How to Get the English Country House Vibe into your Interiors

Aug 12, 2021

Elif Naz Kaya

Elif Naz Kaya

Architect/ Designer

If you are a huge interior design fan and want to learn some inside tricks, this is where you need to be. More about me…

English Cottage Interior Style

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How to Get the English Country House Vibe into your Interiors

English Country houses aim to create warm and inviting interior space, which everybody is looking for in the cold English countryside.

This style is good at bringing the casual countryside vibe with an elegant feel. English Country house interior does a fantastic job of mixing old with new, classic with modern.

If you are one of the people who love to feel both modern and classic vibe in interiors and create a warm and welcoming feeling, English Country might be your style.

English Cottage Style

Is it you? Then we need to look deeper and break this style to make it easier to use English Country in your home decor style.

You will find everything you need to know about English Country house interiors and easy tips to shift your interior style to this beautiful countryside vibe. 

English Country Houses Furniture Style

I am not going to lie English Country is one of the most complex interior styles to pull off well. You need to learn and read about this style more than others cause so much history behind it.

So to pull off this style from a furniture perspective, make sure to use pieces from different periods and different styles parts of the world. You can inspire by French Country, Mediterranean, even Japandi.

English country houses borrow furniture pieces from both Traditional and Art Deco styles. It is like bringing different worlds together, classic and modern history.

One thing to avoid at all costs with English Country style is sets of any kind. It would be best if you think every piece is one of a kind and select them delicately.

English Country furniture pieces are generally large wood pieces with decorative carved details and softly curved silhouettes such as wingback chairs and a chesterfield sofa.

English Country Decor

We have tufted furniture pieces that are constantly using in Transitional style, perfect to use in any kind in English Country houses.

It is common to use skirts underneath the furniture pieces like sofa or chairs.

Patterns abound in English Country interior style. Floral chintz is the reign, although muted stripes, plaid, and gingham abound as well.

English Cottage Style Furniture Pieces
English Country Style Furniture Pieces

Leaving the floors bare is not allowed in English Country houses. Although rugs are almost a must, there is a few examples of English Country home without rugs.

I would recommend you use Orienta, Persian, or Kilim rugs. You could use natural materials for your rug like sisal or jüte, but it will create a modern feeling. So it is always better to mix both in your decorations.

Material Use in English Country Decorating Style

The first thing to notice is high-quality use and rich wood patina (a well-maintained wood finish).

Walnut and mahogany is the wood material which can be considered as high quality and luxury.

However, purchasing furniture made of these woods can cost highly. To make sure that you are on your budget, you can use less expensive wood lacquered pieces.

As soft materials, English Country houses like to use velvet, leather, linen, toile, damask, brocade, and chintz for the fabric.

How should you use patterned fabrics like chintz?

You can use it in your furniture pieces such as a Bergere chair, as your window treatment, or your pillows.

You need to work on one pattern style with different colors or carry the color palette and change the patterns to match them beautifully.

English Country House Decorating Style

Favorite Colors of English Country Houses

English Country interiors love to use warm and cozy colors like blues, reds, greens, gold, and plum.

If you wonder about the common paint colors, you will see yellow, green, and rose.

Although these colors are very hard to match with all your furniture pieces, you can work these paint colors if you want to decorate your kitchen with English Country.

You can easily work with neutral colors like white, cream, beige, and brown as your wall paint colors.

English Country Houses Paint Colors

What about Window Coverings?

Most of the urban and new interior design styles refuse to have window coverings.

In English Country homes, you can not have a feeling of completion without window coverings. It is a must!

Specifically, use curtains; do not use blinds. Using blinds be a design faux for this particular style.

For your curtains, think heavy velvet curtains or floral patterned curtains.

It would be great if you can match your wall paint color or wallpaper with your window coverings.

How to Accessorize an English Country Style House?

This style is not about minimalism. So if you want to exaggerate, do it with your accessories.

Blank walls are a definite no. You can find some beautiful portraits, watercolor paintings and place them vertically, like stacking them on top of each other.

Some of the accessories you should use to feel instantly English Country house vibe are:

      • Stained glass objects
      • Footstools
      • Needlepoint pillows
      • Tea set
      • Collections of Items

English Country Decor Elements
English Country Houses Decor Elements
English Cottage Style Art

English Country Kitchens

If you don’t have a budget to hire someone to design an English Country kitchen, I will share some core design decisions to make your kitchen feel like English Country.

      • Use shaker-style cabinet doors.
      • Try to pick light colors such as cream, pastel yellow, or blue.
      • As a countertop, stone or butcher blocks will suit better.
      • Use brick or tumbled stone backsplash.
      • Bronze hardware looks so good.
      • Wallpapers are an option.

English Country Kitchen

Where can I Find English Country Pieces?

If you are decorating a room or your entire house with stunning English Country style, the first stop that you should look at is your local antique stores.

You can find great oriental rugs in estate sales. Also, don’t forget to check on second-hand stores; there is always a chance to find an inexpensive art piece.

If you are living in the US, you can find English Country style pieces in these stores:

Here it is, now you know all about English Country houses. I think it is a style that is a bit loud and classic for my personal style.

What do you think about this style? Does this style address your style?

Feel free to make any comments. We love your thoughts.

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