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Cottage inspired decor


21 Best Cottage Decor Ideas

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You'll never want to leave.

By Erin Cavoto

DAVID TSAY

Whether you own a cottage or just want to be inspired by some quaint decorating tips, you'll want to check out these best cottage decor ideas to create a slice of paradise right in your home. These styling ideas are perfect for maximizing space if you live in a tiny house, or even just adding simple touches that will make the space feel more like home. Each room is covered in these tips, including ideas for designing a peaceful patio, sprucing up your mudroom, or fitting in a home office. You'll be on the way to the kitchen of your dreams with sweet breakfast nook ideas, as well as tips for making the most-used room in the house a little more country-chic.

You might also want to look to some inspiration for your living room, whether you'd like to add some white living room ideas or opt for some rustic touches. Of course, there are several tips for creating an adorable cottage bedroom, including accent walls, bright colors, and comfy bedding. No matter what style you're trying to achieve in your home, whether it's a modern look or you prefer farmhouse décor ideas, there are cottage decor tricks for any type of home.

KIM CORNELISON

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Attic Bedroom

Many cottages have bedrooms with sloped ceilings. This use of an accent wall is a great idea, because it adds dimension to the room without making it feel crowded.

SHOP PLAID BEDDING

DAVID TSAY

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White Living Room

An all-white living room is complemented with wooden furniture for a cozy, welcoming look.

SHOP THROW PILLOWS

LAUREY W. GLENN

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Eclectic Cabinetry

These cabinets use metal ventilation inserts for the cabinet doors that create a rustic, whimsical look perfect for a cottage kitchen.

SHOP NICKEL CABINET KNOBS

ANNIE SCHLECHTER

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Corner Office

You don't need a dedicated room for a home office, just a cozy corner to tuck an upcycled desk, chair, and cabinet into.

SHOP DESK SUPPLIES

DAVID TSAY

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Tiny Cottage Kitchen

A cheery palette and narrow fridge turn make this kitchen feel open and airy rather than tight and cramped.

SHOP BACKSPLASHES

Lucas Allen

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Sweet Schoolhouse

Max Kim-Bee

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Quaint Sitting Area

Planks from Habitat for Humanity's ReStore line the sitting-room ceiling in this renovated Texas cottage. The homeowner was inspired to turn cow-feed sifters found at the Round Top Antiques Fair into artful sconces with burlap fringe.

Dana Gallagher

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Sunny Breakfast Nook

This New York cottage's beadboard-panelled breakfast nook features Eames chairs bought at a Brooklyn stoop sale and a farm table the owner made with salvaged wood.

RELATED: 16 Insanely Adorable Dining Nooks

Mark Lohman

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Peaceful Patio

On the patio of a Victorian cottage in Arkansas, the wicker patio set was a hand-me-down from the homeowner's friend. Another pal sewed the love seat's cushion and pillow from fabric the homeowner scored at a Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Store.

Mark Lohman

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Victorian Dining Room

The rooms of this Arkansas home were stuffed with mismatched furniture covered in musty 1980s linens, but the homeowner spotted enough gems in the mix to buy the place fully furnished. She saved only the pieces with potential or items that were stunning as is, like the sage cupboard and the chippy dining table.

Lucas Allen

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Vibrant Bedroom

In the master bedroom of this Catskills home, sunny-yellow paint and an exuberant green-and-white print enlivens the small space. The low-pitched roof created a seemingly unusable three-foot-high gap on each side of the room. A carpenter was contracted to fill one side with bookshelves, and the other with cabinets and storage drawers.

Mark Lohman

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Stylish Bedroom

The homeowner of this restored Arkansas home upgraded the fixtures with chandeliers, and the Jenny Lind-style bed is one of the few furnishings she kept in the bedroom. The shams and duvet cover are West Elm; the coverlet is Garnet Hill.

