Tour A Cozy English Sitting Room Embracing Cottage Living

Tour an elevated and cozy English sitting room bursting with charm and comfort.

It’s always a delight to go to the annual Lake Forest Showhouse. This year, the showhouse took place at a breathtaking 1895 estate featuring 30 rooms, English walled gardens and timeless architecture by Henry Ives Cobb. Stunning is an understatement.

One of my favorite rooms in the home was the “English Resting Room” by North Shore Nest.

From the moment you walk into the room, you are greeted with warmth and character in this beautiful English sitting room. Your mind feels at peace, and yet your eyes are dancing with interest at every inch of design detail and charm.

In this post, you will get a snippet of the home tour and this fabulous “English Resting Room”. I’ll give you all the details I love and hope you leave with plenty of inspiration that you can carry into your own home.

English Sitting Room Design Elements

For more thorough details of how to decorate an English country style home (or English cottage living room ideas) be sure to read: 35 Ideas For Decorating A Small English Cottage Living Room.

But for now, here are a few key elements that are common in an English cottage style living space, especially in a living room, den, or sitting room:

Natural materials (natural textures might include jute, wool, wicker, etc.)
Floor lamps
Floral Patterns
Rustic style touches like exposed wooden beams (original beams offer a timeless charm, but faux beams can look beautiful too!)
Striped or floral throw pillows
Soft blankets
Fresh flowers
Decorative elements that bring in the charm of the English countryside
Botanical prints
Original floorboards or a medium-toned to dark wooden floor
Antique accents
Varied comfortable seating such as a plush sofa, a comfortable armchair, love seats, a wingback chair, and even a bench or chair used as a window seat!
Soft Lighting
Cozy fireplace
Interior color palette of neutral colors (like creams or taupes), muted soft greens, muted soft blues (or even muted soft pinks).
Brass toned or antique gold picture frames
Decorative items and artwork that feel like they have a rich history
Classic furniture pieces that work well in a small living room / sitting room / smaller space, such as a Mahogany wood pedestal side table (a favorite!) or an antique brass end table (stunning spot to place your drink or a good book!)

(Note: And not everything in the entire room has to have rustic, aged, or traditional elements- you can gently bring in some newer items and modern elements too! For example, small decorative objects or a small abstract modern art piece would be a perfect example!)

English Sitting Room Design Inspiration

From the designers at North Shore Nest: “In a house that has everything, true luxury is creating the unique experiences right at home. We invite you to experience our ‘English Resting Room’, designed with layers of heritage English patterns, prints, and textures. As designers, we seek inspiration everywhere we go, and in 2018 we began traveling with a group of ladies to London biannually. It is one of our favorite places to visit as it is always warm, inviting, historic, and sophisticated. We always return to our studio full of ideas and appreciation for the evergreen nature of design throughout history and culture. Our aim was to transform this small space into a special retreat that transports you to a cozy cottage overlooking the rolling hills of the English countryside.”

“We envision this space as a multi-functional room that can span the evolution and seasons of life for the homeowner. The custom built-in could easily store games to be played with and then tucked neatly away, or the shelves could host books to create the most inviting library, beckoning its guests to get lost in the pages on the sofa wrapped in windowpane wool. The antique secretary was a special find, and would be the perfect spot for penning thank you notes and holiday cards, or catching up on the day’s e-mails. No matter how the homeowner decides to use the space, we trust that it will bring moments of respite from the noise of life, and will be the perfect backdrop for an escape.”

-The Interior Designers at North Shore Nest (Instagram: @NorthShoreNest) (- be sure to follow and support creative talent!)

The English Resting Room

Let’s jump in and take a tour of this cozy, yet elevated English Resting Room!

(While many pieces may be one-of-a-kind or vintage finds, I’ll do my best to link similar finds!)

I absolutely adore how intentional this space is. The designers took their own inspired ideas from their personal adventures exploring England and captivated a space that takes you to an idyllic English countryside.

This gorgeous mantle is painted in a fabulous muted green: Benjamin Moore Cushing Green. The traditional brass taper candleholders paired with the leather-bound matchbox is such a lovely way of mixing different materials. The round walnut mirror brings texture, depth, and classic character to the room, while the vintage bamboo easel frame stand is the most darling detail to display the beautiful landscape artwork in an antique gold frame (affordable gold frame HERE).

