Fun with color

While Modern Cottage style generally embraces soft, understated colors for use on walls and larger scale upholstered pieces, it also relies on pops of vibrant color here and there to add freshness, fun, and energy to a space. These jolts of color can take many forms, from brightly-hued plants and produce to interesting artwork and accessories (like these great antique books in a charming color grouping). To keep the Modern Cottage crispness and simplicity, choose just a few favorite colors and repeat them throughout your home.

Modern Cottage wedding

The Modern Cottage aesthetic can be revealed in so many unexpected places. For example, we were out walking recently on a beautiful Saturday afternoon when we came up on a historical building in our downtown area. Originally built in 1922, the building has wonderful lines and is wrapped in crisp, white beveled siding. Task-minded bodies were moving about the outdoor patio and grounds in preparation for an evening wedding ceremony. And at the patio, just outside the French doors, two people were hanging giant moss covered letters – the initials of the bride and groom we presumed – which contrasted so simply and beautifully with the classic white structure in the background. As we took in the scene it seemed to hit us at the same time since we turned to each other with wide eyes. I’m not sure which of us said out loud what each of us was thinking: “Modern Cottage wedding!!”. We didn’t stick around to confirm our declaration, but they were certainly off to a great start. Isn’t it a beautiful building? And you can get the fabulous moss letters on (of course!) Etsy.

Sunny, happy art

Modern Cottage style is all about taking advantage of natural light and finding ways to bounce it around interior spaces to promote a fresh, airy feeling. Maybe that’s why we’re so drawn to these cool prints by artist Leah Giberson. I love how she plays with light and shadows – it seems like she captured these scenes at the very best part of the day. Plus they have such a fun, mod vibe. These are two of our favorites, from the colors to the composition (have I mentioned we have a minor obsession with chairs?). You can almost feel the warmth of the sun on your skin just by looking at them, like they’re beckoning you to climb in, take a load off, and just bask away.

Ahh, Summer...

You may have wondered, what exactly is the Modern Cottage way of life? It's about enjoying the simple things…remembering what is most important and living accordingly. It’s an impromptu game of badminton on a huge back lawn with sunlight filtering through the trees (and a combination kid/dog cheering squad – the kids are keeping score as well, you'll notice). It’s also about beauty and function and the best things in life: laughing out loud with family and friends, eating delicious food, exploring new and interesting places, and always returning to a fabulous ‘home base’ where you are surrounded by colors, objects, textiles, and design which genuinely make you feel at peace, at home, at ease, or more simply: happy. What better environment in which to share all those ordinary, day-to-day moments which add up to a well-lived life? Hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July holiday.