We create cozy, nature-inspired interiors for anyone who loves cozy cottage style interiors designed with artful simplicity and unpretentious charm.
Simplicity: The Key To American Cottage Design
“Simple” here does not mean living in a austere, monk-like space.
It means that the space has been designed with an artistic eye for clean, simple lines and an uncluttered ambiance.
There are lots of reasons to love this style:
For one, it’s more affordable than other design styles that rely on expensive and ornate fabrics, furniture styles and window coverings. American Cottage Design loves more cost effective, natural fabrics like cotton and linen; furniture pieces that are inherited and repurposed; chairs and sofas that are simply upholstered and slipcovered, and less expensive woods like pine, maple and popular. Also, being typically smaller, they are more affordable to purchase, heat, cool and maintain.
For another, it incorporates many of the principles of Biophilia whose aim is to bring people closer to the natural world for health and well being. One of the ways it does this is by relying on simple, authentic materials from nature in its design, like wood, stone, leather and linen. In my mind, there’s nothing like the real thing.
Its earth-toned palette, textile patterns and art images bring nature indoors and, because of that, give us a greater sense of peace and happiness.
Its clean lines beautifully meld both modern and rustic pieces together, making it feel fresh and warm. It does, however, make a modern concession for simple, soft upholstered pieces. If you love older homes with a slightly modern edge, this style might be for you.
It also harks back to a simpler time when things were handmade by talented craftsmen and craftswomen who put so much of themselves into their work that each piece, now, reveals the heart and soul and hand of its maker. In today’s society of mass produced products, we prize these characteristics and hold dear the memories of the lifestyle they represent.
All in all, I like to think of American Cottage Design as a style that balances perfectly between having too much and having too little. Its simple charm is unpretentious and comfortable. With that kind of focus you get a little closer to the things that really matter in life: a greater appreciation for nature, personal learning and loving others.
It works for today’s cottage-style fans, and especially empty nesters, because it’s:
Easy to maintain
Easy to furnish
Easy to live in
Easy to adapt to seasonal decor
“ My goal is no longer to get more done, but rather to have less to do.”
-Francine Jay
Simplicity: The Key To A Richer Inner Life
I remember lying on the floor of a log cabin, huddled deep inside my sleeping bag, surrounded by a room full of sleeping(?) 10 year old girls. It was the annual girl scout weekend outing and I had volunteered to chaperone.
That Friday I had left the office, late and in a hurry to get my daughter and I packed. My thoughts were barely on the task. I was tired from a week of busy meetings and exhausting work. I knew I was nearing my limit and had some big decisions to make, but could a single mom with two kids actually quit her job and start over? That was the question.
I poked my head out of my little cocoon and looked around. What I saw was a world I had once loved, but had long abandoned: a world outside of cubicles and phones, high heels and painted nails. And suddenly, I knew my decision had been made. I felt a great weight lifted from my shoulders.
The next morning, as we hiked through the forest I felt the stress fade away and I began to smile… something, I realized, I had not done for a very long time. I felt contented. I had no idea what my next chapter would be, but I knew everything would eventually be OK. All it took was a weekend in a simple cabin and time outdoors with my daughter to get my compass re-set.
In the coming months and years I came to realize that living simply frees you from the complexity of the world and allows you to let go of the possessions that require constant maintenance and attention. With more free time and fewer distractions, the natural world becomes clearer, offering greater peace, happiness and more time for reflection and personal growth.
Taking time for simple pleasures fosters a richer inner life and doesn’t cost a thing. Simple things like:
watching the sunrise
stretching or doing yoga
making someone laugh
taking a nature hike or an afternoon nap
singing in the shower
laying in the grass and finding faces in the clouds
Does it remind you of any carefree days as a child when you had few responsibilities except to be home on time for dinner? Do you yearn to recapture that feeling when all was right with the world — at least if just for a moment.
For me, cottage style design means creating an environment of peaceful simplicity and trying to eliminate the things you no longer have a use for. It means keeping only the things that are important to you, that you really love, that have quality, and that will last a long time. And then, after everything is edited down, it’s organization that will help streamline your life, reduce the chaos and give you a greater sense of peace.
“Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature.
It will never fail you.”
— Frank Lloyd Wright
Four elements to incorporate in an American Cottage Design
Natural Materials
Use materials that come from your immediate surroundings. Vernacular building materials make them practical to acquire and create a strong sense of place. For example, a cactus plant in a New England cottage would probably be out of character while hydrangeas, which thrive along the East Coast, make perfect sense for that location.
Use wood (i.e. beams, flooring, furniture, walls) in spaces where you want people to relax. Touching soft wood reconnects us to nature and has great texture and visual interest as well as sound deadening and indoor air quality attributes.
In addition to wood, cottage design also loves natural materials like wicker, rattan, glass, stone, linen, cotton, wool, shells and leather to name a few others.
Earth-inspired colors
While many people think of pastels as cottage paint colors we, at American Cottage Design, we prefer darker, muted earth tones juxtaposed with whites and warmer neutrals.
Our color palette comes from natural elements, as was used by early Americans. Long ago interior walls were made of plaster (a mild, dusty cream) possibly with hints of straw. Pine floors, laid without stain or sealer, would have been a light natural pine or an aged darker honey color. Black was usually present somewhere in accents such as book covers, shawls laid over chairs and old metal pots with dark patina. Then there was also dusky, faded shades of green and/or blue. Even though hot mustard was very popular long ago, we like to use shades closer to yarrow or darker shades of ocher. Our only caveat is white. We prefer crisp white walls when white space or modern artwork is part of the plan.
Patterns from nature
Select fabric, wallpaper and artwork with nature-inspired designs. That can include photographic images or artistic interpretations of things like water, seeds, flowers, fruit, vegetables, sky, animals, stars, leaves or weather. Most people find these visually calming and pleasing.
Many artists use nature’s patterns as inspiration for their work. Designers love natural repeating patterns. Hexagon snowflakes, for example, or six-sided beehive cells inspired the hex tile patterns you often find on bathroom floors and other spaces. In the textile world, think stripes, gingham squares or log cabin quilt designs as nature-inspired. Spirals are another natural pattern that inspires artists — as in sunflower seed heads or spiral shaped nautilus seashells, spiral staircases or even braided rugs. Circles and curves are everywhere too, perhaps inspiring a curvy Henry Moore sculpture or the modern round Saarinen table. Many designers also play with scale, stretching or shrinking the sizes of natural formations to provide new perspectives for art, as Georgia O’Keeff did with her flowers.
Indoor plants and flowers
This one is pretty much a no brainer for any cottage design.
Fresh indoor plants are not only good for air filtration, but also to bring nature indoors, bringing us closer to nature and, thus, to enhanced well being.
Fresh flowers also boost moods and foster creativity. After all, they’re pretty and colorful.
Hallmarks Of American Cottage Design
A few well-chosen family heirloom pieces
Tailored upholstery with few embellishments
Inset cabinetry with wooden knobs
Old and/or repurposed wood in floors, exposed beams and furniture
Stone and plaster walls
Stone countertops
Brick or stone fireplaces with wood or stone mantels
Sisal, jute and other hand-made rugs reinterpreted with stripes or modern colors and patterns
6 over 6 or 12 over12 window panes whenever possible
Metal latch-style door handles
“If one truly loves nature, one finds beauty everywhere”
— Vincent Van Gogh