Steven Randazzo

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Country Kitchen

You'd never guess that most of this 1900 Texas cottage was recently built. To add this kitchen, plus a living room, porch, and bathroom, the homeowners scoured the Texas countryside for materials others might overlook—from rusted pressed tin for the ceilings to salvaged windows, doors, and cabinets.

Max Kim-Bee

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Rustic Living Room

While this Connecticut cottage's living room's upholstered furniture is white, the sofa and chairs are also purposefully deconstructed, with tufted fronts and exposed burlap-and-wood backs. A settee and two armchairs by Restoration Hardware cozy up to a Zentique coffee table. The boat propeller and oil paintings are secondhand scores.

Lisa Romerein

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Chic Kitchen

In this Los Angeles home, orange mohair revives a vintage maple stool in the kitchen, where Carrara marble upgrades Ikea cabinets. Task lighting comes in the form of suspended Edison bulbs, covered with Victorian wire shades. The cast-aluminum fox wine cooler was designed by Arthur Court.

Bright idea: Matching wood frames transform food-themed ephemera (labels, grocery ads, and menus) into a polished collection.

Victoria Pearson

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Simple Mudroom

This California cottage's mudroom boasts a 1930s factory stool, which retains its original green paint, while the iron hooks on the coatrack swivel from side to side.

Stacey Brandford

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Colorful Guest Suite

The truth about this room's walls? The paneling didn't match the rest of the house, so instead of whitewashing the wood, Sarah Richardson, interior designer and host of HGTV's Sarah's House, camouflaged it with an opaque paint, The Plaza by Glidden—a compromise that comes off as intentional.

Roger Davies

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Elegant Dining Area

Casual eclecticism rules in this Chicago cottage's dining nook, furnished with a reclaimed-oak table, a Belgian sofa from the early 1900s, reproduction caned chairs, and a vintage footstool upholstered with an antique carpet.

Lisa Romerein

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Unique Laundry Room

In the laundry room of this California cottage, photo-realistic wallpaper from Anthropologie fools the eye into thinking that books have been stacked floor to ceiling. A jute basket from World Market, filled with colorful quilts, sits beneath a reclaimed-oak table.

Max Kim-Bee

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Numbered Stairs

The family of this renovated Texas cottage stenciled numbers on plywood, which they nailed to their stair risers (painted Black Suede by Behr).

Victoria Pearson

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Small Space Decorating Ideas

A cheap curtain wire kit—not brackets and drapery rods—supports these panels in the den of this California home.

Pretty Accent Wall Ideas to Brighten Up a Room

Erin Cavoto Erin Cavoto is the Editorial Assistant at ThePioneerWoman.com, covering food, holidays, home decor, and more.

13 cottage decorating ideas: cottage decor and design ideas

(Image credit: Neptune)

Are you looking to decorate a cottage? Or do you simply love cottage decor ideas and style and adore swooning over chocolate box homes? If so we've got plenty of inspiration for creating this cosy look in your home, however large your space.

From stylish wall colors and finishes to pretty but practical flooring and window treatments to characterful decor schemes to copy, these cottage decorating ideas are the perfect place to start planning your scheme. 

See: Cottage kitchen ideas – design inspiration for homely spaces

What is cottage style?

Cottage style is all about showcasing and preserving prized original features as well as creating cozy, homely spaces. Small but beautiful, cottages are awash with historic stone and timber floors, rustic ceiling beams and quirky angles, and its these elements which give cottage interiors their unique character. 

Prized features of the rural landscape, chocolate-box cottages are entwined with geology and the landscape, so taking decorating inspiration from the natural surroundings is a fitting place to start thinking about a scheme. Think colors inspired by the nature, botanical prints and an eclectic mix of handmade and antique wooden furniture.

1. Decorate in earthy, natural tones

(Image credit: Vanessa Arbuthnott)

Cottages are inextricably linked with their rural setting and brimming with natural materials with soft weathered textures so what better palette to decorate in than with the gentle colors of the countryside? 

