23 Beautiful Cottage Style Homes That Prove Bigger Isn't Always Better (2024)

FAQs

What is the ideal size of a cottage? ›

Size of A Cottage Style House

ft. to 1200 sq. ft. Cottage houses must have a tight layout. It can often cause difficulty in designing the space.

Like Craftsman homes, cottage-style houses featured custom details like hand-carved woodwork, intricate brick lays, and natural stonework. The Cottage Revival style also borrowed the steep gable rooflines and massive chimneys seen in Tudor homes. Of course, the original English cottage was the main inspiration.

Answer: Owning a cottage comes with several disadvantages, including ongoing maintenance costs, property taxes, the potential for vandalism or break-ins during the off-season, and limited accessibility during certain times of the year, especially in remote locations.

But cottages are still defined by their cozy size — no more than 1,000 to 1,200 square feet, roughly half the size of the average American house.

This means for a family of three, the ideal house size is 1,800 – 2,100 square feet. For a family of four, the ideal house size is between 2,400 – 2,800 square feet and so forth. It's up to you to decide how much space you're most comfortable with up to 3,027 square feet (if you consider yourself middle class).

A typical cottage may have one to three bedrooms with one or two bathrooms.

The modern cottage style focuses on laid-back textures that come in the form of woven baskets and jute rugs. Wicker baskets sport a handwoven appearance, which is deeply rooted in this aesthetic. These baskets provide functional storage while also adding decorative appeal and natural texture to your home.

Although farmhouse-style shares the sense of nostalgia, cottage-style design delves more deeply into the sense of the past, and the simple way of life that a cottage evokes. The very definition of cottage means a small, cosy home so one of its key characteristics is making the most of less - the most of your space.

White is a classic cottage color that works for both interior and exterior. For a truly classic look, you can go all white, with both white siding and trim.

Short answer: It can be. That said, like a custom home there's an endless number of options that can go into building your dream custom cottage. Where you decide to draw the line on those options will likely determine your end cost.

Is it a good idea to live in a cottage? ›

Generally, your smaller home will come with lower property taxes, lower insurance costs and a lower mortgage, which means less money flowing from your wallet. Exterior maintenance will also cost less. Big-ticket items like roofs, siding — even exterior painting — will take a much smaller bite out of your paycheck.

Cottages are known for their distinct architectural style. They are small homes, intended to house a single family. Cottages are typically asymmetrical, one to one-and-a-half story dwellings with low-pitched gable roofs and small covered porches.

The cottage roof was often thatched, made from dry fibers woven together to create a roof that protected the home from the elements as well as rodents and pests. As time went on, the roof styles for a cottage home evolved to include cedar shake and slate tiles.

The definition of a house is any building that is usually used for accommodation that usually has multiple floors. Because a cottage is more than likely to be over one floor, and it is often used for short term accommodation, this is why they are given different definitions.

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. Roof and Chimney: A classic cottage often has a steep, gabled roof, sometimes thatched, adding to its rustic appeal.

Cottages are known for their distinct architectural style. They are small homes, intended to house a single family. Cottages are typically asymmetrical, one to one-and-a-half story dwellings with low-pitched gable roofs and small covered porches.

On average, the overall height of a single storey house will be around 3-4.5 metres tall or 10-15 feet depending on the roof design.

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. Roof and Chimney: A classic cottage often has a steep, gabled roof, sometimes thatched, adding to its rustic appeal.