One of the hardest parts of creating a collected home is that browsing thrift shops or hunting antiques takes time- sometimes years to find the right thing. But over the last few months, I've discovered some surprisingly beautiful & affordable pieces from HomeGoods, Amazon, Walmart, and other sources that capture the same warmth and layered feeling that you can add to your home today.
Happily, for all of us who adore the English country cottage style, some of the core elements of our look have found their way into everyday retail shops. These stores can be surprisingly useful when you know what to look for. The goal is to mix a few well-chosen retail pieces to narrow the gap between the home you have and the warm, layered cottage home you're working towards.
A good place to start is with textiles. Patterned textiles are one of the quickest ways to bring in that relaxed English country feeling. Look for small-scale florals, ticking stripes, gingham, plaid, block prints, and simple botanical patterns. In our dining room, we've used an antique pie safe as a dry goods pantry & a place to store paper goods as well as cloth napkins. The drawers hold bibs, paper & cloth napkins. I was surprised to find these paper napkins in block print patterns that are integral to the global side of English design in the HomeGoods section of the Marshalls retail store! The blue buffalo-check napkins are from Amazon, and the floral block-print napkins are from JSH Essentials online. Besides napkins, I also found an affordable, pretty block-print tablecloth on Etsy that coordinates with them.
A throw pillow, folded blanket, or pleated lampshade can soften a room immediately. The key is to choose colors that feel mix & match, rather than overly bright or perfectly coordinated.
I came across these lovely, well-made throw pillows on Amazon. The larger floral block print really looks good with the striped seat cushion, and the two striped floral pillows actually go just fine with the pink floral seat cushion that came with the loveseat. These pillow covers were perfect for our patio makeover this spring because they create such a welcoming atmosphere and are washable!
Another great place to get instant cottage cozy vibes is through lighting. A room can have lovely furniture and still feel flat if the lighting is wrong. For a deep dive into cottage lighting, read our post: "Lighting the Cottage Way: Creating Warmth & Charm." When shopping retail, look for lamps with traditional shapes, especially ceramic, aged brass, wood, or alabaster bases. Top off a great base with a pleated printed lamp shade & you've got a fabulous staple decor piece to add layers in your home. You can make your own by following our no-sew pleated lampshade tutorial, or... check out the premade, affordable ones at Marshalls! Pleated, printed shades effortlessly add a lived-in, collected layer. Even an inexpensive lamp can feel far more personal when the shade has a little pattern or texture.
This blue & white chinoiserie lamp base was thrifted and checks the boxes for color palette and a traditional shape; just imagine it with a muted raspberry pleated shade! Since the base was inexpensive, spending more on a premade shade would be an option.
Dishware and serving pieces are another easy place to begin. Blue and white plates are easily available retail; scalloped bowls, small pitchers, floral mugs, and rattan pieces like chargers, napkin holders, and utensil organizers quickly add cottage character. These pieces are useful, but they also make a room feel cared for, as if someone took thought to find something attractive.
For wall decor, skip generic signs and look for pieces that feel rooted in nature, history, or home life. Framed botanical prints, landscapes, vintage-style maps, small mirrors, and simple sketches are often available at ordinary stores, such as Hobby Lobby. One larger piece paired with a few smaller ones usually feels more natural than a perfectly coordinated gallery wall set.
The same principle applies to accessories. Here are pieces I've incorporated into our home. There are the throw pillows, block print sheets, gingham tissue boxes, faux (but believably real-looking) hydrangeas, a scalloped basket that is great for bread, or (in my case) holding toilet tissue in the bathroom. Look for wood or brass candlesticks, footed bowls, picture frames, trays, and woven or rattan accents. These are the pieces that help a room feel layered without making it cluttered, especially if there is a consistent color palette.
The best cottage rooms are not built from expensive finds alone, but from discernment. A mix of old & new can help keep your room from becoming stuffy; a few carefully curated antiques hunted over time will always add soul, but appropriate retail pieces are great, too. You do not have to wait years to make your home feel more like the one you have imagined. Start with what is available, choose carefully, and let the layers build over time.
Warmly,
Rachel