The detailing of the landscape fishing ceramic tile bordering the fireplace is the most charming touch. Original or stone fireplaces are common in British homes, so the aged look of this fireplace makes the space feel authentic.

The English cottage style exposed beams are classic, and the brass and rattan chandelier (seen in the mirror) is a stunning nod to the British aesthetic.

English cottage style always involves flowers and greenery, and I love how the addition of ferns (faux ferns HERE) in the rustic fireplace adds an unexpected yet natural detail. While a cozy and warm fireplace might be in use during the winter months, adding the natural beauty of botanicals inside the fireplace in the summer months is such a creative idea!

The brass hanging picture rail is the perfect addition to this sitting room to showcase a gallery wall of landscapes and botanical artwork. The windowpane sofa holds a versatile and timeless pattern, perfect for pairing with floral stripe pillows (a few favorite pillows HERE: One, Two, Three, Four).

While the sofa is so plush and inviting, the star of the show might just be this gorgeous brass picture rail gallery wall. Here are a few art pieces that would look lovely in an English sitting room: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight).

A cozy and intimate corner of the sitting room features a beautiful brass swing arm floor lamp with a pleated shade. A green arm chair is always a personal favorite, and I love the natural elements added to this space from the natural woven shades to the tall wicker basket filled with budding floral branches.

Tip: If you want to create a reading nook in your own living room / sitting room, it’s always a great idea to have that space be near a window to bring in natural light during the daytime.

And a vintage nautical seascape painting in muted tones is highlighted by a brass picture light. (Here are a few similar nautical sailboat art pieces: One, Two, and splurgey, fabulous antique originals HERE).

The antique secretary is such a beautiful find- perfect for displaying books and small decor pieces behind the glass cabinets, as well as being a functional place to sit down and write notes or check emails.

The antique gold vase with florals, the round alabaster table lamp, and pretty brass letter opener add the finishing touch.

Isn’t this corner of the room so charming and so fun?! I love the wooden game table at the end of the sofa, maximizing the small intimate space, while creating a fun place to play backgammon (this lacquered backgammon set is so cute!). A woven side chair adds a natural element (remember, natural elements are a key element in English cottage style), while the green striped cushion and pillow creates an inviting comfort.

I adore the quail and leaf pillow which is made from Schumacher’s Covey Hedge Pine fabric. I’m a huge fan of green and brass paired together (a gorgeous green is one of my favorite colors in interiors!), so placing this Ralph Lauren brass floor lamp next to the green leafy pillow is such a fantastic pairing. The neutrals and greens throughout this room were an excellent choice for an English style color scheme!

This jute/wool rug has a beautiful pattern, yet is versatile in its coloring and natural fiber backdrop. This is a similar style patterned jute rug that is an absolute favorite.

And I know you’re wondering what are these English cottage paint colors… the walls are Benjamin Moore Coastal Fog, and the muted green built-ins are Benjamin Moore Cushing Green.

The beautiful antique brass flush mounts highlight the built-ins, while bringing the eyes up and creating visual interest on the ceiling. And that tea & coffee corner couldn’t be sweeter! From the green skirted check fabric used for hiding away items (perfect for hiding a microwave for warming up water for tea / coffee!), to the pretty brass rail open shelving holding all the essentials for a tea and coffee station, another brass picture light, and the fabulous House of Hackney wallpaper – it’s all so charming!

I love the small rattan table lamps with their petite patterned shades, the natural woven storage baskets (perfect for hiding away card and board games!), the wooden keepsake boxes, the beautiful landscape art displayed on an easel, vintage style books, and the small green glass vase with white flowers (here is a budget-friendly vintage green glass set!).

Note: Baskets are a very easy way to incorporate wicker or seagrass into a living area, and they are also the best way to keep things stored away and organized in family spaces, especially if you have little ones!

I love the details in the layered look of the artwork, stacked books, bowl, and green vase with florals.

Bookshelves are the perfect place to add a decorative wooden box– perfect for hiding small items such as notebooks or playing cards, while also being a lovely addition to your shelf styling!

Again, this room was definitely a favorite out of the entire house tour at the Lake Forest Showhouse. This English sitting room had so many pretty details, and the way the designers executed the layout and furnishings of the room makes you want to pour some tea, snuggle up on the sofa and read a good book!