Articles on Cottages

Cottage, cabin, villa, manor, chalet. Stone, timber, cob. By whatever name, of whatever material, owning a thatched cottage is a dream come true for most people. There is something about the rustic charm of a cottage with its thatched roof which is irresistible to many. What comes to mind when you hear the word “cottage” is most likely the image of a house in a charming English village surrounded by birdsong.

The origin of the term “cottage” can be traced back to the feudal system in England’s Middle Ages when a “cotter” (worker) was given somewhere to live by the Lord of the Manor in exchange for his service. In today’s modern world, a cottage embodies a lifestyle that blends simplicity, comfort, and a profound connection with nature.

Whether in the countryside, by the sea, or nestled in a forest, cottages are a symbol of tranquility, allowing individuals to reconnect with their roots and enjoy the peaceful beauty of the natural world. In essence, a cottage is not just about its physical structure, but the experience it offers—a serene retreat, a touch of nostalgia, and a haven of rustic simplicity.

These days, everyone seems to be fascinated with old English cottages. And if you live in one, you’re likely to have many of the same questions others do – Why are the stairs so steep? Why are the floors uneven? Why do they creak? And what’s the difference between a cottage and a bungalow, or a cottage and a cabin?

Answers to these and many other questions are but a click away in the list below, along with copious handy tips on how to make the most of your country dwelling. You may also wish to utilise the search tool in the menu bar above to focus in on details.

