Spring is here, who’s ready to head out to the coast? This season, we’re exploring casual elegance with our “Modern Cottage” style, which blends a rustic aesthetic with clean modern design and luxurious details. This look is youthful and relaxed, with a mellow West Coast attitude that’s just right for lightening things up. The overall approach is open and airy, inspired by sun-drenched bungalows and beach cottages, but with an eye for elegant finishes and gorgeous artwork.

Fresh white walls set the stage for pale, earthy neutrals, soft blues and warm woods. This dreamy palette feels inspired by blue coastal skies full of clouds, but it has an organic, down-to-earth quality as well. Globally-inspired accents are everywhere, from handcrafted wood and ceramic objects to handwoven baskets. Our Modern Cottage feels contemporary and collected, mingling antique and traditional elements with global style.

Some of our contemporary seating options–there are a few of our favorite “modern classics” like the Ethan Chair in here–from the Rowe and Robin Bruce lines embody this style perfectly, creating airy spaces that still maximize coziness. Modern Cottage is ideal for those who crave comfort and ease, but have a refined aesthetic that adores retro-modern styling and plenty of brass, marble and leather accents.

Modern Cottage Ethan ChairReady to escape to a modern cottage of your own? The look begins with modern building blocks like our Ethan Chair or Dorset Bench Seat Sofa, whose low profiles create a sleek outline for the space. Patterns should be timeless classics, such as ticking stripe or windowpane plaid, with occasional highlights of multicultural fabrics. Colors are subtle in this cottage, but texture is everything, so reach for layer upon layer of tempting textiles like chunky knit throws and natural baskets. Bring a touch of the outdoors in with live greenery, fresh flowers, and nature-themed artwork. Finally, let the accessories shine–literally–by weaving in metallic accents and vintage-inspired lighting that bring a little taste of the city to this cottage in the country!

Pro-Tip! 3 Ways to go Modern Cottage:

  • Clean Lines – Put the “modern” in your modern cottage with sleek, streamlined furniture that still brings the comfort factor. Angular shapes and high, straight arms add contemporary flair to a cozy space.
  • Subtle Pattern – Reach for understated versions of the classics, such as casual stripes and monochromatic plaids and checks. A pop here and there of globally-inspired pattern in muted tones adds a bit of an exciting edge and keeps the look unexpected and fresh!
  • Texture It Up – This look is all about touchable textures rather than bold color, so layer them on! Chunky knit throws meet natural woven baskets and plush rugs in this modern cottage. Weathered wood surfaces and handcrafted accents provide a nice balance against elegant finishes and shiny metal accessories.

Get the look by customizing your fabric.  Here are some great modern cottage fabrics:

Modern Cottage Fabric Swatches

Get This Look! 3 Designer Cottages:

Allie Swivel Chairs

A pair of Robin Bruce Allie Swivel Chairs looks perfectly at home here, seen in crisp white against white walls in this space by Design Shop Interiors. A chunky woven rug and piles of pillows add an extra layer of softness to this sunlit retreat, which feels like a perfect space for everything from curling up with a good book to entertaining friends.

Products Features:
Allie Swivel Chairs


Photo:
@nicoledianne

Sylvie Slipcover Sofa

Our Allie Swivels make another appearance here in this California farmhouse, also created by Design Shop Interiors. Seen here in a simple white pinstripe on charcoal, they help to elevate the home’s rustic aesthetic from country to chic with a black & white monochromatic palette. Paired with a simple Sylvie Slipcover Sofa draped in flax-colored fabric, this high-contrast haven is both welcoming and elegant..

Products Featured:
Allie Swivel Chairs
Sylvie Slipcover Sofa

Photo: @nicoledianne

Ellice Sofa

This inviting living space by Hart & Lock Design is anchored by the low silhouette and modern contours of the Robin Bruce Ellice Sofa. In a room full of rustic wood and glass accents, Ellice stands out as a soft focal point, highlighted by a lumbar pillow in soft, casual stripes. Warm woods round out the room in all directions, beautifully echoing the home’s exposed beams and bringing a cozy, intimate feeling to this otherwise airy space.

Products Featured:
Ellice Sofa

Photo: @dimensionalproductions

Find it at Rowe & Robin Bruce:

Ethan Chair

Ethan Chair

Combining modern angles and a structured wooden frame with just a hint of traditional tufting, the Ethan Chair is a perfect choice to anchor our Modern Cottage style. Embrace Ethan’s angular contemporary vibe or the timeless quality of the button tufted cushion and subtly padded arms, the choice is up to you!

Deno Ottoman

Dena Ottoman

Designing an airy, open living room is so much simpler when the furnishings are compact and adaptable. Our Dena Ottoman is a stylish, minimalist masterpiece that functions as extra seating or a footrest, and allows easy flow of traffic through a space.

Allie Swivel Chair

Allie Swivel Chair

The classic club chair gets a contemporary upgrade in our Allie Swivel, creating a look that’s both structured and inviting. Allie is the perfect complement to transitional and more contemporary styles, and is a natural fit for our Modern Cottage.

Dorset Bench Seat Sofa

Dorset Bench Seat Sofa

Our Dorset Sofa is as classic as a three-piece suit or little black dress–the crisp piping and single row of button tufting across the back even make Dorset feel like a fashionably tailored ensemble. Nothing completes a Modern Cottage better than this stylish seating option!