Does your home need an exterior makeover? Something to give it a little personality? Look to the quaint cottages that dot the English countryside for inspiration on how to revamp your own place.
You don't have to be an earthy to appreciate the beauty and simplicity offered by these delightful homes. You just have to appreciate how you can make the most of a smallish space by incorporating light, natural warmth and vertical elements.
The scoop on the cottage look 
While you can find an actual definition for a cottage in a dictionary - it's a small-framed, one family house - you really can't lump all cottages into an architectural style or design school. However, given the history of how cottages came to be, there are some similarities among these types of houses.
The word cottage originates in the United Kingdom where it describes a house with one main story, with a second story of bedrooms situated under the roof upstairs. These homes housed agricultural workers and their families during the Middle Ages. Cottages in England evolved from simple peasant dwellings to picturesque garden homes dotting the countryside.
Common features of a cottage include:
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A doorway garden
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Attic bedrooms
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Window seats
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Warm earth tones
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Creative use of vertical space
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Built-in shelving
In North America, people tend to think of cottages as vacation homes along the seashore or lake, but cottages can also be found in urban centers where space is at a premium. Given that fact, this is a popular exterior renovation in Maryland.
How Can You Incorporate Cottage Elements into Your Home? Northern Virginia exterior renovation companies can help you find ways to create your own nature lover's cottage, but here are some ideas to consider when planning your project.
1. Flower and herb gardens
Gardens are an integral part of any cottage home, but you don't have to have a large tract of land to achieve this. Plant small shrubs and perennial flowering plants in the front garden to add a pop of color and softness. Consider a garden deck covered with a wooden pergola.
Let climbing vines like clematis, morning glory or sweet potato cover the pergola, creating shade and beauty. Install or enlarge the windows in your dining room so you can gaze at your garden during meals.
2. Natural Light
Since cottages tend to be on the small side, add as much light as possible to open the space and invite the outdoors in. Skylights in bathrooms, farmhouse kitchens and attic bedrooms are a great way to achieve this. Maryland skylights are a budget friendly friendly way to add interest and light to your home.
3. Vertical Space
Cottages tend to use all the space available, even up to the rafters.
Renovate attics to create bedrooms, office space or even a playroom for the kids. On the exterior, think about using a two-toned color scheme to add interest to the home's apex.
4. Warm, inviting feel 
Though traditionally small, cottages are welcoming and warm. Use a natural color palette - cream, white, gray, green - on the exterior and interior of the home. Oak floors add warmth and durability.
Bay windows with built-in window seats and decorated with soft neutral-colored cushions look just perfect in a cottage.
To make the most of the interior space, consider adding built-in shelves and cabinets for a custom look that's also quite functional.
Northern Virginia exterior renovation can take many forms, but savvy homeowners should look to the cottage style for ways to improve a small house. Contact Exterior Medics to help you get started on your nature-lovers cottage renovation today.
Image Credit: Jerome Rothermund, clauretano, CHRISSPdotCOM, wabson, The Wild Roam Free
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