• How to Fix Damp in An Old House: My Pro Tips
  As a keen enthusiast of the history and architecture inherent in old houses, my attention is often caught by the challenges they introduce, particularly concerning
• Understanding Why Old Houses Have Uneven Floors
  In my explorations of properties drenched in history, I’ve often encountered a curiosity that many homeowners share: why do old houses have uneven floors? Old houses
• Why Do Old Houses Have So Many Doors?
  If you live in an old house, or have simply visited one, you might have noticed how many doors there are compared to more modern
• Why Do Old Houses Crack?
  Living in an old house comes with many quirks, some of which can be very worrying on the surface. A great example of this is
• Why Do Old Houses Have Windows Above Doors?
  Whether you live in an old house or have visited one, you might have noticed that some have windows above their interior doors. Because this
• Why Do Old Houses Have Vents In The Walls? 
  If you’re not a builder or an architectural historian you may have wondered why old houses have vents in the walls. The answer is relatively
• Why Do Old Houses Have High Ceilings?
  Old houses hold a charm that is hard to deny. Perhaps it is because these homes are crammed with the stories of those that have
• Why Are Stairs So Steep in Old Houses?
  One of the things that makes European homes so interesting is that their construction spans thousands of years. From the stone houses at Sassi di
• Why Do Old Houses Creak?
  If you’ve ever spent time in an old house, you might have noticed that they creak randomly, whether you’re walking over wonky flooring or even
• Why Do Old Houses Have Cellars?
  When looking around an old house, you might have noticed that it had a cellar. Cellars were common in older buildings, despite there being objectively
• Why Do Old Houses Have Two Front Doors?
  If you’ve ever noticed old houses have 2 front doors, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Whether you live in an old house with 2 front
• Why Do Old Houses Have a Toilet in the Basement?
  Have you ever toured an old house, ventured into the basement, and discovered a lone, sometimes rustic toilet seemingly out of place? If you’ve found
• How To Get Rid of An Old House Smell?
  The charm, character and sense of history that an old house brings can’t be overstated. Unfortunately, neither can the smell some of these ancient dwellings
• Why Are Old Houses So Dusty?
  If you’ve ever lived in an old house, you probably already know they can be very dusty. It’s even more obvious if you’ve lived in
• Why do English Cottages Have Names?
  The English have a love of naming their homes. You only need to think of the house names from literature and film to know the
• Mold in Cottage
  Old cottages can be great to live in, but they come with a range of issues worth knowing about. One of the biggest (and potentially
• Why Do English Cottages Have Low Doorways?
  If you’ve ever walked around an old English cottage, you might have noticed how low the doors and ceilings are. Even people of average modern
• Why Do Old Houses Have Locks on Every Door?
  Have you ever walked through an old English house and noticed locks on every door? This quaint architectural feature, prevalent in vintage and older homes,
• English Cottage vs French Cottage – What’s the Difference?
  There’s just something about cottages that brings a sense of calm into our lives. Peace descends as we unplug from the whirlwind of modern life
• Why Do Old Houses Have Sinks in Bedrooms
  Strolling through an old home or cottage, you might stumble upon a feature that seems out of place in today’s residences – the presence of
• Why Do Cottages Have Small Windows?
  Have you ever noticed that traditional cottages often have notably smaller windows than modern homes? Ever wondered why? Well, you’re not alone. So why do
• Why are English Cottage Ceilings So Low?
  Welcome to our journey through time as we explore the quaint charm of English cottages, notable for their distinctively low ceilings. Beyond the undeniable character
• How to Insulate a Cottage Floor
  Living in a cottage can be great for plenty of reasons, but their insulation is often a big downside. While traditional solid stone walls are
• How to Clean an Inglenook Fireplace
  Inglenook fireplaces have a place in most people’s hearts. And because of their size, Inglenooks are not only a talking point but can often be
• Cottage vs Granny Flat – What’s the Difference?
  If you’ve ever dived into building terminology, particularly around rural buildings, you might have come across the term “granny flat”. It’s a very British term
• What is the Best Color to Paint a Cottage?
  Cottages often follow fairly set (but unwritten) guidelines in terms of style. In some areas of the UK, english cottage communities can have rules about
• Chocolate Box Cottage – Everything You Need To Know
  Besides tea and cucumber sandwiches, bulldogs, castles, and royalty, few other things are a major indicator of quintessential Englishness than the chocolate box cottage. Here’s
• Why do Irish Cottages have Red Doors?
  Cottages in Ireland, like cottages everywhere, can be a delight to the eye. When kept in good condition, they are quaint and beautiful and a
• What Flooring is Best for a Cottage?
  Cottage flooring often has to stand up to a fair amount of punishment. Muddy boots, wet dogs, kitchen spills, sandy beach towels, not to mention
• What is a Tied Cottage?
  If you spy a quaint cottage while on your travels in the countryside, you may have spotted what could originally have been a tied cottage.
• How Many Bedrooms is a Cottage?
  We all have our own mental image of what a cottage should look like. Stone walls, possibly a thatched roof, and a rural location are
• How To Insulate an Old Cottage
  Living in a quaint old cottage is all well and good until winter rolls around and you realise they can be pretty cold. This is
• Why Are Cottages Painted White?
  Traditional cottages are sought-after properties in today’s market. And they can have a price tag to match. Of course, like all properties, price is dependent
• Cottage vs Mansion – What’s the Difference?
  Both cottages and mansions can lay claim to the hearts of any fan of architecture or history. Many cottages and mansions can be attractive, trace
