Decorating
So Your Style Is: Country
Escape to the country wherever you live with this relaxed, warm look, full of soft tones, glowing wood and pleasing textures
What it is: Imagine country style and we tend to picture the whole package — not just the soft colours and warm wood, but the soaring roof beams, huge Aga and flagstone floors. Of course, not all of us were to the manor born, but we can still extract elements of classic country style and use them in any room, anywhere. Typical ingredients include floral fabrics, checks and stripes, wooden furniture, and natural materials, from tweed and ticking, to linen, slate and stone.
Why it works: As with any interior style, country is flexible. It can be taken towards the manorial — think rooms with huge proportions, dramatic fireplaces and stone flag floors — or it can go in a more contemporary cottage direction, with a pared back aesthetic that includes wood panelled walls and plenty of white. There is some crossover with coastal and vintage style, too, but with country rooms, the emphasis is always on comfort and practicality. As a rule, it is more decorative and cosy than coastal, and more robust than vintage. These are rooms that welcome you home after a long day’s hike or a lazy afternoon picnicing in the surrounding fields!
You’ll love it if: You believe sofas should be squishy, not sleek, reckon a home is not complete without a dog leaving muddy footprints on the floor, and prefer natural shades over jewel tones or neon brights.
Why it works: As with any interior style, country is flexible. It can be taken towards the manorial — think rooms with huge proportions, dramatic fireplaces and stone flag floors — or it can go in a more contemporary cottage direction, with a pared back aesthetic that includes wood panelled walls and plenty of white. There is some crossover with coastal and vintage style, too, but with country rooms, the emphasis is always on comfort and practicality. As a rule, it is more decorative and cosy than coastal, and more robust than vintage. These are rooms that welcome you home after a long day’s hike or a lazy afternoon picnicing in the surrounding fields!
You’ll love it if: You believe sofas should be squishy, not sleek, reckon a home is not complete without a dog leaving muddy footprints on the floor, and prefer natural shades over jewel tones or neon brights.
Create a hearth
A large range that warms the kitchen and the rooms beyond is a key element of a classic country kitchen. Many range manufacturers, such as Aga, now also make slimmer designs that suit snugger kitchens. If your home boasts stone or brickwork, leave it exposed, too, for maximum texture and country credibility.
A large range that warms the kitchen and the rooms beyond is a key element of a classic country kitchen. Many range manufacturers, such as Aga, now also make slimmer designs that suit snugger kitchens. If your home boasts stone or brickwork, leave it exposed, too, for maximum texture and country credibility.
Pare back and enjoy
A country scheme does not need to be packed with florals and checks or dripping in soft, mellow colours to work. It can be as pared back as this simple bathroom. A classic roll-top tub and the wooden wall panelling give the space its softly country feel. Fresh flowers, perhaps picked from the hedgerow, are a lovely finishing touch.
A country scheme does not need to be packed with florals and checks or dripping in soft, mellow colours to work. It can be as pared back as this simple bathroom. A classic roll-top tub and the wooden wall panelling give the space its softly country feel. Fresh flowers, perhaps picked from the hedgerow, are a lovely finishing touch.
Update tradition
This lovely kitchen in a Somerset cottage has many typical country ingredients, but the overall effect is anything but traditional. Open shelves, chunky units, a large range cooker and slate flooring here look fresh and considered, thanks to a few clever design touches. The slate flooring is supersized, for example, and makes a strong statement, while the metro tiles with dark grout as a splashback are a very now detail that would look just as good in an industrial kitchen.
Read more about the many ways to use metro tiles.
This lovely kitchen in a Somerset cottage has many typical country ingredients, but the overall effect is anything but traditional. Open shelves, chunky units, a large range cooker and slate flooring here look fresh and considered, thanks to a few clever design touches. The slate flooring is supersized, for example, and makes a strong statement, while the metro tiles with dark grout as a splashback are a very now detail that would look just as good in an industrial kitchen.
Read more about the many ways to use metro tiles.