Here, Little Greene’s greenish neutral – North Brink Grey 291 – sets a relaxed mood and a calm foundation for furniture in a mix of Vanessa Arbuthnott's nature-inspired fabrics including a vintage german sofa in Fruit Garden Straw, Pigeon, Charcoal and armchairs in her May Blossom Pigeon/Charcoal.

Don't miss our cottage lighting ideas for pretty, practical solutions.

2. Mix and match wooden furniture 

(Image credit: Susie Watson Designs)

Embracing natural materials is the perfect complement to the rustic features of a cottage, as Susie Watson, founder of Susie Watson Designs , explains. 

‘Using natural wood furniture, connects a space to its surroundings and adds character,’ she says. ‘Antique furniture can blend well with newly bought furniture, don’t worry about matching the color of the wood just make sure the era of the pieces feels coherent.’

3. Choose warm, earthy colors

(Image credit: Future / Brent Darby )

Cottage style is all about creating that warm welcome and homely feel. Choosing warm shades based on natural earth pigments is an easy way to enhance the mood of a space; try creams, and earthy stone and honeyed yellow shades through to warm plaster pinks and rich terracottas for instant coziness.  

When decorating an old cottage with original plaster it is advised to use a breathable formula made such as Edward Bulmer's Natural Paint , for similar shade to the above try Brick. 

For cottage kitchen ideas, don't miss our inspiring image gallery.

4. Choose a Shaker-style kitchen

(Image credit: Devol)

Based on the Shaker principles of simplicity, utility, and craftsmanship, the elegant proportions and fuss-free, linear design of Shaker kitchen cabinetry make it perfect for a humble cottage, mixed in with reclaimed unfitted pieces for a relaxed feel. 

If low ceilings are an issue, limiting storage mainly to base cabinetry is a good way to keep a cottage feeling bright and open, while also allowing beautiful stone walls to stand out, as this beautiful deVOL kitchen proves. 

(Image credit: Devol)

Cottages are loved for their warm and welcoming feel, and key to creating this is including a rustic farmhouse table and chairs for social gathering, as Helen Parker, creative director at deVOL explains.  

'The charm of a cottage kitchen is often the quirky and eclectic mix of old and new that gives the feeling of a cosy and welcoming space. A vintage kitchen table and chairs is a must, all cottages need a spot for chatting and drinking tea and the ubiquitous jug of wild flowers.'

6. Fill your home with garden flowers

(Image credit: Future / Brent Darby / Styling Pippa Blenkinsop)

When it comes to cottage style 'fresh garden or hedge row flowers are a must and can mark the difference between urban and country living,' reveals Vanessa Arbuthnott. 

For a pretty floral centerpiece on your kitchen table, gather a selection of vessels in different materials and sizes such as apothercary vases, chippy enamel just, jam jars and stoneware pots and fill with your fresh pickings. Don't worry about stems being different lengths or about colors clashing, this variety of blooms jostling for attention is key to the quaint cottage look.

See: Cottage garden ideas – pretty ways to embrace rustic style outdoors

7.

Decorate with heritage prints

(Image credit: Future / Kasia Fiszer)

Pay homage to the beautiful rural setting of your cottage by decorating with papers and fabrics that capture the charm of the countryside. William Morris – artist, designer, poet, socialist and ‘Godfather of the Arts and Crafts Movement’ – created hundreds of designs that celebrate the beauty of nature. 

Mostly created around the late 19th-century, his stylized flora and fauna prints are still available to buy today, in original and refreshed colorways, and are the perfect way to bring the beauty of nature into the bedroom. 

8. Add in upcycled vintage furniture

(Image credit: Future / Kasia Fiszer / Styling Pippa Blenkinsop)

The great thing about creating a cottage look is that it can be created on a shoestring using vintage pieces and a bit of imagination. Easy to come by at specialist furniture shops and flea markets, dated brown furniture can easily be refreshed with some chalk furniture paint into original and rustic pieces, as this pretty desk proves.  

Don't worry about the finish or the wood color, instead look for beautiful shapes that will shine once painted. When you have spotted the perfect piece, simply sand down, coat with Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint and sand again once dry to create this weathered French look. 

