How to Bring English Cottage Interior Design into Your Home
What springs to mind when you picture a traditional English cottage? Is it low beams suspended from the ceiling, walls lined with patterned fabrics, or a cosy armchair perched beside a roaring open fire? English cottage interior design is colourful, personal, and a little bit quirky, allowing you to create a warm, well lived-in space that feels completely your own.
If you’re dreaming of bringing this charming look into your own space, the good news is that English country cottager interior design translates beautifully to American homes. Follow our top tips below to discover how to achieve this characterful style in your own space.
Our favourite English cottage interior design ideas
1) Add some characterful vintage pieces
One of the hallmarks of English cottage style interior design is the gentle layering of old and new. In England, we often reupholster family heirlooms in fresh country fabrics to give them a new lease of life while keeping their story intact.
Look for furniture pieces that already have character, such as a weathered dresser, a vintage chair, or a rustic farmhouse table, and pair them with something modern like handmade cushions or a bespoke lampshade in a playful fabric. This approach can transform even the most tired furniture into treasures.
2) Mix colours and patterns
English country cottage interior design is never afraid of mixing florals, geometrics, and stripes. The key is to keep your palette tight – stick to three or four colours that harmonise together, and repeat them across different surfaces.
For example, you could paint a bookcase in a warm shade of ochre, upholster an armchair in a gentle floral fabric, or add some striped cushions for a playful contrast. This will make your room feel like it’s evolved naturally over time, rather than being designed all at once.
3) Layer natural materials
At the heart of English cottage style interior design is a love of natural materials. Think linens, cottons, wool, and wood. These materials are as practical as they are beautiful, as linen is cool in the summer, while wool and heavy cottons bring warmth in winter.
Layering these textures helps to create depth and interest in your space. For example, you could incorporate a crisp cotton tablecloth alongside wicker baskets, fill a ceramic jug with fresh flowers, or add in a heavy wool rug.
4) Think about your lighting
Here in England, we experience long and dark winters, which have made us experts at creating atmosphere with pools of light. Instead of flooding your entire room with brightness, you should focus on creating visual contrasts, like balancing a shadowy corner with a warm table lamp for a soft glow.
Look for lamp bases that have interesting forms, like carved wood or ceramic, and pair them with ruched or pleated shades to gently diffuse the light. This creates a wonderfully layered scheme that feels cosy and welcoming.
5) Dress your walls with personality
Another way to bring depth to your English cottage interior design scheme is through the walls. We love to layer patterned wallpaper with a joyful mix of art, sketches, vintage mirrors, and candle sconces. The picture frames you choose don’t need to match, but they should tie into your chosen colour palette.
You can also use wallpaper in unexpected ways. Try lining the back of your cupboards or the walls behind open shelving with a small-scale print, and then style it with glasses, crockery, or books. This simple detail adds instant charm and personality to your space.
6) Embrace a more relaxed, organic style
The number one thing to remember about English cottage style interior design is that it is deliberately relaxed. Books piled on side tables, shells collected from walks on the beach, and hand-thrown ceramics all play their part in making your space feel well lived-in.
Start by thinking about the pieces that reflect your own family story. It could be a quilt that’s been passed down through generations, pottery that you’ve picked up at a local craft fair, or even an eclectic gallery wall of your children’s art and family photographs. These touches are perfect for bringing individuality and soul to your interior.
Your journey to English cottage charm starts here
At Vanessa Arbuthnott Fabrics, we offer a fantastic selection of beautiful Cotswold style fabrics that are perfect for bringing the warmth of English cottage interior design into your home. From subtle stripes to dainty florals, each of our fabrics is designed to capture the energetic spirit of the English countryside, adding instant charm and character to any room.
Explore our US best sellers and get inspired to transform your space with our timeless nature-inspired fabrics.
We sell fabrics exclusively designed by Vanessa Arbuthnott, along side small, bespoke collection of Made to Measure items which includes curtains, blinds, sofas, footstools, chairs, headboards, and quilts, all handmade specially for you by master crafts people.
