Since I was a young,  I have had a love affair with cottages – the more secret they seem, the  better. In my third book, I got to explore this concept some more with the exploration of a unique, abandoned cottage in Cornwall. This picture below is how I imagine the colour of the stone walls and the design – though mine was detached and larger in scale.

This unusual window below really inspired the cottage I wrote in the book. Something almost otherwordly, yet beautiful despite the neglect … and I built my neglected cottage around this image.

It was so much fun to write, places always inspire me, I can’t help imagining the hidden stories they have to tell.

But it isn’t just the lonely and abandoned, I love all cottages in all shapes and sizes – from the quaint and tiny to the large and beautifully restored. I love cottages much more than I do grand houses, I couldn’t really explain why. I love the history, the beams, cottage pane windows, stone walls … even a cottage garden is better for having the word cottage before it. It’s one of my favourite adjectives, grin.

Then there’s the decor – maybe it’s the simplicity, the colours – the soothing feel that here is a timeless place that is all about rest and relaxation, charm and cosiness –  though there’s an abundant quality to it as well that I love.

I think for me, give me a cottage by the sea any day.

What about you? Do you love cottages?

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