9. Choose a traditional, curvaceous sofa 

(Image credit: Susie Watson Designs)

With elegant curves and a Howard-style silhouette, this small Classic sofa from Susie Watson Designs is a great choice for zoning a snug kitchen-cum-living room, and is layered with paisley, ticking and statement floral cushions, plus a wool throw, for a cozy cottage feel.

10. Get retro with your textile treatments

(Image credit: Vanessa Arbuthnott)

Thought that the curtain pelmet and sink skirt were things of the past? Think again if you're looking for cottage bathroom ideas. Vanessa Arbuthnott shows how these vintage-style designs can look fresh and stylish in this bathroom using her pretty mix and match fabrics. To stop the look feeling too cutesy, embrace contemporary color combinations, such as the the Dark Hay/ Charcoal colorways of these French Ticking, Herbaceous Border and Dainty Daisy fabrics. 

‘The yellow and grey botanical fabrics bring the countryside in and the pretty striped frill around the sink softens and warms up the space too.’ says Vanessa. ‘The bathroom is given a light and airy feel, with its painted wooden floor, and free standing bath.’

11. Paper with romantic botanical wallpapers

(Image credit: Colefax and Fowler)

Prints inspired by nature are a mainstay of quintessential cottage interiors. A master of timeless style, Colefax & Fowler is the go-to brand for romantic botanical prints. New from its Jardine Florals collection, Greenacre features distinctive fan-like gingko leaves with dancing blossoms to produce a contemporary foliage design, and is available across wallpaper. For a vintage botanical bedroom try using this Leaf Green colorway wall to wall, as well as on a quilt, chair and valance.

12. Use a neutral palette to highlight rustic features

(Image credit: Neptune)

There’s something truly magical about sleeping up in the rafters. Let original oak beams stand out against a palette of simple neutrals or pastels. Complement the rustic patina of aged wood with a natural seagrass carpet, then try delicate patterns, such as Neptune’s Emma linen in Sage for upholstery and cushions. 

'As spring is on the way, natural colours like pinks and greens, complement the light and contrast harmoniously against darker greys,' says Amber, home designer at Neptune . 'Alternatively, an all-white look can go a long way in lifting the room to create a lighter space, and our Grace scatter cushions are perfect for adding a little texture.'

13. Create a cozy reading spot

(Image credit: Future / Jody Stewart)

There's lots of Marie Kondo-inspired talk about living clutter-free these days, but when it comes to cottage interiors, a little clutter is a good thing. Shelves of books make homes look cozy and lived in. Having bookshelves floor to ceiling in the living room will keep books organised and will mean they're close at hand when you want to curl up with one by the fire. 

This feature was created by H&G's sister brand, Period Living magazine 

Subscribe to Period Living for more inspiration
Period Living is the UK's best-selling period homes magazine. A subscription provides you with all you need to know about caring for and improving a traditional house and garden.

Pippa is Content Editor on Homes & Gardens online contributing to Period Living and Country Homes & Interiors print issues. A graduate of Art History and formerly Style Editor at Period Living, she is passionate about architecture, creating decorating content, interior styling and writing about craft and historic homes. She enjoys searching out beautiful images and the latest trends to share with the Homes & Gardens audience. A keen gardener, when she’s not writing you’ll find her growing flowers on her village allotment for styling projects.

Cottage interior in modern style

Modern style is not so much a design trend as it is an approach to creating modern interiors.

If the task is to design not an apartment, but a cottage in this style, you need to take into account some features of such real estate. Here you need to strike a balance between proximity to nature and modern solutions that look more appropriate in a metropolis. To find and maintain this balance, an impeccable understanding of the nature of all styles and the ability to combine them correctly is required - therefore, decorating a cottage in a modern style should be entrusted to professional designers.

This trend is based on minimalism with high-tech elements. The technique here is often used not only for its intended purpose, but also as a decor. For example, it is not necessary to look for a place to store a vacuum cleaner if it looks like an art object in itself.

