When people think of English Country style they imagine chocolate box cottages and huge country piles. But, just because your home doesn't resemble a country manor on the outside, doesn't mean it can't on the inside.
In 2024 English Country style is considered an interiors trend in its own right. It isn't just making waves this side of the pond. All the way over in America, quintessential English interiors have become a staple theme in U.S homes thanks to the popularity of TV shows such as Downton Abbey and The Crown.
So, if you love the look of Lady Mary's living room or fancy yourself sitting somewhere as pretty as the Queen's Balmoral Castle, the good news is achieving English Country style is easy!
Follow these 5 tips and we guarantee you'll be enjoying a slice of English Country life in no time:
1. Mix old and new
English Country homes are a celebration of heritage. So, it's not unusual to find items dating back hundreds of years, coexisting with 21st century pieces. In fact, this mix of old and new is the benchmark of English Country style. It's perfectly fine to combine shabby chic items together with newer furniture and accessories.
Car boot sales are a great place to source second-hand items inexpensively, as are online auction sites such as Ebay, Gumtree and even free cycle.
And don't stress about everything matching either. With English Country style eclecticism and eccentricity only enhance the look!
2. Incorporate flowers
Flowers are a staple in English Country style, just as they are in the English countryside itself. So, it goes without saying that plant life should feature in your English Country room.
A few wildflowers whimsically arranged is a great place to start. You can source these types of blooms readily from supermarkets for very little cost. But, if you really want to embrace English Country style to its fullest, you'll have to take the floral theme a little further. Use flowers as an accent in your accessories, artwork and even as a motif on furniture fabrics and wallpapers.
Delicate ditzy prints (rather than big bold blooms) are what you should aim for. Antique botanical books are a great place to source beautiful floral illustrations you can frame and hang on your walls.
3. Combine colours and patterns
One thing English Country homes definitely aren't is subdued and minimalist, especially when it comes to colours and prints. In fact, strong bold colours together with decorative prints and patterns define English Country style. A combination of both is the fastest way to channel this trend in your home.
Typical colours to decorate in include warm terracotta, natural greens (think leafy prints, nothing too artificial), bold blues, and robust reds. While print wise, flowers should definitely feature prominently. But really anything that isn't geometric would work. Remember, English Country style is about eclecticism and experimentation so don't be afraid to clash prints and colours for maximum impact.
4. Introduce Hygge style layers
English Country homes are typically romantic, warm and cosy, something that's achieved by combining multiple textures together with oodles of layers, throws and cushions. All of which will add to the lived-in country feel.
This concept of 'layering up' and introducing texture also aligns with the more recent home trend Hygge, a Danish approach to interior decoration that emerged in 2017. Essentially this involves making your home as cosy as possible to promote good feeling.
Again, your soft furnishing choices don't have to be well planned or even coordinated. A few chintzy cushions thrown together with a warm wool throw, is perfect for making your living spaces English Country ready.
5. Have fun with it
Finally, when it comes to decorating in English Country style, don't be afraid to have a little fun with it. This decorating trend lends itself perfectly to introducing all kinds of curiosities, and collectable knickknacks. Again, easily sourced second hand from car boot sales and flea markets. As well as passed down in families from generation to generation (so dig out those old heirlooms and display them proudly).
Don't be afraid to fill your shelves with whatever takes your fancy (and whatever you can find)! From mismatched ceramics (china plates and tea cups work well) to animal themed accessories and old decorative bottles of varying shapes and sizes, English Country style gives you a great excuse to be playful and fun in your interiors.
Bonus Tip: 3 English Country Style Sofa Beds
Trying to pull off the English Country look in your living spaces? These three sofa beds from our handcrafted range are perfect for adhering to the trend while also giving you a practical guest bed solution when you need to accommodate extra bodies overnight.
1. The Bulford Sofa Bed
The Bulford sofa/sofa bed
The Foxcote sofa/sofa bed shown
The Lyneham sofa/sofa bed
Don't forget, each of our handcrafted sofa beds comes with a choice of 14cm deep mattress, a choice of 130+ fabrics and finishes, and a 25-year guarantee on its solid wood frame. So you really can customise any of our sofa bed styles to fit in with your unique English Country living room.
For more information email our customer service experts via our contact form or call 020 8939 3800.
Kind regards,
The Willow & Hall team