Five ideas on how to decorate a summer cottage in impeccable style

Is it difficult to decorate a garden plot and how to turn a village house with a garden into a beautiful vacation spot?

Any summer resident is ready to recall offhand about dozens of ways to decorate the site, which he used on his 4-8 acres. There are gnomes in the grass, fireflies, fences, swings, fountains, ponds, terraces and, of course, flowers and ornamental plants.

Often country courtyards look like heavenly corners, but sometimes the craving for originality results in dubious compositions made of plastic bottles, adjacent to an antique plaster sculpture by the fountain and a gazebo made of picturesque tree rhizomes. Such country kitsch requires immediate surgical intervention. Listen to the designer's advice: some of the proposed projects involve financial costs, others require time, imagination and golden hands to implement, but they are all imbued with the idea of ​​​​a single style of country space.

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From house architecture to park landscape

When looking for ideas on how to decorate your summer cottage, it is useful to first look at existing buildings, evaluating them from an architectural point of view. If this is a log hut with carved architraves, then in landscape design it is advisable to adhere to the Russian village flavor.

If the cottage is built of wood and glass in the spirit of Nordic Scandinavia, then in small architectural forms it would be logical to continue the theme of environmentally friendly constructivism and restrained northern aesthetics. A house made of brick, or with a “brick-like”, “stone-like” finish, is quite easy to adapt to the Mediterranean or English style, Provence. Even a dilapidated residential shed can be a source of inspiration if the owners are close to the romance of boho style.

Consider the most fashionable architectural trends in terms of their application to the organization of the landscape. Let's highlight those important accents that will decorate country life, determine both external signs and the essence of the style of your updated summer cottage.

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Color and perfection of architectural and landscape design

So, the main rule for decorating a suburban area is to adhere to a certain concept. For a small country residence, fashionable styles are especially interesting, each of which makes you take a fresh look at the organization of space:

• Scandinavian - clean lines, natural materials, practicality and modernity.

• Provence - rustic comfort in an elegant French reading.

• Boho is a juicy color of freedom.

• Mediterranean - all shades of heat and coolness in the ancient park.

• English - see perfection in wild burdock.

Each of them is colorful, harmonious in its own way, obeys certain laws, and knowledge of the laws, in this case, greatly facilitates the task.

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Scandinavian view of the unity of nature and man

The Scandinavian style is a whole philosophy that preaches not human opposition to the forces of nature, but harmonious coexistence with the environment. Having opted for this direction of design, you will have to think first of all not about how to decorate a new summer cottage, but about how to preserve the corners of natural vegetation as much as possible and fit into them a simple but comfortable house made of wooden beams, with spacious windows without bindings and a terrace overlooking the island of wildlife.

If the house has already been built, and the pines and spruces have long been uprooted, you will have to plant several coniferous trees near the house, gazebos or patios - they will become accent elements of landscape design.

Of the entire arsenal of design techniques, the style of the Scandinavian dacha is best emphasized by the following:

• Coniferous trees.
• Alpine hills with granite boulders, an abundance of mosses and lichens.

• Artificial streams and springs, as naturally as possible inscribed in the landscape.
• Neat lawns.

• Paths made of wooden elements, concrete and stone slabs.
• Verandas, gazebos, terraces, benches of laconic design, made of wooden slats and timber of natural texture.

• Outdoor brazier in the gazebo or patio, made of gray stone or metal.

• A low fence or netting that ideally offers a view of the surrounding forest.

An indispensable attribute of a Scandinavian estate is spacious well-groomed lawns near the house. It is desirable to combine alpine hills with forest trees, shrubs and springs - they will become a source of moisture and coolness necessary for the development of picturesque mosses and shade-loving stunted plants.

Paths arranged in a special way can decorate any suburban area, but in the Scandinavian version they are especially picturesque. They are laid out from natural stone, concrete tiles, wooden blocks and round cuts. An indispensable condition is the laying of these elements with gaps through which lawn grass (neatly trimmed) or moss begins to break through over time. Particularly picturesque are the cross cuts of the butt (the lower part of the trunk, at the roots) - such wood is distinguished by its expressive texture and excellent strength.

Non-functional decorations are alien to the Scandinavian style, but if it is possible to place an avant-garde sculpture made of natural stone or metal on the lawn, created by a good artist, then this will be a great success.

