Want to give your house a touch of English class? It’s easier than you think! If you’re looking for a way to make your home feel more like an old English cottage or London mansion, there are some simple ways to achieve the look.
In order to style your home like an English cottage, you need to focus on three things: materials, decorations, and furniture.
The materials you choose can make or break your English country home’s look. You’ll want to focus on natural elements, like wood and stone, and you’ll need to choose earthy colours and tones. This will help you create a warm atmosphere that feels elegant and inviting.
The second thing you need to focus on is decorations for your home’s interior design style–specifically fireplaces and paintings!
Fireplaces were very popular during this time period because they provided warmth during cold winters when there wasn’t central heating yet available; however, they also gave off beautiful light which added beauty into any room where you placed them.
So with this in mind… What do you need for an English style house interior?
1. Luxurious curtains
If you really want a sense of a classic English cottage, you’ll need to invest in some heavy fabric curtains. They can be a plain colour, for example a deep crimson or mint green, or patterned and embroidered.
The classic fabric English curtain would have served the double purpose of both sealing the warmth in and also keeping the light out. The heavier and longer the better when looking for that classic English cottage ambiance.
2. A Persian rug
A rug is a great way to add colour and texture into any room, and Persian rugs are especially luxurious because they’re hand-knotted. You can also find them in a variety of colours and patterns that will fit with your home’s style perfectly.
An luxurious rug would have been a focus feature in the classic English country home, and in fact even today you will see these in London apartments and mansions.
If a Persian rug stretches the budget, you can also consider a Turkish or Moroccan rug in place, which are both great alternatives.
3. A luxurious armchair
If you want to recreate the feeling of sitting in a garden on a summer’s day, then adding a luxurious armchair is a great idea. Not only does it add colour and texture, but it’ll also give your home an elegant and sophisticated feel.
The classic image of an English armchair will be a deep and high backed chair, with a fabric material. If you prefer the leather Chesterfield style, this also works well, especially if you want a leather sofa.
4. An ornate mirror
A mirror can really make any room look bigger by reflecting light around the space. An ornate mirror will do this even better because of its intricate detailing.
The frame of the mirror is probably more important than the mirror itself. Choose a mirror with scrolls and natural patterns around the edge, for example acanthus leaves.
The bigger the mirror, the better. But of course, you’ll want to choose a mirror that fits your space too.
Many classic English homes would have the mirror over the fireplace. But you can also add the mirror in other accessible locations such as on an empty wall space.
5. A decorative Feature Fireplace.
The fireplace is a must-have for any classic English-themed home, so make sure you have one installed. The classic Victorian fireplace would either be made from marble, stone or wood. And it would defnitely be adorned by eye catching corbels, and possibly also some nice tiling.
Again, a rug in front of the fireplace adds a really homely touch.
If you’re researching this in a hot country, don’t worry, you don’t necessarily need to have a working fire – many English homes don’t these days. In fact, you can add a fake fireplace or even a simple stack of logs made to look like a fire…
6. Artworks
No classic English cottage is complete without an assortment of artworks. Aim for a mixture of tasteful landscape paintings, ideally by British artists, and also some sculptures or trinkets from around the world.
There is nothing wrong with a touch of the ‘exotic’, and in fact this would have been a classic badge of honour in the Victorian-era English cottage home. So African masks, carved statuettes from Bali, vintage French or Italian posters and even photos in ornate frames can be the perfect addition to a classy home.
7. Vintage furniture
No English style house would be complete without some heavy wooden furniture. A good purchase would be a kitchen cabinet, stocked with vintage crockery, or heavy mahogany bureau or armoire.
Oak is the best wood, as it is very hard wearing and retains a sophisticated look after many years of weathering. However, many furniture items are available in cheaper pine wood.
Vintage English furniture also tends to have some decorative feature such as detailed carvings on the accents, or glass with added features.
The English style cottage in summary
The English style house is often the opposite of minimalist. You will want to use various fabrics and patterns, for example in curtains and furniture. Think of a more luxury home decor style, with a strong focus on classical and old world elements.
In addition to this, having ornamental features such as furniture, fireplaces and even artworks will complete the look of your English style home interior.
