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cottage living rooms inspiration

March 21, 2021

cottage living rooms inspiration

As a country cottage dweller myself, I am always squirrelling away decor ideas for when I need them. My living room is looking a bit tired so I’ve been researching cottage living rooms. As always, I thought I would share my findings with you too. Hope you find something you love!

cottage living rooms

Bohemian dark and deep blues

This beautiful deep blue cottage living room feels bohemian, creative and very English. It’s Inkwell Cottage in Oxfordshire (available to book here through Unique Home Stays) I can imagine Virginia Woolf writing at this desk can’t you? 

cottage studio workroom living room blue bohemian bloomsbury inspired and very arty with vintage wooden desk, vintage finds and original artworks, prints and paintings #cottage #livingroom #bluedeep blue walls country cottage living room with wooden beams, old brick floor and vintage reupholstered chaise and paintings #blue #cottage #livingroom

Stiffkey Blue paint by Farrow & Ball would work well to create a similar feel and is a touch darker.

stiffkey blue paint by farrow and ball - a beautiful deep dark blue emulsion that creates a bohemian artistic english cottage feel #stiffkey #blue #farrowandball #cottage

You could also consider going even darker – Railings is a soft black with blue undertones and is magical contrasted with natural wood, white and greenery. I love the confident use of the colour here – walls, fireplace, built in cupboard and alcove shelves all painted in the same dramatic colour.

Railings farrow and ball dark blue black paint cottage living room fireplace and shelving #farrowandball #railings #dark #livingroom

If that’s too dark for your sensibilities, a mid blue can work really well in country cottage living rooms too. How pretty are these blue painted shutters at Pixie Nook Cottage on Bodmin Moor?

love these blue painted window shutters which work perfectly in a country cottage to frame the garden view #shutters #painted #blue #cottage

Light and airy

cottage living room hallway with a light airy and modern feel combining pale stone floor white walls, wooden beams and an uncluttered design with bifold doors framing the view of the garden #cottage #livingroom #ideas #decor #inspiration

What I love about this hallway/living room idea from Kingfisher Farm in Dorset is how light and airy it is. Pale stone flooring blends beautifully with natural wood floor boards and leads the eye towards the bifold doors that frame the beautiful country view.

Ancient and Modern

What I love about this cottage living room is how ancient stone details are contrasted with super contemporary clean lines. 

cottage living room old stone fireplace modern scandi stove and contemporary leather chair #cottage #livingroom #stone #scandi

It’s a picture postcard pretty thatched cottage – The Redes in Cornwall.

I love the simple styling of this bookshelf alcove too. Vintage books and old stone statue mix beautifully with industrial brass wall light, simple whitewash on the walls and jar of wild/garden flowers. Perfection.

country cottage alcove bookshelf with vintage books, old stone statue, industrial brass wall light and garden wild flowers in a jar #country #cottage #bookshelf #alcove

Dreamy whites & vintage finds

I have obsessed over this property for some time now. It’s Romany in Romney Marsh, Kent and I just love it.

white wash tongue and groove cottage living room with grey woodburner stove, vintage linen slip covers and garden flowers #cottage #white #vintage

Simple white tongue and groove panelling creates the perfect simple backdrop and love the use of vintage linen to make casual slip covers. Soft grey/silver woodburner with visible chimney creates a cosy focal point. Add a jar of wildflowers from the hedgerow or garden and you’re good to go.

country cottage vintage mirror and desk study living room with antique painting and vintage books #country #cottage #livingroom #desk #vintagemirror

This combination is right up my street! I adore distressed old mirrors, blowsy garden roses in vintage vessels (this is an old silver teapot) and old floral paintings and vintage books. The chair is a great find and I like how it’s been left in a slightly distressed state. Love the contrast with timeless and iconic anglepoise desk lamp – in white of course.

white wash tongue and groove cottage living room with vintage linen slip covers, industrial vintage lighting, vintage mirrors and garden flowers #cottage #white #vintage

There are a couple of really great creative upcycling ideas here: vintage mirrors repurpsed as table tops – you can easily pick up small wooden side tables at car boot sales or junk shops and the same goes for vintage mirrors. Love the idea of combining the two like this to create something new.

Use up leftover paint to give the table a new lease of life and remove any remaining fixings from the back of the mirror and voila! The other idea I love is to give an old trunk a fresh new look with a coat of white paint. Such a nice way to create a coffee or side table.

white cottage garden room conservatory #white #cottage #gardenroom #conservatorywhite cottage garden room conservatory #white #cottage #gardenroom #conservatory

How charming is this view through from the cottage living room out through the garden room conservatory to the pretty garden? Ideas I’ve taken from this are: simple linen rolled-up blinds held up by hooks for window doors, old metal day bed laden with mis-matched cushions and the beauty of un-polished weathered wooden floorboards.