Principles for creating an interior in a modern style:

From the description of the principles, one might get the feeling that such a cottage will turn out to be boring. This is far from true.

By following the basic rules, an ideal neutral base is created, which acts as a background, and you choose the filling to your liking. For example, one of the accents in a modern interior can be a cozy rocking chair, a bright wall or panel, and interesting lamps.

Materials

Any materials can be used - natural wood, plastic, glass, natural and artificial stone, concrete, brick. In cottages, natural materials and textures look very appropriate and harmonious.

The main thing is that they should be of high quality and as close to natural as possible. This is especially important when it comes to decorating a country house.

If the design project is supposed to use wood, let it be natural wood, not plastic with its imitation. Plastic itself has long ceased to be a cheap substitute - now it is a full-fledged, independent material that can look very impressive. It does not need to be decorated to look like wood or stone - let plastic remain plastic, it is one of the main materials of our time, and its origin should not be masked.

The minimalistic nature of interiors in a modern style makes you immediately pay attention to the materials - that is why they should be of the highest quality and status. There are styles for which this moment is not fundamental, but for the modern direction in the design of cottages, the quality of materials plays a decisive role.

Lighting

Cottage interiors are characterized by an abundance of light. Large free windows, the right lighting system - all this helps to make the room bright and cozy at any time of the day, regardless of the weather and season.

When creating a lighting system in cottages, two radically different approaches are practiced:

Decor

There are no random things in modern interiors of country houses. Decor for the sake of decor creates visual noise and distracts attention from key elements.

Almost anything can be used as decor, as long as the design of the object fits into the overall concept. A lamp, a coffee table, an armchair - any unusual thing can be harmoniously entered into a modern style if professionals are involved in solving this problem.

Technologies

If you want to keep your home routine to a minimum, you should consider the Smart Home system. Its implementation will help manage all processes remotely in a convenient mode. It can be anything from turning on the kettle to opening the curtains.

The system fits perfectly into the interior - its elements are almost invisible. If you are planning to create a Smart Home at home, just tell your designer about it, and he will help to integrate all ideas into the interior in a quality manner.

Article author: Anna Lebedeva, founder and chief architect-designer L.Designstudio

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Cottage or country house interior: 70 photos, design ideas

The interior of the cottage should be as comfortable and cozy as possible, so that its residents can really relax and take a break from the noise and everyday life outside the city. The possibility of arranging a large area, the presence of high ceilings, as well as proximity to natural beauties - all this contributes to the use of a creative approach to creating a truly ergonomic space. To decorate the interior of a cottage or a country house, you need to follow a number of recommendations, which we will discuss below.

What designers advise

If the interiors of apartments in the city do not always depend on the features of the building, then the design of private houses will depend directly on the design of the building. For example, an Art Nouveau design is unlikely to look harmonious inside a wooden frame with traditional elements. In other words, the first recommendation is to maintain harmony between the interior and exterior of a country house.

As for the interior design of the room, we can say about the following nuances:

- Choose a single style for interior design;
- Provide the necessary color scheme;
- Choose high-quality modern finishing materials;
- Choose pieces of furniture that match the style;
- Make good use of decorative elements and artificial lighting.

All these factors must be taken into account in order to create a beautiful cottage interior.

Colors

When designing any interior, including a country house, it is important to choose the right color solutions. The wrong palette can make you feel bad and reduce productivity. Of course, it all depends on individual preferences, but there are general patterns.

Furnishing a private house involves the use of several basic (more than four) shades of those colors that seem most attractive to the owner. But only one color should prevail for decorating the walls. It is recommended to give preference to neutral calm tones, while colorful shades should be used as accents. Remember that in a cozy cottage there is no need for excessive variegation, but it all depends on the style you choose, so there may be various color options.

One way to create an original interior is to combine smooth and embossed surfaces with different textures. In such a situation, even a monochromatic design looks contrasting and attractive.

