Building a cottage in your gardens

Cottages are unique structures that most people think are not necessary for a home garden to possess due to the fact that they have houses.

Cottages are viewed as a luxury reserved for the wealthy. But the truth is cottages are quite affordable and easy to construct.
According to Steven Kayiwa an engineer, a typical cottage is detached from the main structure and is small in size usually less than 1,200 square feet.

They can be built from a wide range of materials including stone, wattle and daub or wood, and they may be tiled, thatched, or roofed with shingles, depending on the region and owner’s preference.
They can be designed to look modern or rustic, with features like plank floors, exposed beams, and hand-carved woodwork.

Isabel Odida an interior designer at Odida advises that it is always good to adapt the setting of the environment into the interior design.
Your cottage should have;

A bed
She says that just like it is a necessity in other kinds of houses, so is it in a cottage. Look for that bed which is comfortable but not too big to occupy the whole cottage. Choose a theme colour that will be visible in your furniture and beddings. Dull earth colurs are preferable because of their calming effect on the senses.
Chairs
Be creative with chairs as there isn’t necessarily plenty of space. A wooden plank with comfy cushions can do.

Lighting
You can choose to use electricity or a lamp. A lamp gives off a warm yellow glow that relaxes the mind.
A stove and food
Everyone needs to eat so a stove and food should not be forgotten when one is moving into a cottage. A portable gas cooker can be ideal if you are having a vacation at your cottage and also the foods to be used for that period of time should not be perishable or too hard to cook.

Fire place
“A fire places is not really necessary though it warms up the cottage when the weather is not favourable. Besides, it can give it a classy look and atmosphere,” says Odida.
This is suitable for those who want to get cozy most especially couples who need privacy and decide to move into the cottage.

Nice view
To have a cottage that has a nice view does not necessarily mean it has to be located at the beach or close to any water body but if it is possible then that is even better.
Kayiwa says the best thing to do is to create your own beautiful scenery in whichever way that suits your eye satisfaction. The best alternative is have plants that beautify the environment and most importantly locate your cottage in a position where you can be able to catch a little glimpse of the sunrise and sunset.

Privacy
To Kayiwa, privacy is the main reason people build cottages. So, when constructing a cottage, you should consider the privacy you need. The more privacy you need, the further the cottage should be from the main house.
This works best for people with big families as you will get privacy away from them if you want to as a couple.