Bifolds and old oak

This is Wishbone cottage in the Malvern Hills and I just love the contrast of uneven ancient oak beams with sleek modern bifold doors. When the outside is a beautiful as this, why wouldn’t you bring it in as much as possible? My kind of design!

bifold doors and oak beams country cottage #cottage #beams #bifolds #moderncottage living room bifold doors rustic walls opening to garden #country #cottage #bifold #doors

Slate and wood

I have a deep love for Wales and the natural materials of the landscape. Love how this dark and textural Ebony Wood cottage in Conwy combines timeless wool, slate, wood and stone in a thoroughly modern way.

love this welsh cottage living room with slate and wood floor, rusted tin light galvanised roof, soft sheepskin and velvet, dark wood and textural ceramics #welsh #cottage #livingroomdark wood display alcove with jar of flowers and vintage books

My takeaway idea: don’t forget the important little details that can make all the difference. Like this dark wood display alcove – a little touch of visual magic.

Celestial pastels

white and pale pink seaside cottage living room with arched window and sea view, white washed walls and floor boards and soft linens and velvet upholstery #cottage #livingroom #seasidewhite and pale pink seaside cottage living room with arched window and sea view, white washed walls and floor boards and soft linens and velvet upholstery #cottage #livingroom #seaside

How gorgeous is this chic seaside cottage living room? It’s Aphrodite in Cornwall and has the dreamiest of sea views. The restful, gentle colours and cosy textures just add to the light, dreamy feel don’t you think?

I’ve included this cottage living room idea because I love the combination of rustic wood panelling and hanging green plants with industrial lighting. It’s warm, textural and feels contemporary/vintage. It’s Little Portion in Cornwall and bookable through Unique Home Stays.

rustic wood panelling living room country cottage with leather arm chair, hanging plants and greenery and industrial lighting #livingroom #cottage #rustic

Go green

love this cottage living room with whitewashed old walls, oak beams, and midcentury furniture and soft green upholstery and rug #cottage #livingroom #green #whitewash

It’s the mix of midcentury modern lines with fresh spring grass green that I love about this cottage living room at Lost Cottage in County Kerry. Restful and so appropriate for the emerald isle…

cottage living room soft grey, milky white and neutrals with distressed vintage shutters, grey linen armchair, wooden milking stool, sheepskin and white washed rustic walls and lime white floorboards #cottage #livingroom #grey #white

This super cosy living room in The Fable in Perranporth, Cornwall is so understated and cosy in a quiet way. Love the vintage distressed shutters used as decorative back drop and how restrained the colour palette is – milky white, soft grey, natural browns. White washed rustic walls add so much character.

The power of a window seat

love this window seat with sea view, neutral white linen blind, cushions and old stone walls painted white #cottage #windowseat #seaview

With a view this magnificent, why wouldn’t you want to sit at the window and drink it all in? Love how pale neutral linens create soft texture without dominating the view they frame. It’s The Brandy Thief in Ilfracombe, Devon.

Panelled wall magic

How clever is this idea? It’s a panelled wall that hides a TV behind. The perfect way to enjoy a big screen without losing the country cottage feel. It’s from Gwendolyn cottage in Cornwall.

panelled wall tv cover

Historic neutrals

cottage living room with leaded windows, old masters oil painting, modern lighting, pale neutral linen soft furnishing, contemporary wool rug and simple white walls #cottage #livingroom #pale

It’s the contrast of old and historic with pale and contemporary that makes this cottage living room design really work for me. It’s Fawn Wood in Hartfield East Sussex.

Reclaimed & rustic

I’d like to move in please… This heavenly property is Ammonite in Rye, East Sussex

coastal cottage living room interior with white tongue and groove walls, rustic floor boards, white linen slip covers, vintage linen grainsack cushions, old leather armchair, wood burner white fireplace and old galvanised tubs with plants #white #cottage #livingroom

Love everything about this cosy white cottage living room: the vintage linen sheets used as sofa throws, simple white tongue and groove walls, old leather arm chair, grain sack linen cushions and scrubbed rustic pine floor boards. 

I hope you have found some inspiration for your home inspired by country cottage living rooms. Do share your images with me – I’d love to see what you create!

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