Building my own cottage-style home has been a dream in the making. Now that it’s becoming a reality, I’ve been intentional about weaving in elements that feel timeless, personal, and full of charm. We’re taking a self-build approach, starting with our shop house before moving on to the main cottage.

My husband and I went back and forth on whether to dive right into the main house or begin with the shop house. Ultimately, we decided to start with the shop house since it can be built much quicker and will give us a place to settle while we plan for the larger build. In the meantime, we also purchased an investment property and have been living on one side of it during construction. Over the past several months, we’ve been clearing the land and finalizing drawings for the shop house, making steady progress toward our dream.

Today, I want to share five key elements I’m including in our cottage-style home — features that will be part of both the shop house and the main cottage when it’s complete

1.Every cottage style home should have a chunky stone moment.

I am a sucker for a dramatic stone moment in cottage style homes. I don’t think my husband will let me get away with it in the kitchen as the backsplash but I will try. I really love washed out chunky style stones. The ones that look rough, messy and irregular. I feel like a good stone on the fireplace or in the kitchen warms up the space and makes you want to sit around a fire and cozy up on the couch.

2. My cottage style home has to have checkered flooring.

I’ll be honest — checkered flooring might not be considered a traditional cottage-style element, but for me, it’s an absolute must. I’ve always loved the look of a classic checkered floor. Not only is it timeless, but it can also be a more affordable way to add instant charm and character. Whether it’s black and white or a softer tan and white, I’m here for all the checkered flooring.

Right now, I’m leaning toward using it in the laundry room or maybe a bathroom. Our shop house won’t have all the bells and whistles of the main cottage, but I still want to include a few thoughtful details that tie the two spaces together. My goal is for the shop house and main cottage to flow seamlessly, as if they were built at the same time. And who knows — you just might see checkers make an appearance in both. 🙂

3. Every cottage style home should have cut floral wallpaper.

When I think of cottage style homes I think cozy with lots of character. A great way to add character to your home is wallpaper. I love the idea of adding wallpaper in my cottage style home because wallpaper can set the tone for the room. It’s showstopping and creates a ton of interest. I am leaning towards more floral options. The shop house is not very large, maybe like 2,000SF. So the only real place to add wallpaper is in the laundry room or bathroom. Not in love with the idea of floral wallpaper with checkered flooring. Might save this one for the main cottage in my office. 

4. Hydrangeas are a staple of the cottage style home.

I feel like white hydrangeas and babies breath are must-haves for the countryside cottage exterior. Some people may call me crazy to plan the landscaping of my build so early in the game but that’s the true talent of a designer. We as designers look at the whole picture of your build. For me hydrangeas give that cottage style look and feel.

5. Black accents on the exterior are a must for my cottage style home.

I’m fairly certain this isn’t a traditional element of a cottage-style home, but I want my cottage to lean a little more modern. Think: classic cottage charm with a twist. Black accents bring that modern edge while also adding depth and dimension to the design. I’ve always loved homes that blend seemingly opposite elements — and when it all comes together, it just works.

Wrap up

For anyone who wants to follow along on our journey to bringing our modern countryside cottage to life sign up for our newsletter. I will share behind the scenes on all aspects of our build. Since we are self funding and self performing all of the work it will be slow moving but we are beyond excited to be on this journey.

<3R