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Coastal Cottage Love

yellow cottage with porch and white picket fence
Coastal cottage porch
I love architecture and design and while I appreciate many types of home design it is the cottage that tugs at my heart. Specifically, the coastal cottage. From the classic clapboard of Maine to the postcard-perfect breezy beauties of Laguna Beach, I am head over heals in love. While vacationing I snap photo after photo of lovely architectural bits.  “Not more pictures of doors!”, my son groaned during a recent trip to the California coast. 

Of course I have plenty of company. Cottages are one of the most popular style of homes in the United States and our love affair with the cottage has persisted since the 1920s. You don’t even need to go to the beach to find coastal charm, you’ll find this design style everywhere, even in many landlocked cities and towns. So why is it so popular? 

Because coastal cottage style goes beyond design.  It’s not just about the beauty of the design itself, it’s about the feelings it evokes. It’s about memories. Childhood. Family. About happy places and times. When you see a cottage you think of summers at the lake, or weekends at the shore. You think of the best vacation you ever had.  Of brushing sand off your kids’ toes. Of sipping lemonade on the porch at Grandma’s, waiting for the cooling evening breeze. Of beach cruisers and boardwalks. Cottage charm brings us a sense of calm, in the colors and the cozy details.

cottage garden walll
California beach cottage garden wall

Cottage design recalls a bygone era when a house was about craftsmanship, not square footage.  When cabinetry was made by hand, not by Ikea. When every square inch of a garden was filled with love, not designed on a computer. When color schemes reflected the beauty of the sea, rather than the color of the year or the neutral preference of the resale market.

The good news for we cottage lovers is that this style is is timeless. If you choose cottage design elements you don’t have to worry that in 20 years your home will look dated, like the gold fixtures of the 80s .

cottage interior design
Cottage style in a beach townhouse

Even better, you don’t have to own a beach house to embrace the coastal cottage style. It’s not always possible to buy your dreamhouse but you can always make your home your dream, whether it is a condo in the city or a cottage by the sea. I’ve brought a cottage vibe to my 1950s suburban rambler and to my beach townhouse

Fill your home with what you love and you will never be sorry. It will make you smile. And that’s what home is all about.

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sweep of sand, coastal home decor
surf city, nc & bethesda, md

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