Keep in mind that even just one textured detail can significantly enliven the space. For example, in a Scandinavian-style house, you can combine discreet curtains made of plain fabric and the same furniture upholstery with wicker chairs, large-knit covers, etc.

Furniture

In cottages or country houses it is better not to clutter up the space with a lot of furniture. Moreover, modern trends dictate the fashion for minimalism. This is especially true for small houses, where it is best to pick up multifunctional pieces of furniture, possibly folding ones. In spacious country houses, large-sized furniture looks better.

It must be remembered that the combination of large objects and small details will look the most harmonious. If you place exceptionally large structures in rooms, they will not be perceived expressively. But too many small elements will sooner or later begin to annoy the residents and guests of the house.

Lighting

Luminaires are selected based on their appearance. It is important that during the day they fit into the overall style. Depending on the background, chandeliers, floor lamps or sconces are selected, they can be dark, light, golden - the main thing is that the atmosphere of a country house is stylistically coherent.

It is important to choose a lampshade wisely, so decide in advance which style you prefer - country, classic or minimalist. In large rooms, it is recommended to install large chandeliers, and for small rooms, compact lamps are more suitable.

Interior style for a country house

In country cottages you can embody any design delights. However, in addition to fashion trends, be sure to take into account the individual preferences of the owners of the house. Consider the main characteristics of the most popular styles for interior design of cottages: country, provence, chalet, as well as Scandinavian and modern style.

Country cottage

This style is suitable for lovers of rustic romance and family traditions. Country is the best option for owners of wooden houses.

Modern materials such as metal, glass or plastic are unacceptable in such interiors. For decoration, they often use wallpaper with floral motifs or stripes, decorative plaster or stone, imitation of a wooden beam.

Color solutions should be as natural as possible. For the living room, the main focus can be a fireplace, it is recommended to choose furniture that is not high. In the kitchen, put an old sideboard with shelves, a massive wooden table, linen or chintz curtains, and painted dishes.

Provence style cottage

This style is considered the ideal solution for creating a cozy countryside atmosphere. Mandatory attributes of the Provence style are considered to be the use of natural materials and floral motifs.

This trendy French trend assumes an important role for furniture and decorative elements. Choose solid furniture, perhaps vintage or aged. It is best if it is in light shades.

As for decor, wicker elements, vases with lavender, porcelain and baskets look good in Provence style interiors. All this brings a unique atmosphere to the house and makes staying in it comfortable, which is very important for cottages or suburban buildings.

Chalet-style cottage

For wooden cottages, the chalet style is also suitable, which will create a fabulous cozy interior with minimal decoration. As a rule, the floor and ceiling in such buildings are wooden, and the ceiling beams remain visible.

The main characteristics of the style are conciseness, the use of natural materials with a minimum of processing, as well as environmental friendliness. A mandatory detail is the fireplace, which occupies a central place in the living room.

Decor includes wool, leather and fur skins. Household appliances in the kitchen are hidden behind cabinets so that the atmosphere of antiquity is preserved in the house. As a chandelier, plafonds made in the shape of a candle are ideal.

Scandinavian style cottage

This direction is distinguished by restraint, minimal inclusion of decor and the use of high-quality natural materials. If you do not want to spend a lot of money on home improvement, but prefer modern trends and want to create a spacious, bright interior, pay attention to the Scandinavian style.

It is enough to level the walls in the house and choose a neutral background - most often it is just white paint. Wood is used as decoration. If necessary, the interior can be bright accents.

As for the furniture, it should be soft and comfortable, but the shape should be as simple as possible. In the Scandinavian style, natural wood is welcome. You can dilute the strict atmosphere with the help of pleasant little things, for example, unusual curtains or plants in a flower pot.

Modern style cottage

Interiors decorated in a modern style often use furniture made of inexpensive materials - wood, glass, plastic. However, it is important to choose all items carefully so that they are reliable. In practice, the modern style is suitable for those who are used to changing the interior of a country house every few years.

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