Every Autumn, my desire to move to a country cottage deepens and with it comes thoughts on how best to decorate. I had every intention of sharing with you some of the country-inspired earth tones and textural burgundy browns that are emerging for interiors. But, the power of the colour palette I mentioned in Interior Design Directions for 2024 has, rather like an irresistible Lewis & Wood vine, taken hold here at blog HQ.

Modern Country Style colour palette

Perhaps you remember it was an edible-inspired new paint palette from Dulux with their pale pink Sweet Embrace colour of the year to Little Greene’s Sweet Treats new collection of caramels and chocolate browns that was catching my eye.

Since then, feel-good biophilic greens still continue to have their place, especially in tandem with aqua blues highlighted with blush pinks, to crimsons, faded reds and coral. The only difference to this combination now is the addition of mustard yellows and turquoise.

Modern Country wallpaper

Top of the list for evocative country cottage walls has to be this gorgeous new Mill Oak wallpaper (available in four pretty colours: Aurea, Calamine, Common Blue and Viridis) design from Wiltshire-based textile designer and illustrator Fanny Shorter. But which colourway to choose and for which room? Would it be wrong to have a room of each? Probably.

But seeking inspiration for how and where to use this beautiful wallpaper lies with the expertise of interior designers Turner Pocock who originally commissioned it from Fanny Shorter for their Berkshire Cottage project.

Turner Pocock specified complementary paint on woodwork and created a dynamic show-through from sitting room to hall. Their signature pops of red add a lovely bit of zing with accessories such as artwork, throw and lacquered side table.

Contemporary art for Modern Country Style

Anne Payton’s not to be missed forthcoming art exhibition, The Odyssey and the Female Divine, depicting characters from Homer’s Odyssey, is on 7th and 8th as well as 14th and 15th September at Jewell’s Farm Artist’s Barn, Stanford Dingley, Berkshire, RG7 6LX from 10.30am to 5 pm.

Anne is a member of the Modern Makers Collective who have previously featured on the blog

Contemporary painted furniture

My eye is always drawn to furniture with carving and with an interesting profile. Console tables are one of those incredibly useful pieces of furniture for fitting into small spaces such as halls, for lamps and books behind a sofa or as a drinks table. This pretty Zig Zag console is newly launched by interior designer Georgie Wykeham and certainly fits all of the above criteria.

Ian Sanderson have got it all sewn up

For a fabric collection that offers it all, you don’t need to look beyond the pattern books of Berkshire-based Ian Sanderson to create Modern Country Style.

Creative Director Helen Sanderson has put together Stitch and Block, an irresistible new one-stop collection of floral block prints, embroideries and small scale prints that sit harmoniously with designs from their existing collections.

The fabric designs are perfect for creating comfort and luxury in a country cottage but could in all honesty work in any style of home. The photography and styling of this collection is absolutely spot on for me, reflecting the passion and hard work that Helen puts in to designing Ian Sanderson collections.

Scallop-edged rechargeable table lamp

These rechargeable table lamps are not only pretty with their scalloped, petal shades but useful (especially when kept fully charged for power cuts) too. They can be moved easily to light different locations without worrying about an accompanying tangle of plugs and wires. Perfect in symmetry on a mantle shelf or for use on a dinner table as mood lighting.

British country textile designers

British designers Vanessa Arbuthnott with her pretty new Wild Garden collection and Charlotte Gaisford (who has previously featured on the blog) both always delight with their refreshing take on traditional country design and colour.

Lovely styling details here too with neat pleat edging, contrast piping, upholstery buttons and bow ties.

Modern Country landscape artist

David Carpenter’s wonderful “Above Upton Scudamore” landscape painting in its entirety which I cropped in my opening collage images only because it wouldn’t fit the space for this post.

Modern country cottage

If you are a fan of the tradition of corrugated iron or tin houses with a strong bothy vibe, you might too love the possibilities that a Wee House Company house could provide. I have had my eye on this company for a while as a way of achieving an instant and more affordable solution to building your own home.

The Wee House Company create cutting-edge modular build houses at their Ayrshire factory in South West Scotland. They deliver to your door in a design of your choice, a house complete with kitchen and bathrooms that is completed on site. Wee is perfect in size for many people, but it looks like you can have bespoke larger than wee size too, should you require.

There are some very appealing design and build materials of corrugated iron roof, Australian heritage-style porches and black exterior panelling on the Wee House Company website. Studios start at £120,000 with a three-bedroom home from £270,000. You can even try before you buy with a holiday rental.

Just need to find some land now …

Playing with pattern

And for all pattern lovers out there, perhaps this is what Modern Country looks like in 2025? This fun cottage exterior using Pimpernel by Morris & Co was crafted with an AI tool, and enhanced by the Morris & Co in house team. Put me down for the matching car too please.

Styling Box

Styling Box is my affordable interior design service that offers bespoke designs and samples all wrapped in a beautiful and useful Styling Box. The perfect gift for you, for friends and family. Please get in touch if I can help you with a bespoke interior design

Shop The Blog

I love these vintage Swedish country style sconces with heart motif which create lovely reflective lights for creating mood lighting in dark corners. This mid century sconce is 32 cm long x 17 cm wide and has a hook on the back to attach to the wall. Available now for £95 plus £7 shipping in my online vintage shop.

Thank you

Thank you so much for reading, I hope you have been enjoying a lovely summer.

With best wishes,

Charis x