I skipped this thread, thinking, oh, I don't really live in a cottage. I am so glad I took the time this morning to read it. I love hearing the stories behind the homes. The comment about not being cottage prompted me to add mine. Our home is a late 70s typically California starter subdivision home. I did manage to get a design with only one window to the front, so I could pretend I had the craftsman bungalow I wished for. When my kids were hitting their growth spurt and there was no room in the living room for all the feet, we added our garden room. We have lived happily here for 28 years. The other day my sweetie was talking to bil and asked me, what style do we have in our home? I said, cottage? He said no. I said, craftsman? He said no. I said, lodge? He said, yeah, that's it. It isn't really of course, but we live a cottage lifestyle with a great love of the outdoors and our home is mainly decorated with twigs and pinecones and shells and rocks whatever other pretty things we find as we travel, with lots of heirloom fancy work thrown in for good measure. The front yard isn't even cottage, but we intend a major overhaul of that one of these days. I love love love the real cottages shown here, and those I've seen in other posts, but cottage is about where your heart is, right?

daisy, those are not small rooms. Though you won't need over-sized furniture, I'd go a bit larger than what one normally thinks of for a cottage. Bravo to you for all you've done in building an energy efficient home and DIY to boot! We looked into GEO Thermal for our home but, at least in our area of the country, it wouldn't have been cost effective. It would have taken too long to pay for itself. We have two heat pumps instead. They've been very energy efficient and from October to April we get a 38% discount on our electric bill. We also have an all electric home since we live far enough out in the country we'd have had to go with propane and didn't want that. Are you living in the home yet? Five years is a long time to wait to move in if so. We moved into our home after a year and a half pay cash for much, but not all, of it. Any finishing is paid for with cash though. Makes so much more sense. You must be right about it being like having a baby since at the moment I can't recall any reason not to do it again other than loving our home so much that I can't see building anything I'd want to leave this home for. I can see helping our two grown children if they ever chose to build their own homes. I am looking forward to furnishing your home. Please do keep us up to date.

Wow - thanks everyone for your comments, suggestions and pictures!! ttodd - this is a rental and I can't paint it :O( This has been a major pain in my butt. The entire apartment is the same color and although I appreciate the color in other people's rooms, it's not working in mine. I don't plan to stay here very long so I will have to try to ignore the wall color for now and keep thinking forward to my next home, which will be permanent, and in which I will be able to try out other colors. Wouldn't it be great, too, to do something about the FP. For now I have to stick to changes that aren't parmanent. I never noticed the dark furniture but you're right! Today I went looking for some dark pieces to add, and I found a gorgeous little round mahogany table, and I hummed and hawed and decided to walk away from it, because I wasn't sure. Tonight my (very) special friend (who had been shopping with me) rung my doorbell and handed it to me, wishing me a Happy Mother's Day. I just about cried. It's now beside the couch and it looks FABULOUS!!!! I took pictures but my camera battery died before I could download them so I will post pictures tommorrow. polkadots, pesky, frazoo, funkyart, and decorpas....LOL about the coffee table!! That's actually DS's physio table but I am guilty of throwing junk on it and using it as a coffee table. I am actually in the process of sanding down and priming an old wooden trunk for a coffee table. I am not sure what color to paint it, but I will prime it and then post that as a seperate question. pesky - I tried switching the chairs, and I took a pic of it (will post once my camera batteries are recharged). I wasn't crazy about it. I did, however, move the dresser down towards the couch and put the leather chair on the other side of the fireplace and I am liking that. frazoo - yes, I agree - more stuff! I just moved in a couple of months ago, so still getting stuff in place. I signed a lease that said that I wouldn't use any nails in the walls, so I haven't hung one single picture, but I have decided to hang pictures anyway, and just fix the holes before I leave. I can't live with blank walls! For the gel stain - would I have to sand down the shelf first, or just put it on as is? It's a cheapo laminate shelf. Thanks again everyone. I have to say that I am more used to it today and am actually excited about it now :O)

Oakleyoak, People in the US may decorate in a "French County" or "English Cottage" style but it does not always translate to what I have seen in France, England, Italy, Mexico and other counties I've visited. Our decorating styles in the US tend to be heavily influenced by what the retailers push as the trends to be followed. When in Spain we stayed in a beautiful hotel that was so ultra contemporary that, to me, it seemed cold. Yet it was in a historic area in Barcelona. It's all good, even if not anticipated! In fact, maybe it's finding the unexpected that makes it so much more interesting.... I've never seen any other country try to interpret Americana. They tend to be proud of their heritage and embrace it, which means different styles depending on the country. English Cotswalds means chintz and a layered look, whereas London, being more cosmopolitan tends to be contemporary. When in Italy we had dinner on several occasions with a family in Tuscany. Their house was very traditonal on the outside but ultra modern on the inside. The kitchen was very utilitarian with all stainless steel appliances and countertops. It was small by our standards but functioned extremely well. When it England we stayed with a family in the Cotswalds. Their home was traditonal English in both design and furnishings. What was most challenging to us was the lack of screens and the proponderance of flies while we were eating......ick! We have had Italian guests here at our home in New England. One commented that "in my country the houses are very old yet are decorated in a modern style, whereas here your houses aren't old but are built and decorated to "look old". Yes, so true! He was getting a doctorate in architecture and was very interested in such features as a central chimmney and multiple levels for living. Another thing that we have heard from many of our international visitors is how fortunate we are to have over an acre of land, yet be so close to a major city. What I enjoy most about traveling is seeing how others live!