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Cottage Interiors: 15 Unique Ideas for Inside Your Home

Cottage Interiors: 15 Unique Ideas for Inside Your Home

If you have a charming cottage but struggle to find the aesthetic you want, look no further than our guide to cottage interiors.

We’ve rounded up our 15 favorite and unique ideas for decorating the inside of your cottage.

Looking for Cottage Interior Ideas?

Whether your property is your home or a vacation house for quiet getaways, cottages work with many home styles, ranging from country-chic to sleek and modern to simple and subtle. 

No matter your style, your cottage should be decorated to reflect your personality and taste, making you feel comfortable and happy whenever you are there.

With some planning and an aesthetic in mind, you can turn your cottage into the ideal sanctuary for you and your family.

15 Inspiring Cottage Interiors

Peruse the style inspirations below for your cottage interiors and consider which one fits your style.

These ideas turn any home into an endearing place for you to relax and unwind from the stress of life. Consider combining them tastefully or taking your favorite elements from different styles.

Log Cabin Look

Log Cabin Look cottage interior idea

Alena Ozerova/Shutterstock

The classic log-cabin look is a charming aesthetic that has been around for so long that it’s come back in style! The log-cabin look brings a woodsy feel to your cottage, igniting s’mores cravings and afternoon hikes.

If your property is in or near a wooded area, this is a fantastic aesthetic to adopt.

To achieve the perfect log cabin vibe, decorate with woodland creatures like bear figurines or pillows with ducks and other animals.

Most, if not all, of your furniture should be wooden to match the log walls. Throw in a pine-scented candle to complete the mood!

Rustic Farmhouse

Rustic farmhouse cottage interior idea with a white stucco wall with exposed brown wooden beams and a rustic wood floor

Ermess/Shutterstock

Decorating your cottage interior with a rustic, farm-style look will create a peaceful and quiet atmosphere. Choose simple decorations that bring warmth and comfort to your home.

Decorate using natural wood finishes and darker, muted colors. Add rustic décor like wooden barrels or old-fashioned lanterns that tie the aesthetic together.

Paintings of farm scenes or landscapes on canvas add to the richness of this aesthetic. You can also keep fresh produce in baskets on your dining table to add some color and vibrancy to the room.

Casual Preppy

Casual preppy cottage interior idea featuring an airy white space with white walls and white painted beams

2m Media/Shutterstock

A casual preppy aesthetic is a marvelous idea if your cottage is near a beach or lake.

Use pastels and bright, happy colors mixed with polka dot or striped patterns. Decorate with lots of plants and bright flowers like roses, peonies, or carnations.

For this style, windows are your best friend, and you should aim to have as much sunlight streaming into your cottage as possible.

Opt for light-colored curtains or shades that will let a lot of light seep through and brighten your cottage interior.

Soft Brick Veneer

Soft brick veneer wall behind the headboard of a bed next to a giant picture window that overlooks the city below

Mariia Smeshkova/Shutterstock

Soft-colored brick walls make your house feel cozy and safe from the outside world.

Brick walls add a warmth that gives you a great deal of freedom when choosing furniture and decorations.

You can make it rustic or bring in light pastels that will brighten up the cottage. The brick creates a comfortable environment while keeping warmth in, which is a bonus if you’re in an area with freezing winters.

Fairytale Witch Cottage

3d rendering of a witch's cottage interior

Valentyna Chukhlyebova/Shutterstock

Live out your fairytale of casting spells and mixing potions with witchy cottage interiors.

You can take this to whatever extreme you like or keep it subtle with a black color scheme and cast-iron accents. A fireplace and a four-post bed will bring this magical style into your house.

If this is your vacation home, it can be fun to dress it up as something outside of the norm, but maybe not if this is your full-time residence.

If you are into a macabre accent, add some faux skulls or occult books and spook your guests!

Minimalist Style

Photo of a cottage interior decorated in a minimalist style with white wooden floors and natural wooden ceilings

SeventyFour/Shutterstock

There is nothing wrong with keeping your decorating minimal and leaving your cottage as a clean and spacious place for you to relax and unwind.

