create a modern cottage aesthetic. This can be as expensive, or inexpensive, as your budget allows.
You’re going to want to make sure your cozy rooms (think living room, bedrooms) have a couple of lamps in them. These should be quirky lamps, which produce a glow that will compliment your aesthetic.
Generally speaking, you should opt for lighting which will produce a very warm glow. You may want to purchase larger floor lamps and have smaller lamps dotted around. It’s all about creating a mood, and you’re opting for secure, homely, and cozy.
7. Add Reclaimed Wood
This is another idea that can be as expensive or inexpensive as your budget allows.
Adding wood to your house will give an immediate cottage-like effect. It makes it feel rustic and vintage. You can add wooden railings and wooden beams to do this. This can be as subtle, or as bold, as you like.
Remember though, if you go for a lot of reclaimed wood, you need to soften it with often furnishings. Likewise, if you go for a small amount of wood, you can further this effect by adding wooden furniture, like tables and draws.
8. Think Further Than White
Yes, you’re going to need white to give your house a modern cottage feel. It’s not only brightening, but it does add to that happy, fresh homely feel. However, too much white will make your home overly modern, so you’re going to want to avoid that.
What you can do, is accent with color. Let’s assume you have white, cream, or beige walls. When it comes to the furniture and furnishings, you’re going to want to go bolder. Think blues, greens, oranges, yellow — anything soft, and homely.
You can go for a quaint, floral pattern, or just color match the room. There’s another option, however.
You could go for the quirky design, where you have a range of colors mismatched in your room, that adds an eccentric, but cozy feel. Sometimes cottages are just like that, a busy, but a loving place.
9. Be Intentional With Your Soft Decor
So, when you’re adding items to soften your house, and ignite that cozy feeling, don’t just buy anything on a whim. Really contemplate how the product will make you feel, and what it can add to your home.
Certain products that you’re going to want to stock up on blankets and throws. You’ll want these across sofas, chairs, and beds. You’ll also want to make sure you have lots of comfy and soft pillows too.
Furthermore, you should also think about the artwork through your house. Lovely, flower patterns are great for cottage artwork. Animal artwork or just anything odd and quirky will work too.
You’ll also want mirrors throughout the house, and you can think about texture here. You could have wooden mirrors, metal mirrors, standing mirrors — think which would best add that homely touch.
10. Sweet Candles
If you have the time to bake all day, to make your house smell as sweet as a daisy — then please do, and save me a slice of cake.
However, realistically — we all live very busy lives. One way to make your house smell gorgeous is by using candles. You can go for cozy scents, like fresh linen, or you could go for sweet-smelling candles.
There are candles that smell like cakes and cookies, there are candles that smell like the seaside and countryside. Whatever you feel will add that extra cozy feeling to your home, buy a candle that reflects that.
Summary
From adding rustic wooden panels to investing in a freestanding roll-top bath, and even adding fresh flowers and plants to your home.
There are many ways to turn your home into a modern cottage style, whatever the budget.
Adding floral designs and stocking up on blankets and candles is a super-easy way.
Ensuring you use color in your house to reflect a cozy, relaxing atmosphere is another. Candles are also a great way to add a cozy scent, without having to spend hours in the kitchen.
Whatever you decide to incorporate into your home, you’re one step closer to creating a gorgeous, modern cottage-style house.
Thank you for sharing your time with us at Today’s Cottage Living!
Disclosure: TodaysCottageLiving.com participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for publishers to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
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