Cozy Countryside Cottage

A creative blogger and Instagrammer shares her life lived in an enchanted English countryside cottage.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a fairytale?

Instagrammer and blogger Rebecca Lovatt of My English Country Cottage might lead a normal life, but she can certainly give you a taste of living in the picturesque countryside of Suffolk, England.

Her Instagram page is brimming with photos of her enchanting, 400-year-old cottage that she’s spent the past eight years making her own.

picnic in lawn of English countryside cottage — Let’s Have a Picnic. In lockdown, Rebecca and her family take advantage of their beautiful land and enjoy having outdoor picnics under the trees. “We’re outside a lot in the summer,” she says. She makes the space cozy with a blanket and plenty of pillows.

“It’s about my real family life living in a magical cottage,” she says.

So, if you’re into character, charm, color and cozy interiors, you need to add Rebecca to your social media scroll.

Behind the Scenes

Rebecca’s successful Instagram page started when a personal injury led to a desperate need for mental stimulation. She began perusing Instagram, and it inspired her to post photos of her own cottage.

“I loved seeing so many beautiful homes; and, because my children were getting older, I wanted something I could do from home,” she explains.

Rebecca outside her historic countryside cottage

Now, not only does Rebecca enjoy rearranging and trying out new fabrics in her own space, she also gets to help friends decorate their homes and tour other cottages.

“When The English Home magazine came to shoot my house, we got along really well, and I got to be an assistant for its other photo shoots for a time,” she says.

While her Instagram focuses on spaces in her home, her lifestyle content is on her blog, including behind-the-scenes looks at styling and photographing for magazine shoots, along with gardening tips and recipes. And, in addition, there might even be a book in her future.

“I’ve been thinking about writing a book about a year in the life of a very crumbly cottage and including seasonal recipes,” Rebecca says.

brick fireplace and wood beam in historic English countryside cottage — Original Character. Although the cottage was empty when the family moved in, it still had the existing brick fireplace and wood beams. “The owners before us had uncovered them,” Rebecca says. She enjoys pattern-mixing with her pillows and rugs. “I wanted to balance the sweetness of floral with something more geometric,” she explains.

view outside from English countryside cottage

Original Character

This little cottage’s charm is unmatched because of its long straw roof, beautiful scenery and interior beams. But it wouldn’t be the special home it is if Rebecca hadn’t made it her mission to maintain all its original charm.

“I wanted to honor that it’s an old farmhouse,” she points out. “We were lucky it was in good condition, but it needed a lot of cleaning, and we were able to uncover floorboards underneath the newer pink carpet.”

Rather than fill the home with modern furnishings, she opted for pieces that fit the older structure.

guest bedroom in English countryside cottage — Guest Stable. The guest bedroom in the stable was an opportunity for Rebecca to experiment with home design. “My plan was to do something different and more pared-back in here,” she says. The painted pine boards on the wall offer a bright foundation, and the reclaimed brick floor helps give the renovated space the impression of age.

“We have a mix of inherited and vintage furniture,” Rebecca says. “In an old cottage, if you buy pre-loved furniture, it’s going to feel like home immediately.”

The home’s cottage style is a mix of rustic and romantic, with its existing features providing the rustic background and Rebecca’s décor giving it a romantic feel.

library and window bench seating in English countryside cottage — Cozy Collections. Books are some of Rebecca’s favorite things to collect. “They make a room cozy, give it a sense of history and provide extra texture,” she says. To store her treasures, she and her husband installed these built-ins. “We created a false wall so we wouldn’t touch any of the original beams.”

“My theater background informed my design,” she explains. “My home has all the fun, color and joy of being in the theater, but it was important for me to find a balance between light and coziness.”

With such a positive and uplifting account, Rebecca finds that her favorite part about sharing her home is the feedback from followers: “I love making people happy, and every morning, I get so many comments saying that I make people smile with my home,” she says.

English cottage kitchen with original brick — Covered in Cushions. Rebecca and her husband are no strangers to DIY. They made this outdoor bench out of used wood pallets and cushions from a daybed to create an extra outdoor seating area.

outdoor section in English countryside cottage

Love countryside cottages? Find out how one countryside cottage got a pantry refresh. Of course, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to get your daily dose of cottage inspiration!