Clean lines and subtle colors open up a space and give you room to breathe, especially if you have a big family that tends to clutter spaces.

Avoid decorating too much on the walls or other surfaces that will make the cottage feel cramped rather than capacious.

Minimalist styles help you avoid messes and keep your home clean. This aesthetic will have you spending less time cleaning and more time relaxing.

Beachy Vibes

Cottage interiors idea in the beachy style with a coffee table painted yellow with a white couch slip and blue and red pillows

Dora Ramirez/Shutterstock

A beachy cottage interior is the best way to maximize your beach vacation.

If your cottage is near the ocean or maybe a lovely lake, a beach-themed aesthetic immerses you in your vacation and takes you away from your daily life.

Find or buy seashells and conches to foster the aesthetic, and opt for blue and green color schemes.

Another way to create a beach vibe is to find art showing beach scenes or ocean landscapes. Using furniture with stripes and bright colors helps tie this look together.

Clean and White

Clean white cottage interior with white cabinets, white paneled walls and ceilings, and white tile floor with the only accents being natural stained wooden butcher block counters and tabletops

Anna Andersson Fotografi/Shutterstock

One way to curate your cottage interior is in a peaceful, pure white style that leaves you feeling refreshed and tranquil after spending time in the space.

Utilizing pure white paint brings new life to any home and brings a beautiful sense of calm along with it.

Creating a clean, white space gives you a place to escape to and reset when life gets hectic. This immaculate aesthetic is another beautiful option for cottages located near beaches or lakes.

Sleek and Modern

Sleek, modern, and expensive cottage interior with slate tile on the fireplace and ceramic tile in tan color on the floor

Bezikus/Shutterstock

Modern aesthetics typically veer away from bold colors and intricate patterns. Instead, opt for muted colors that work well together and sleek, streamlined furniture with a futuristic feel.

If you decide to use a bright color, try to stick with one statement color that becomes the focus rather than a mix of bold hues. The modern décor features geometric designs and lots of right angles.

Consider this when arranging your furniture, and aim for perfectly lined-up furniture. Plush rugs and simple light fixtures are staples of modern design that will make your cottage sleek and stylish.

Country Chic

For a piece on ideas for cottage interiors a country chic cottage interior with green wallpapered walls and sheer curtains with natural wooden farmhouse-style doors

Photographee.eu/Shutterstock

A mash-up of a rustic aesthetic with a more modern and fun style, country chic encompasses what a cottage is meant to be.

In this style, you can combine a variety of colors and patterns to build an eclectic setting that is fun and exciting. Don’t be afraid to have old-fashioned décor mixed with modern accents.

For example, this image shows an old-school farmhouse door matched with a refreshing floral wallpaper and grand French doors that are both modern and classic at the same time.

Pair a plaid couch with a leather chair or a floral throw with a polka-dot bedspread! This aesthetic is all about combining the rustic feel of country style with a modern twist that invigorates your home.

Grand and Lavish

Grand and lavish cottage interior idea with pine paneling on the walls and ceiling with dark blue plush rugs and round record lights on the walls

StockCo/Shutterstock

People who want to create an unapologetically bold and beautiful space should consider this style.

To achieve this aesthetic, look for unique textures, colors, and patterns for your furniture. Mix and match pieces that may not match perfectly but together form an eclectic style.

Look for glittery accents and opportunities for a stark contrast. Don’t hold back here. Faux fur, statement art pieces, and a plethora of pillows and blankets are a great start to curating a lavish cottage interior.

The space should radiate absolute comfort and quality so pay attention to the small details, like how soft your pillows are or if the rug is comfortable to walk in. Summed up, this style embraces the motto “treat yourself” with open arms.

Vintage

Vintage style cottage interior with plush and ornate chairs on a fancy rug next to a stone mantle and fireplace wall

Santiago Cornejo/Shutterstock

A vintage interior creates a homey and inviting aura in a house. It’s like you can feel all the history in the furniture and the walls. Not only is a vintage cottage adorable and stylish, but it’s a blast to bring it together.