And, of course, the main attribute of such a suburban area is an open hearth on the terrace or patio. Cast iron or lined with gray cobblestones, often with a hanging chimney to provide natural draft, it brings hosts together on chilly evenings to warm up and enjoy grilled meats and fried sausages.

Where to find a place for a garden? A part of the territory is allocated under it, strictly defining its boundaries.

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Sentimental signs of Provence

Provencal style is considered feminine, and it's hard not to agree with this.What hostess will find the strength to refuse garden furniture pleasing with sunny colors, a gazebo entwined with blooming roses, and a mass of intricate trinkets that open to the eye in all corners of a well-groomed garden?

Provence gives the owner the opportunity to reveal skills and creativity when creating small architectural forms. In general, this is an ideal option for homely people who are not devoid of artistry and humor, who subtly feel the value of things with history and are able to create beauty “out of nothing”.

What to pay special attention to, how best to decorate a garden plot in the spirit of Provence? The possibilities of landscape design and space decoration in the traditions of the southern French province are huge:

• Ornamental and flowering plants.

• Ceramic and stone pots.
• park sculpture.
• Garden furniture.

• Pergolas and arches.

Provence is characterized by a regular breakdown of the orchard, neat beds and a huge number of flowers. It seems that flower beds have the right to appear anywhere - on specially laid out flower beds and discounts, on trellises near the gazebo or along the paths, spontaneously grow at the edge of the beds, bloom in pots on the wall of the house and on the roof of the shed. Among the flowers, preference is given to roses, lavender, poppies, in favor of inflorescences of blue and pink shades. Primroses are welcome absolutely everything - from the lush to the most nondescript.

With a huge number of flowering plants, the question of how to decorate a summer cottage is solved by itself. Tapestries for climbing plants are arranged in the form of arches over park paths, they can serve as the walls of a gazebo or replace a picket fence.

When arranging flower beds, it is customary to use exclusive pots and planters - they can be old bags and strollers, failed chair seats and ajar chests. Flowers can fill the drawers of a chest of drawers or a luggage basket on a bicycle. It seems that they make their way and bloom everywhere. At the same time, old things, "adapted" for creative flower pots, are refurbished by the owners with bright paint or, conversely, they are accentuated by aging, covering with patina and craquelure.

Country furniture is an important element of garden decoration. Swings, benches, as well as old chairs, armchairs and tables taken out into the yard are welcome. A touch of old-fashionedness and a stamp of care are important - all furniture is repaired, tinted, complemented with bright pillows in pastel colors or in red and white checks.

For park sculpture, you can use the traditional symbols of Southern France: cockerels, hens, hares, birds. A nice touch of the Provencal courtyard is the arrangement of bird feeders in the crowns of trees.

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How to decorate a summer cottage in boho style with virtually no cost?

Bohemian chic is distinguished by incredible decorativeness, fantasy and artistry. But in fact, it comes from the gypsy nomadic way of life, in which everything that could be carried away had a touch of luxury, and real estate was assigned an auxiliary role. No one cared how dilapidated the temporary housing turned out to be - it was given a flair of rich sophistication with the help of expensive fabrics, carpets, brass utensils and gold trinkets. Later, carefree hippies contributed to the development of boho, and in our time it has taken a strong place among the most fashionable design trends.

If we consider a city dweller in the village as a temporary guest, then the idea of ​​​​decorating a summer cottage in the boho style will not seem extravagant. Moreover, this approach has great advantages.

Firstly, the planning of the garden and vegetable garden can be approached without fanaticism, sowing and planting what the soul lies in, and for which there was enough time - any flaws in the care will not affect the expressiveness of the landscape. Secondly, the design will easily disguise the dilapidation of buildings and compensate for the lack of furniture.

The functional and decorative basis of bohemian aesthetics is textiles. Bright patchwork curtains or velvet draperies in the doorway will make you forget about the cracked door. Silk pillows in an old gazebo will make it incredibly cozy. A hammock with a hanging fringe will be much more convenient than a swing, and a translucent alcove above a low sofa will protect against small midges.

