Posted on August 19, 2022
Image credit: Emma (byemmadiaz on Instagram)
No other place in the UK does that idyllic countryside, cottagecore aesthetic better than The Cotswolds. With it’s honey-hued homes and storybook villages set against pretty rolling hills, many interiors lovers find a little piece of The Cotswolds to create their own fairytale oasis. The good news is that wherever you are, you can still tie in elements of that gorgeous cottagecore aesthetic to your own home. Here are a few tips to help you get started!
Blending textures and patterns
Image credit: Bee Osborn @osborninteriors
The fun thing about the cottagecore look is that you can play around with textiles and patterns. This might feel a little daunting but don’t think of big clashing patterns but ones that harmoniously work together. A good place to start is by finding a neutral tone that you love for a room and then exploring varying patterns and textiles in keeping with the same colour palette.
If you need any inspiration, interior designer Bee Osborn has it nailed and easily shows you how to pull together a cosy, cohesive look with varying patterns and textiles.
For brands that create some seriously beautiful patterns and textiles, So Souk use globally inspired soft colours, patterns and textures which work for both modern and traditional interiors. The handblock printing is exquisite! Punica is great for bolder colours and patterns with a gorgeous collection of lampshades, cushions and throws.
For made to measure furniture, blinds, curtains and soft furnishing, Vanessa Arbuthnott is a Cotswolds designer who creates and sells her own fabric, wallpaper and more. For vintage and French inspired fabrics, Peony and Sage is our recommended go-to!
Lighting is key
A big part of creating the perfect cottage feel is tied into the lighting. It’s considered, playful and different in each room which we love.
Many cottages throughout The Cotswolds are smaller than modern homes and can feel a little dark, which means getting creative to create that perfect ambient, relaxing lighting. For some pretty lighting inspiration, check out Little Nest Cottage on Instagram where they’ve optimised the natural light through the windows of their cottage with white walls and furnishing but have added thoughtful lighting throughout to keep tones soft and bright at any time of day.
A lot of Cotswolds homes also have beams across the ceiling meaning wall lights, floor lamps and table lamps are the best options for letting the light in. Golden Fox Cottage on Instagram use clever lighting throughout to brighten their beautiful cottage with stunning beam ceilings.
In terms of where to find lighting for that cottagecore aesthetic, you can still tailor it to your preferred style. For luxury, classic and modern lighting, check out Jim Lawrence. Pooky is our favourite for decorative lighting, with unique designer styles at reasonable prices.
If you’re looking for elegant, natural and minimalist, Neptune is our go-to with lighting that mimics nature and focuses on bringing you the lighting you need for a specific area of your home.
Neutral tones with a pop of colour
Cotswolds cottage homes are all about the neutral tones, but this doesn’t equal boring. Interiors lovers instead play around with textures and patterns as mentioned above or find a pop of colour to bring their personality to a room. You can start by using soft furnishing if you want to play around with some colour options, but it’s great to use your room’s canvas to bring a colour palette to life.
We recommend checking out paint brands Little Greene, Farrow & Ball and Fenwick and Tilbrook for beautiful shades to explore. Our favourite Cotswolds interior designer Bee Osborn has had her own colours made up with Fenwick and Tilbrook which are used in her famous Cotswolds cottage.
For colour inspiration, we’d highly recommend following Emma (byemmadiaz on Instagram) who is a colour consultant for interiors. One of the most aesthetically pleasing cottage accounts, Emma is an expert at colour and you can see how she seamlessly brings in pops of colour to her natural interiors to create the most beautiful home.