Press the mute button
For a comfy country look, forget sleek lines, sharp angles and bright shades, and embrace all things muted, soft and inviting. Sand, sage and berry tones create an easy to live with feel in this sociable living space.
For a comfy country look, forget sleek lines, sharp angles and bright shades, and embrace all things muted, soft and inviting. Sand, sage and berry tones create an easy to live with feel in this sociable living space.
Work with your property
When your kitchen has proportions like this one in a converted school house, they can easily dwarf any fixtures and fittings. So if your country kitchen is more manor house than maisonette, think big, adding a large table, deep units and a huge range. Even the artwork is enormous in here! A palette of grey and soft sage green further contributes to the country feel.
When your kitchen has proportions like this one in a converted school house, they can easily dwarf any fixtures and fittings. So if your country kitchen is more manor house than maisonette, think big, adding a large table, deep units and a huge range. Even the artwork is enormous in here! A palette of grey and soft sage green further contributes to the country feel.
Put comfort first
Bedrooms should be all about rest and comfort, and that is especially true of a country bedroom. This lovely sleep space is blessed with original panelled walls, bringing heaps of warm wood and texture to the room. Leaf and berry tones, plenty of cushions and unfussy bedside units make it clear that this is somewhere to retreat and relax.
Bedrooms should be all about rest and comfort, and that is especially true of a country bedroom. This lovely sleep space is blessed with original panelled walls, bringing heaps of warm wood and texture to the room. Leaf and berry tones, plenty of cushions and unfussy bedside units make it clear that this is somewhere to retreat and relax.
Combine practical with pretty
Somewhere to store wellie boots and hang coats for all weathers is a great addition to a country house, but any home would benefit from a utility room with storage, like this. A practical tiled floor and a mix of warm wood and cabinetry painted in a soft grey bring a country feel to what is a well planned and practical space. Bespoke storage has hanging space and room for boots and shoes, and there is also a bench to perch on while you dress for the great outdoors.
Somewhere to store wellie boots and hang coats for all weathers is a great addition to a country house, but any home would benefit from a utility room with storage, like this. A practical tiled floor and a mix of warm wood and cabinetry painted in a soft grey bring a country feel to what is a well planned and practical space. Bespoke storage has hanging space and room for boots and shoes, and there is also a bench to perch on while you dress for the great outdoors.
Channel the cabin look
This small home sports a minimal version of the country look, but study it closely and many of the key country ingredients are visible. There is plenty of warm wood, chairs with an unpretentious feel around a large wooden table, a wood burning stove and a simple dresser. Most of the wood panelled walls are painted white, for a crisp, light feel, and the overall effect is perhaps more cabin in the woods, than cottage in a village.
Take a tour of this Oregon summer house.
This small home sports a minimal version of the country look, but study it closely and many of the key country ingredients are visible. There is plenty of warm wood, chairs with an unpretentious feel around a large wooden table, a wood burning stove and a simple dresser. Most of the wood panelled walls are painted white, for a crisp, light feel, and the overall effect is perhaps more cabin in the woods, than cottage in a village.
Take a tour of this Oregon summer house.
Make it luxe
The country look need not venture into rustic or shabby chic territory. It can be as high-end and sophisticated as any other design style. This dining space rocks a luxury country feel, with a grand table, high backed upholstered chairs and a handsome dresser. There are muted colours, natural materials, even a silver antelope head on the wall. It’s country, but done with refinement and grace.
Thoughts on country style? Let us know below in the comments section.
The country look need not venture into rustic or shabby chic territory. It can be as high-end and sophisticated as any other design style. This dining space rocks a luxury country feel, with a grand table, high backed upholstered chairs and a handsome dresser. There are muted colours, natural materials, even a silver antelope head on the wall. It’s country, but done with refinement and grace.
Thoughts on country style? Let us know below in the comments section.
Traditional country schemes favour soft rather than crisp tones. Cream is often used instead of white, for example. In this hallway, though, white is teamed with lots of texture from the wooden panelling, distressed chest of drawers and seagrass mat, which softens out the white and gives it a country feel. Check fabrics and animal motifs are also regular country ingredients, both used with style and confidence here.