The house may be modern, comfortable, but elements of careless poverty will decorate the summer cottage in the same way as a pinch of hot pepper adds flavor to an insipid dish. Low sofas and tables in the yard can be made from pallets and boxes - in contrast with bright fabrics, they will become especially chic. The gazebo will be successfully replaced by a tent, and in the grill area it is enough to lay out a place for a fire with stones and scatter seat cushions around - and the cottage is ready to receive guests.

Pay attention to how in the spirit of boho you can decorate furniture in your summer cottage. Creative owners paint it with fantasy ornaments, originating from Indian mandalas or ancient Aztec drawings. On the paths, you can lay out carpet ornaments with multi-colored pebbles, fragments of ceramics and melted pieces of colored glass.

Boho aesthetics is valued for its decorativeness, informality, and for how it originally decorates a hospitable summer cottage, emphasizing the inner freedom and imagination of the owners.

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Fresh Mediterranean breeze over your garden

The sea is far away, the vacation is short, but one wants to feel the sea breeze again and again and touch perfect antiquity. Try to recreate a little Italy in your country house.

The defining features of the Mediterranean style in landscape design:

• Abundance of southern plants.
• Silent stone wall.
• Secluded patio.

• Terraces on the slope.
• Large ceramic vessels.

• Columns and arches stylized as antiquity.
• Pebbles or tiler on paths.

• The predominant color is terracotta and grey.

How to decorate a summer cottage with heat-loving plants in a climate far from tropical? You can actively use potted crops and take date palms, ficuses, and thujas into the yard in huge ceramic flowerpots. Fortunately, if the garden is located on a slope, then terraced plantings, so characteristic of Italy, are planted on it. Luxurious flowers bloom in clay amphoras, vases, shards, wrap around stone columns. The park should give the impression of not being neglected, but rapidly growing.

A small patio is paved with a tiler or artificial stone. You can add antiquity by laying out a fragment of the floor with a soft stone or pebble mosaic. Patio furniture is light, often wicker, and very comfortable. Armchairs and rocking chairs are complemented with blankets and pillows. Ornamental plants surround the recreation area from all sides. Imagine how a fountain gurgles nearby, and silhouettes of an antique colonnade or park sculpture appear through the greenery. A fairly high stone fence creates an atmosphere of privacy in the Italian courtyard.

A special type of Italian terrace is a pergola.It perfectly protects from the scorching sun and is blown by the breeze. Instead of a roof, a frame of slats is constructed above it, which during the summer is abundantly wrapped around with ampelous plants, ideally with grapes (Amur and girlish in the conditions of the north) and climbing roses.

The paths of the park are paved with tiles, paving stones or pebbles, laying out circles and radial bends, as in a Roman mosaic.

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Noble English garden under the canopy of firs and birches

The English garden is famous for an interesting contradiction: against the backdrop of perfectly manicured lawns, park compositions are created that should look as natural as possible, as in nature. In this case, the gardener does not rely on random luck, but selects a group of trees and shrubs in height, silhouette and color so that one crown looks spectacular against the other, and together they retain picturesqueness at any time of the year. In order for the park to grow well, it is necessary to give preference to local plants.

Of the small landscape forms, only secluded benches in the far corners of the park and stone flowerpots with ampelous flowers can be noted. The pond is built in such a way that its outlines are irregular, and moisture-loving plants characteristic of the area grow along the banks. The classic of the English garden is a weeping willow, reflected in the waters so that from the side of the bench the landscape is flawless in its perfection.

Pay attention to how the English summer cottage is decorated with flowers. In contrast to the luxurious peonies and roses surrounding the house, modest forest and meadow flowers are planted in the depths of the garden. Careful care of them leads to their miraculous transformation into lush bushes, strewn with soft fragrant inflorescences.

Stone paths run from the house to the lawn and further, to secluded lawns, each of which has a special atmosphere. A summer cottage in the English tradition is the nobility of the classics, melancholy solitude and very hard work.

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On the way to harmony

We have a special attitude to country life - it is there, surrounded by wildlife, that the desire to create wakes up. In your own garden, work is not a burden, but its results invariably please, and you want the environment to be in harmony with a peaceful state of mind.

How to decorate a summer cottage in an original and tasteful way so that the result causes satisfaction, welcome guests come to indescribable delight from it, and summer cottage life becomes beautiful, measured and comfortable? Try to approach its design creatively, calling on the help of good taste and knowledge of the basics of landscape design.

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Photo gallery - how to decorate a summer cottage

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