• Cottage vs Farmhouse – What’s the Difference?
  Cottages and farmhouses are probably some of the most similar types of property in the British countryside. However, there are enough differences for them to
• Are Stone Houses Cooler in Summer?
  Stone houses and stone cottages are a delight to look at and can be a wonderful connector to our past. And there are many benefits
• How Thick Are Stone Cottage Walls?
  A stone cottage has an undeniable charm, and many people will not settle for anything less. Because of this, stone cottages appear to have withstood
• Cottage Vs. Manor – What’s The Difference?
  In feudal England, a cottager held a modest dwelling with a large garden to support a family in exchange for duty to the landholding lord.
• Are Thatched Cottages Damp?
  Since most thatched cottages are very old, they frequently feature expansive grounds and are situated in prime areas. This is because there were many suitable
• How to Light an Inglenook Fireplace
  Are you the proud new owner of a home with an inglenook fireplace? They really are a thing of beauty. A piece of living history
• Cottages vs Apartment – What’s The Difference?
  Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a cottage and an apartment? Cottages and apartments are both types of housing, but they offer
• Cottage vs Chalet – What’s the Difference?
  Visualise those childhood holidays to Butlins. Or think back, if you’re old enough, to Hi-De-Hi! Remember the dingy chalets that a family would stay in
• Cottage vs Lake House – What’s the Difference?
  In British property terms, a cottage has one of the widest-ranging definitions. As such, it’s often used interchangeably with other terms like lake house, bungalow,
• How to Damp Proof A Stone Cottage
  Stone cottages look delightfully picturesque on postcards and chocolate boxes. But like all older buildings, they require a great deal of upkeep if you want
• How Much Does a Cob House Cost?
  When Kevin McCabe’s self-built cob house was on Grand Designs back in 2013, he admitted it cost over his £350,000 budget. But then his house
• Cottage vs Villa – What’s The Difference?
  Cottages vs a villa, what is the difference between them? When you hear the word “villa,” you might think of a luxurious, sprawling property in
• How Are Cottages Built?
  The term cottage typically refers to houses of modest size, located in a rural area. The first cottages were built as huts to keep peasants
• Cottage vs Terraced or Detached House – What’s The Difference?
  There are over 25 million residential properties throughout the UK, ranging from detached homes and terraced houses to bungalows. Each property type brings with it
• Cottage vs Lodge – What’s the Difference?
  We can all picture a cottage in our mind’s eye, can’t we? We’ve been sold the idea of a perfect cottage in art and through
• Cottage vs Ranch – What’s the Difference?
  You’re probably familiar with the idea of a bungalow, but have you ever given much thought to its actual definition? How about its comparison to
• How to Insulate a Stone Cottage
  Living in a quaint stone cottage is all well and good until winter rolls around and you realise they can be pretty cold. This is
• Cottage vs. Bungalow – What’s the Difference?
  When it comes to different types of quaint British property, you might be surprised to learn that there are fairly strict definitions of what each
• Can You Have a Wood Burner in a Thatched Cottage?
  There are few things more quintessentially English cottage than thatched roofs and wood burning stoves. Putting a stove in a building with a straw roof
• Are All Thatched Cottages Listed?
  When you think of thatched cottages, it’s fair to assume you imagine old buildings. In the UK, therefore, it’s reasonable to ask, are all thatched
• Do Cottages Have an Upstairs?
  Due to the small and homely nature of cottages, it’s fair to wonder whether they actually have an upper storey. In this article, we’ll answer
• Inglenook Fireplace: Everything You Need to Know
  An inglenook fireplace is a popular setup in English country cottages. You can do a surprising amount with an inglenook fireplace in terms of decoration
• What is a Character Property
  The word “character” is an attribute that distinguishes people or objects apart from one another. How does this relate to properties? What is a character
• How Much Does It Cost To Insure A Thatched Cottage?
  A thatched cottage is a type of house that is primarily found in the United Kingdom. The term “cottage” in this sense does not refer
• What is a Cottage?
  A cottage is a small cosy residential dwelling usually found in, but not limited to, the countryside. What makes a cottage a cottage somewhat depends
• Stone Cottage – Everything You Need to Know
  The image of sturdy stone cottages dotting the landscape gives many people a sense of peace. Reflecting the landscape around them, cottages blend harmoniously with
• Cob Cottage and Cob Houses – Everything You Need to Know
  What is a Cob Cottage? Cob cottages are a sustainable and cost-effective method of constructing a lifelong home. Cob cottages are homes that blend into
• Old English Cottage – Everything You Need to Know
  These days, everyone seems to be fascinated with old English cottages. People love them regardless of what colour they are painted or what material is
• Cottage Vs Cabin – What’s The Difference?
  Cabins and Cottages There are different types of buildings and each has its own unique characteristics. This article focuses on the differences between cottages and
• What is a Cottage Flat?
  When you hear the word “cottage”, then dreamy English cottages in picturesque little villages will probably spring to mind. And while this website will be
• Thatched Cottage – Everything You Need to Know
  Thatching is a centuries-old tradition and thatched roofs used to be the norm up and down England. Shakespeare’s Globe, the iconic London theatre where the
• Cottage vs House – What’s the Difference?
  The image of a house in a charming English village surrounded by birdsong most likely comes to mind when you hear the word “cottage”. But
• Is a Thatched Cottage a Good Investment?
  Owning a thatched cottage is a dream come true for most people. There is something about the rustic charm of a cottage with its thatched