Do you want to replicate the warm, homely feel of a cottage inside your home? Imagine, a top interior design firm based in Bangladesh, reveals how!
Inviting. Rustic. Relaxing. Lived in. Homely.
These are just some of the words used to describe a typical cottage.
And this is the kind of feeling you presumably want to replicate in your own home – which is why you’re looking for a guide on cottage style decor.
And as a leading interior design firm of Bangladesh, Imagine Interiors, is the one to ask!
To start with, what is the basic difference between a cottage and a bungalow or a mansion?
Size.
A cottage is much smaller than most other kinds of houses.
Secondly, what is the difference between a cottage and an apartment?
Informal design. Traditional cottages, where you’re drawing your inspiration from, are designed by village folk themselves, without the help of any trained interior designer.
So, in a cottage, you wouldn’t see the formal design and decor that you would expect in a block of flats.
The two basic points being covered, let’s now look at cottage style decor in detail.
- Be creative with space
Cottages are, by nature, small in size. Some of their rooms and spaces might even appear cramped to someone who’s not used to cottage life.
You can deal with that by being innovative with the space.
For example suppose you have a kitchen and study next to each other. Both rooms individually are quite small.
You can remove the dividing wall and make it a large kitchen-cum-study.
Especially if you live alone or are a couple, you shouldn’t get in each other’s way.
While you’re working at your study, you can easily head into the cooking area and whip up a sandwich for yourself.
And, you have sunlight from the windows shining through both rooms, removing the cramped feeling and lending them an inviting look. This is especially relevant for interior design in Bangladesh since Bangladesh gets a lot of strong sunlight.
- Light colours
When selecting your colour palette, your focus should be on creating a light and relaxing atmosphere.
My suggestion would be to go for a white or a primary colour base (muslin and eggshell are two very good off-white choices for your base). That provides a basic look that’s simple but elegant.
And then go for assorted shapes and colours on the base to really personalize the cottage. In other words, go eclectic!
- Go eclectic!
Don’t buy anything in lots. Whether it’s furniture or wallpaper, make sure you take the time to go around the local flea markets for a number of days, see what all there is on offer, and then buy one piece at a time.
Remember, a cottage is built up over time by people on their own. Thus, in a cottage, every item would have its own story. And you would encounter a lot of antiques.
You can replicate this effect only by buying pieces one at a time. And in particular by scouring through local flea markets and antique shops, looking for pieces that strike you as memorable.
- Flooring
My suggestion would be to not go for tiles or anything remotely modern.
Wood flooring is a good idea and suits the cottage theme.
If you want to avoid wood for sustainability, go for stone or bamboo flooring. And cover the floor with a braided rug, which is very appropriate for bringing out the rustic look of a typical cottage.
- Windows
For windows, don’t go for anything too heavy or thick. Use lace or some sheer material.
If privacy is an issue, go for some simple, say floral patterned, curtains and get a curtain railing so you can easily remove the curtains whenever they’re not needed.
The reason is that cottages should have an airy feel for which open windows are crucial for sunlight to enter and shine through the rooms freely.
However, for interior design in Bangladesh, you also need to remember that Bangladesh can receive very heavy rainfall which is why curtains will be needed.
Let’s go over the key points of cottage style decor once again
- Small size
- Informal design
- Go for light colours and use a neutral base
- Go eclectic
- Use wooden, bamboo or stone flooring
- Ensure that the windows can let sunlight in
I hope you have a wonderful time designing your own home in the style of a cottage.
