Cottages
May 11, 2022
Get Inspired By These Contemporary And Charming Cottage Rooms
Contemporary Cottages (Gibbs Smith, 2019) by author Molly Hyde English captures updated beach and mountain cottages that don’t abandon the timeless charm and scale that traditional cottages offer. “Contemporary Cottages is more than just a tour of handsome cottages; it shares the homeowners’ dreams, thoughts and imagination behind the design or redesign of their cottage,” says Molly.
Scroll down and get inspired by these charming cottage rooms!
Sitting atop a bluff with the sea nearby and less than a mile from where one of its owners grew up, this contemporary cottage was completely transformed. “We kept to the spirit of the original floor plan but improved the flow between rooms, including the removal of one wall on the first floor to make way for an open kitchen that looks into a bright and fresh great room,” notes owner, Michelle. French oak floors and walls painted in Benjamin Moore’s China White provides a neutral envelope accented by striped textiles, textured floor coverings, vintage tables and paintings.
Fun pufferfish wallpaper feels whimsey in this nautical cottage bathroom. “While I was growing up, my Dad was passionate about sailing and it had an impact on the whole family,” says the owner, Michelle. “He saw it as an ideal way to stay healthy and youthful and to connect with nature and sea life in all its forms. In a way our design sensibility is a homage to that unforgettable childhood.”
In this inviting West Coast cottage, wide-plank French oak flooring and a custom hardwood dining table provide warmth. Contemporary slipper chairs, a gold-framed wall mirror, and a traditional chandelier are luxe notes.
Orchid Cottage, a newly constructed getaway for a young couple and their four children, sits within a century-old seaside neighborhood peppered with original early 20th-century cottages and homes. This flexible room, equipped with a wood-burning fireplace, can be used as a bedroom or sitting room.
Rustic elements like aged hand-hewn beams and a dark antique dining table are contrasted by a contemporary chandelier and upholstered white dining chairs.
In this Orchid Cottage, there’s a mix of contemporary steel stools and traditional wood stools around the counter. Owner Shannon McLaren Wilkins counterbalances the whiteness in the rooms by introducing black accents and trim.
A children’s room in Orchid Cottage — reminiscent of an Adirondack lodge from the 1930s — gets its authentic vibe from vintage camp pennants and blankets.
“I looked beyond the traditional and was immediately struck with the beauty of the cottage’s bones — its basic footprint — its floor plan—a perfect single-floor setting within which to establish, along with the sleeping quarters for my growing family, a light-filled main room, kitchen, dining and living area, all of which open up to a spacious half-acre of grounds,” says designer Shannon McLaren Wilkins of this room.
Owner Laurie Alter took on the redesign of a cottage for her own family in what began as a circa 1960s coast-side cottage. “We are a family whose life has been shaped by the ocean…the goal was to create a clean and uncomplicated living space consistent with the lessons we have learned each day from our interaction with and respect for the sea.” Laurie has chosen early 20th-century fixtures for this guest bathroom. The battered marine light is an especially fitting touch.
Ashley Clark is the homeowner of Bountiful Cottage in Wasatch Range in Utah. A children’s room with matching twin beds sports unique headboards composed of ticking lumbar patterned pillows with leather straps.