Cottages are on in the "in" list in 2023
- mgeorge2897
- Apr 5, 2023
- 2 min read
Besides completely charming and utterly scrumptious, what makes a cottage a cottage? According to an article by Southern Living, peasant farmers were known as "cotters" and their humble abodes came to be known as "cottages". Upon a deeper dive into cottages, you may be met with a plethora of different types of cottages all across the world, but for the sake of this conversation we are defining a cottage as a quaint dwelling that is not large in square footage and and I'm going ahead and categorizing it as an older home (1930s-1960s), as most are.
Why are they on the "in" list? I, personally, live in a 1940s cottage BUT, let's not be mistaken, that is not why I am putting them on the "in" list (well, maybe). They have, rightfully, made the list themselves because of their own unique features. With so many new construction homes popping up all over North Texas, I feel like we forget the humble homesteads that already exist around us. They may not have been built in the past 90 years, but the charm that comes with a cottage lasts a lifetime!
The Charm: I think you know what I mean when I say charm. It is something special about a cottage.
Charm is one of those things that you know it when you see it... or should I say feel it. It comes from the feeling of history, simplicity and has touches of, as my grandma says, "the good ole days". I like to think that the charm of a house also refers to the degree of coziness it offers. The greater degree of coziness, the more charm!
Along with the feeling cottages bring, they also have a unique look to them. They are not only smaller homes, but the designs they carry are often consistent and timeless. They have a unique architectural design that gives a nod to history but looks exquisite in the present.
Unique architectural design: Lots of cottages have porches, maybe asymmetrical in structure, with a low pitched roof. Much different than some newer neighborhoods, with houses resembling each other, cottages have some similarities that tie them to one another, but are uniquely different!
Can we real quick address the elephant in the room? Yes, a lot of cottages may be outdated. The potential of a cottage needs to be, most of the time, unlocked. Give them a chance #givecottagesachance! Although small and humble, what more do you need? I, for one, always thought bigger was better until I moved into this little 2 bed 2 bath 1940s cottage and, although I would appreciate a tad more closet space, I am captured by its charm and design all the time.
Until next time,
Madison
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