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If you’re thinking about building your own cottage or just looking for some design tips to help you get started, read on! Having your own cottage is a luxurious but affordable lifestyle choice that is perfect for retirees, people looking for a second home, or anyone looking to reduce their cost of living. Here are some design tips that you can use when building your cottage to help you turn your vision into reality and ensure that your cottage is everything you expect it to be and more!
Know Your Style
The first step to designing your perfect cottage is to take some time to figure out what kind of style you like best. Do you want a rustic farmhouse-style cottage? A modern Scandinavian-style cottage? An elegant French-style cottage? Or something in between? Think about the kind of atmosphere you want to create in your cottage and design your space around that vision.
Once you know what style you like best, you can start thinking about how you can incorporate it into your design plan. For example, if you have a rustic farmhouse-style cottage in mind, you might want to use wooden furniture, thick wood beams, and exposed brick to help bring that style to life. On the other hand, if you envision a modern Scandinavian-style cottage, you might want to opt for sleek white furniture, lots of clean lines, and lots of natural lighting to help create that aesthetic.
Once you’ve figured out the style and atmosphere you’re looking to create in your cottage, you can then start looking at color palettes to help guide the rest of your design decisions.
2. Plan For Natural Lighting
One of the biggest mistakes people make when designing their cottages is that they neglect to think about the way the room will be lit. Not only do you need to plan for natural lighting, you also need to plan for the artificial lighting you need. If your cottage is small, you’ll likely only have a few windows to work with for natural lighting. This means that you’ll need to rely on artificial light sources, such as lamps and overhead lights, to provide adequate light. You may also need to install wall sconces on the walls to provide additional light for reading and other hobbies.
When planning your lighting, it’s best to consider how much natural light the rooms in your cottage will receive throughout the day and how that will affect your need for artificial light. This will help you create the perfect lighting plan for your cottage so that it’s both functional and aesthetically pleasing.
3. Choose a Focal Point
As you’re planning the layout of your cottage, it’s important to think about how you want each room to feel and look. The focal point of each room is where your eye will be drawn when you enter the space. This can be a fireplace or a window.
Whatever you choose, it’s important that it be visually interesting and important to your overall design plan. Try using one large piece of furniture, such as a sectional couch or big area rug, as the focal point of a room, and then use smaller pieces and accessories to add visual interest throughout the space. This will not only help tie together all of the design elements of the room, it will also give the room a sense of balance that is visually appealing to visitors.
4. Select the Right Flooring
Your choice of flooring can significantly impact the look and feel of your cottage. If you want to create a sense of warmth in your cottage, it’s a good idea to choose carpeting instead of hardwood or laminate floors. Carpet is not only soft and comfortable to walk on, it’s also more affordable than hardwood flooring and can be easily replaced if it gets damaged. However, if you like the look of hardwood floors, you can install laminate wood flooring to give your home a beautiful rustic look that’s easy to care for and maintain.
Conclusion
Designing and building your own dream home can be a lot of fun. There are a lot of important decisions to be made throughout the process, but there are also plenty of opportunities to express your creativity and make your home reflect your personality and preferences. By following these tips, you can create a beautiful and comfortable cottage that you can’t wait to spend time in for many years to come.
