| HOME | My Love of Cottages

I have a real love of cottages and anything "countrified". I think this stems from my childhood- I lived close to the countryside and near a charming little village set down in a valley which was lined with cottages beside a stream, and surrounded by rolling hills. 

I had a close friend growing up who lived in a neighbouring village in an old post office. It was such a charming building decked with warped wooden beams on the walls and ceilings, a cobbled courtyard outside, and a beautiful english country garden, filled with flowers. Their living room had a large inglenook fireplace which usually contained a crackling log fire and one of their black labradors asleep by the hearth. 

A beautiful English cottage

During the summer months, we would run around the garden and climb trees, or go exploring in one of the nearby fields with a plastic tub each, and pluck ripe blackberries off the hedgerows. 

In my teenage years, my best friend at the time also lived in an old cottage- this one I think was built some time around the 1600s, and it was slightly lopsided due to age, but this just added to the charm! My friend's bedroom was the old maid's room. The maids and servants where supposed to carry out their work "behind the scenes" so weren't supposed to be seen or heard from. The bedroom door was not only under the stairs- it was also only a few feet wide, so you had to duck and go through the door sideways at the same time! 

They had a "Morning Room" which was basically another living room- also with a large inglenook fireplace, and usually contained her two cats dozing on the sofa. 

An inglenook fireplace. Similar to the one from my childhood

The kitchen was just as you would expect in an old cottage, with a flagstone floor, and of course, an Aga slowly cooking something delicious. The heat from the Aga would keep the kitchen delightfully warm and toasty, adding to the inviting feel of the place. 

I have such fond memories of my time spent in country cottages as they feel very comforting to me and familiar. My fondness for them has definitely carried over into my adult life! 

I can only dream of one day having my own little cottage. For now I will just have to make do lusting over photos of cottages on Pinterest!