8 Cottage Style Homes with Gorgeous Exteriors | brick&batten (2024)

Cottage homes come in many different styles and often borrow architectural elements from other home types, such as Tudors and Cape Cods. Additionally, theycan be found all throughout the United States and were named the most popular home style in the country in a recent HomeAdvisor powered by Angi study.

While their appearances might vary, cottage style homes have some defining characteristics. For example, they tend to be single-story structures with a smaller footprint and simple layout. These cozy dwellings can often feel straight out of a fairytale and evoke the charm of countryside living. Here, we’ve put together a roundup of some of our favorite cottage style homes — from traditional to modern and everything in between — to inspire you.

Whether you have a cottage style home, a cabin, a lake house, or something else entirely, our team can help you visualize its potential and turn it into your dream dwelling. From paint colors to a new patio, we can help you see your desired changes before you commit to costly renovations. Learn more about our virtual exterior design services.
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#1 // Updated 1940s Cottage Style Home

This 1940s cottage style home was full of charm but needed some updating. Our designers achieved that with a fresh coat of paint and some new fixtures. For the paint colors, our team recommended limewash tinted to color match Benjamin Moore’s Manchester Tan on the stone and Benjamin Moore’s Deep Creek on the siding and trim. The entryway also got a refresh with a new front door, a light fixture overhead, and planters on each side.

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#2 // French Cottage Style Home

This design blends country charm with stylish sophistication to achieve the French cottage style aesthetic the homeowner desired. A light color palette — Benjamin Moore’s Olympic Mountains on the brick, columns, and gable and Cape May Cobblestone on the siding — makes the home feel more welcoming and offers a major curb appeal boost. New shutters and a shaker-style front door add to the country charm of this chic cottage.

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#3 // Coastal Cottage

This coastal cottage style home is bright and beachy. Natural elements like the light stone and wood front porch add to its coastal feel. A lounge area with a firepit helps create a cozy and welcoming vibe.

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#4 // Colonial-Inspired Cottage

This unique 1920s cottage has a colonial feel to it with its symmetrical design, centered door, and rectangular shape. This cottage-colonial style is something the homeowner wanted our designers to lean into, rather than taking a more modern approach. The mix of textures on the upper and lower levels of the home creates visual interest, and we especially love the pop of color provided by the shutters that are painted with Benjamin Moore’s Hale Navy.

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#5 // Modern Cottage

Here’s another example of a coastal cottage but with a more modern aesthetic. The original home was dark and hidden by large shrubs. We brightened it up with a fresh coat of paint. Plus, our designers helped the owner visualize new landscaping that shows off the updated exterior. The new garage door and Bahama shutters are painted in a beachy blue — Benjamin Moore’s Palladian Blue — and a gorgeous glass front door draws attention to the entryway.

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#6 // Light and Bright Cottage

This home’s exterior was underwhelming and lacked curb appeal, but some smart design choices brought it to life. Our designers swapped the stucco on the bottom of the home with brick and painted it — plus the siding and trim — with Benjamin Moore’s Etiquette, a beautiful light beige that looks lovely with the gray-green shutters (rendered in Benjamin Moore’s Sea Haze). Our team also added a wood pergolaabove the large front windows and a cozy seating area on the porch.

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#7 // Painted Brick Cottage

Painting your brick is an easy way to transform your home’s exterior — as evidenced by this classic cottage style home. Benjamin Moore’s White Dove is used on this home’s brick, siding, and trim, while the front door and shutters are painted with Palladian Blue. The flagstone walkway, copper gutters, new railing and light fixtures, and wood window boxes also help transform this cottage.

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#8 // Nature-Inspired Cottage

This client wanted her cottage style home to feel like it was one with nature. To achieve this, our designers recommended an earthy color palette — Benjamin Moore’s Swiss Coffee on the brick and Sherwin Williams’ Pewter Green on the shutters — and incorporated plenty of natural elements, like wood columns and a pergola. A seating area in front of the bay window and a loveseat swing offer plenty of room to relax. All of these elements come together to create a tranquil, nature-inspired home exterior.

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Considering updating your cottage style home?

Cottage style homes exude charm and curb appeal. From quaint country to chic coastal, there are many varieties of cottages, too. We hope this roundup of cottage style homes has provided plenty of ideas you can incorporate into your own property.

Dreaming about updating your cottage style home — or giving your home a cottage-style update? Let us help make your dream home a reality. Start your exterior design project with brick&batten today.