Make hunting for décor a family activity where you all explore the area together. Bring in sentimental pieces from your own family if you have any, and create an atmosphere of class and peculiarity.

An eclectic furniture collection makes a house feel like a home as everyone calls dibs on their favorite chair.

Find furniture with unique, antiquated patterns that will bring new life to your house and the furniture. Traditional wallpaper styles also bring a vintage feel to a space; just don’t go overboard with patterns!

Nature-Inspired

Nature inspired cottage interior with paintings of ducks on a wainscoted wall over natural hardwood floors

Photographee.eu/Shutterstock

Bring the outdoors inside by utilizing a nature-inspired interior in your cottage. A nature-inspired aesthetic works well if you use your cottage as an escape from urban life or the business of your daily routine.

When decorating, use lots of plants, flowers, and herbs to bring the greenery of the forest into your home as well as fresh oxygen.

Look for animal-themed patterns and décor that will charm your guests and create a delightful and whimsical atmosphere.

Consider using small birdhouses as décor or decorative nests. If your style is extra woodsy, you can use fake deer heads or faux bear rugs and kick it up a notch!

Simple and Elegant

Idea for cottage interiors featuring a simple and modern dining room with parquet wood floors and white painted cabinets with taupe walls

Karen Culp/Shutterstock

If your cottage is your vacation home, a simple and elegant aesthetic creates a peaceful and serene space to unwind and getaway. Choose calming colors and avoid hectic patterns that may feel chaotic.

Pairing soft wood grains with muted furniture makes a space feel clean and relaxing, which is the perfect atmosphere for a vacation. 

This style is great for people who get overwhelmed when trying to decorate. Just keep it simple with comfortable furniture and basic colors that you won’t tire of after a few months.

Simple and elegant doesn’t necessarily mean minimalist, as you can have large pieces of furniture and simple patterns. Play with different textures, like velvet couches or satin curtains, that add to the quality of the interior.

Quaint and Colorful

Quaint and colorful cottage interior with blue walls and cream trim with exposed wooden beams and dark brown hardwood floors

Milosz Maslanka/Shutterstock

A traditional look for cottages, using happy colors and charming furniture, fosters a bed and breakfast aesthetic that is relaxing and comfortable while being different from the norm.

To achieve this aesthetic, avoid clunky furniture and rich colors and instead opt for pastels and simple designs. Patterns, especially florals, contribute to the picturesque interior that resembles something out of a Virginia Woolf novel. 

Don’t be afraid to mix and match patterns and colors, and aim for a happy aesthetic that feels warm and welcoming to your guests. It should feel like a wonderful place to have a cup of tea with your neighbor!

Things to Consider

If you want to make your cottage a sanctuary for you to escape to, consider how much time you spend there and how much effort you are willing to put into your cottage interiors.

When choosing an aesthetic for your cottage, consider the following:

  • Cost: Some of these styles require significant renovations that may not be in your budget. Consider how much you are willing to spend on your cottage interior and how much effort you want to put into a redesign.
  • Location: It’s always a good idea to try to incorporate the environment your cottage is in. If you are in the woods, consider the log cabin look or a rustic style. But if your cottage is by a beach or lake, you may want to opt for a beachy theme or something colorful!
  • Aesthetic: On the other hand, if your cottage is by the beach but you hate starfish and seashells in people’s homes, don’t compromise your taste. Don’t feel like you have to coordinate with your location if you don’t want to. Let your style come through in the house, or you won’t enjoy the time you spend there.

What’s Your Favorite Cottage Interior?

Whether you have a lovely little cottage that needs a facelift or you just want some quaint style tips, these aesthetics are great inspiration for any space.

When things get hectic, everyone needs a spot they feel cozy and safe in. These decorating ideas bring light and warmth to your full-time home, vacation house, or any place that you want to transform into an idyllic space for peace.