Historically cottage furniture was designed to be practical, comfortable and above all affordable. Although these days many genuine antique pieces can fetch enormous sums of money, originally much of the furniture designed and created for cottages was modern in its day and was simply hewn from natural materials that were easily to hand. These materials would have included mighty oaks, beech, ash, tall pines, wild cherry, pliable willow and the great elm trees - sadly no longer with us. All were cut and felled from fields, woods, river banks and open moorland and then left to season before being turned into chairs, tables, stools, settles, four-poster beds, dressers and cupboards by skilled local craftsmen.
The dark stained and polished traditional cottage style furniture you see today, in antique shops, cottages and even old manor houses, would originally have started life as light or pale coloured wood that only darkened over the centuries. Any furniture that survived through to the modern day became more valued and much sought after items in their own right.
Many of these pieces would have originally have been part of co-ordinating sets of furniture comprising a double bed, a wash stand, a dresser, a small table, chairs, and sometimes a wardrobe. A hundred years ago or more an English cottage would have been a very small and unsophisticated dwelling occupied by local villagers and farm workers.
These were generally speaking quite poor people, who wanted nothing more than simple and affordable comfort at the end of the day. Their furniture needed to be functional and robust, which is why genuine cottage furniture is rarely elaborate, except for bucolic carvings and painted decoration.
Flowers, fruit, hedgerow plants, farming symbols, birds and animals were the most common carved features; these were done by local cabinet makers, who in the main didn't have any formal training. The painted embellishments were either slightly primitive, with a Folk Art feel to them or, if the artist was talented, featured highly detailed and beautifully executed scenes.
Furniture made from pine was the cheapest and probably the easiest to work but because it lacked the patina of the beautiful hard woods many pine pieces of furniture were painted and then decorated to enhance the rather plain appearance; although there are a few examples where the natural wood was varnished but left unpainted with the exception of some painted floral accents.
True English cottage furniture is homely and unfussy and should feel inviting when you walk into a room. It does in fact have a charming naïve quality that is a large part of its appeal; indeed to people from all over the world. Many a well-worn country kitchen chair, lovingly fashioned from a piece of elm or beech, has gone on to become a collector's item, far from its native land.
Quite a lot of cottage furniture in the past could be picked up cheaply from auctions and junk shops or even be passed down from relatives. These days though original pieces of cottage furniture are less attainable, more costly and highly desirable, especially since the shabby chic style became so popular; which is why there is now a growing demand for good quality reproduction pieces.
When putting together a cottage style room it is important to be sure of which direction you want to follow so be certain to focus your ideas before you start. For instance do you want to create a classic old cottage look using mostly old oak furniture alongside lots of pretty fabrics or do you lean more towards the shabby chic look using distressed and painted furniture, with corresponding accessories? Once you've decided on the general theme tie your look together so that it appears effortless and uncontrived.
You can probably now see just how important it is to use the right type of cottage furniture to ensure getting the exact look you want for your home. You will not achieve a calm rural ambience in any room that looks a mish-mash of ill-chosen furniture and oddments. Keep a rigid sense of direction and try to plan as near as possible the exact layout and room position of your major signature pieces. Once these are in place the rest of your furniture and special treasures will fit naturally round them.
It is sometimes worth spending a reasonable sum of money on one stunning item if you feel it will transform a hitherto plain area into somewhere captivating and welcoming. There is no doubt that something like a beautiful polished antique chest sporting a vase of cottage garden flowers can turn a room into a masterpiece of design.
As with all décor pick your colour schemes carefully to complement your English cottage furniture, making sure there are plenty of nature's tones on the walls, floors and upholstery. Shades of pink, rose, brown, yellow, rust and green are perfect for that English cottage look but keep it subtle to maintain the antique, aged and cosy feel that is appropriate for this style. Be sure to stay well away from sleek, highly polished and modern furniture; even one inappropriate piece can destroy the whole balance of a room.
Nothing has to match, and if it doesn't, so much the better. The overall effect you want to achieve is a look of charm and distinct comfort. Anything that you have found or bought that is a bit worse for wear can be painted or covered with new fabric to help it fit into your overall scheme. In the past it was not unusual for pieces to be adapted from one use to another, for example an old cottage door have might be remodeled into a kitchen table; don't be afraid to do the same if you have the talent.
Finally if you are furnishing a small space it is often best to choose one large focal piece of furniture and then add smaller well-chosen items to fit in around it. When a restricted space is filled with to many smaller pieces, it tends to make the room appear fussy, cluttered and even unkempt. Also avoid the temptation of pushing everything directly up against the walls, it is usually best to arrange furniture in an "L" shape, without blocking the natural flow of the room.
Good storage methods are a must when it comes to living in modest spaces so try to make your larger pieces of furniture such as blanket chests, dressers and settles double-up as extra storage space, this way they become dual purpose pieces and help keep your home both tidy and well-organised.
by Karole Howard
Fresh article from author - English country cottages