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8 Cottage Style Homes with Gorgeous Exteriors | brick&batten (2024)

FAQs

How do you make the outside of your house look like a cottage? ›

8 Cottage-Style Design Elements For The Exterior Of Your Home
  1. Change the front door. ...
  2. Put up a fence and gate. ...
  3. Add exterior shutters. ...
  4. Swap out the siding. ...
  5. Build a wraparound porch. ...
  6. Hang window boxes. ...
  7. Revitalize your landscape. ...
  8. Install a new garage door.

What is modern cottage style? ›

The modern cottage aesthetic is truly a best-of-both-worlds situation: it combines the hospitality, comfort, and rustic warmth of farmhouse style with the edge and sophistication of modern design. Rather than being too much of one thing, it thrives on contrast.

What is a cottage style house called? ›

They were known as cotters, and their homes as cottages (both came from the Latin word “cotagium”). These simple, single-story dwellings were usually made of stone or wood, with thatched roofs and a prominent chimney.

How to decorate a cottage style home? ›

Cottage Style Is Cozy

Pattern pairings. Namely florals against stripes or plaid. For extra comfort accessorize further with fluffy pillows, cheerful art, woven accents and flowers from the yard — like Bria Hammel did in this cheerful breakfast nook.

What makes a beautiful house exterior? ›

Unique details can include beautiful landscaping ideas, gorgeous exterior color combinations, outdoor lighting, charming fences, and a spacious porch. These all enhance the beauty of your home's exterior design and improve its curb appeal.

How can I make my house look beautiful from the outside? ›

Let the curb appeal sprucing start by trying a few update suggestions.
  1. 01 of 15. Paint A Bold Front Door. Laurey W. ...
  2. 02 of 15. Plant Colorful Pots. ...
  3. 03 of 15. Build A Great Fence. ...
  4. 04 of 15. Spray Away Grime. ...
  5. 05 of 15. Show Off Your Home. ...
  6. 06 of 15. Wow With Window Boxes. ...
  7. 07 of 15. Design A Pretty Pathway. ...
  8. 08 of 15. Grow The Good Vines.
Jul 13, 2023

What is the difference between cottage style and farmhouse style? ›

Cottage furniture is more feminine than farmhouse and utilizes soft colors. Cottage style incorporates more colors than farmhouse that sticks to a neutral palette that's soothing and calm. Its comfy and the furniture will feature more frill and more decoration.

What makes a cottage a cottage and not a house? ›

Architectural Characteristics

Size and Scale: Cottages are generally smaller and more intimate compared to the average house. They typically feature one to two storeys, making them quaint and cosy.

What is the difference between farmhouse and modern cottage? ›

Cottagecore decorating combines slightly more romantic and antique elements; think vintage suitcases, milk pitchers, and old books. Whereas the decor in modern farmhouse design tends to feel like newer elements that are made out of old-fashioned materials rather than actually old, themselves.

What size house is considered a cottage? ›

Cottages are traditionally smaller than 2,000 square feet. You can certainly build a bigger cottage, but traditionally these homes aren't overwhelmingly large. Their quaint size is partly why couples, young and old, and small families love living in cottages.

Where are cottage style homes most popular? ›

Most commonly found in coastal New England vacation areas like Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket and Cape Cod, American Cottages are often identified by their gray wooden shingles. In the United States, various styles of cottage homes evolved as Americans' taste in architecture evolved.

Are cottages cheaper than houses? ›

Cottage areas have less demand, more land available, and a relatively sparse population. When you purchase a cottage property, your money goes further because the land is less expensive. These, overall, make cottage properties more affordable. It could even be a terrific option as a first home.

What is the difference between cottage style and shabby chic? ›

For example, while shabby chic is characterized by interiors with plenty of white, pastel tones, and vintage floral prints, cottagecore incorporates more natural elements, textures, and tones (think: neutral or earthy hues, fresh flowers and greenery, and more).

What does a cottage style home look like? ›

A lot of detail is given to the window shapes, arches in the doorways, trim throughout the home, etc. Most cottages also have an asymmetrical design with a prominent chimney in the home's interior and exterior. They also tend to have small covered porches that add to the coziness and quaint feel of the house.

What does a cottage style house look like? ›

Characteristics Of A Cottage-Style House

Natural elements such as exposed beams, wood floors, brick and stone. Fireplaces. Built-in cabinets or bookshelves. Thatch, gable, shingle or tile roofing.

How do I make my house feel like an English cottage? ›

15 Ways to Get the English Cottage Look
  1. Change the mood with paint. ...
  2. Swap hardware for sturdy bin pulls and wooden knobs. ...
  3. Embrace workhorse textiles. ...
  4. Roll out a rag rug. ...
  5. Use a rich color on walls and trim. ...
  6. Try colorful trim. ...
  7. Paint the floors. ...
  8. Trace on a checkerboard pattern.
Feb 5, 2014

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