How to choose the style of a country house “to your liking”

This year, against the backdrop of the self-isolation regime, country houses have become especially popular. Even those who have not been a fan of country life before are buying ready-made housing and remodeling it for themselves or acquiring plots on which they plan to build their dream home. We talked with designer Ksenia Kruglova about what you need to pay attention to when choosing an interior in order to live in a country house in a cozy and comfortable way.

“A huge plus of a country house is that you have your own territory where you can walk, play sports, grow vegetables, fruits, berries. During the coronavirus pandemic, people began to appreciate all this very much. Everyone rushed to buy garden furniture, children’s corners, sports equipment. Our partners, manufacturers of furniture and children’s centers, say that their orders are scheduled five weeks in advance, – says the specialist. – In addition, your house is preferable in terms of area. Each of us needs our own space to be alone, and this is an absolutely normal desire! And we’ll talk about how to make this space cozy and modern, starting from personal preferences.”

“Quite often in my practice, I come across a situation where the customer himself does not know what he wants and in what style he would like to decorate a country house,” says the designer. “Therefore, before starting work, we always conduct an initial interview: we are interested in the technical characteristics of the house, the lifestyle of its residents, the daily routine and the composition of the family. It often happens that spouses see their country house in completely different ways. And disputes between husband and wife over repairs have already become classics of the genre. Men vote for a laconic interior made of natural eco-friendly materials. They choose dark or bright colors, and from finishing materials they prefer stone. The male gender is very interested in the technical equipment of the house, choosing the most expensive appliances, storage system, air conditioning system, a door with a built-in surveillance system, and a private office as a separate space. Women, on the contrary, are very fond of decor, adore textiles, and they rarely think about all sorts of “bells and whistles” like sliding curtains on the control panel. But the fact that a country house is good is that each of the family members can create their own corner – according to their taste and desire.

According to Ksenia Kruglova, when choosing a home design, people are divided into two categories: some are chasing fashion, while others prefer constancy. It’s the same with clothes here: there are classic things that can be worn for decades and they will always be relevant, and there are trendy things that are in the top this season, but will be considered outdated next season. The former follow all fashion trends and prefer unusual and ultra-modern interiors. They want the “wow effect” to make their guests fall in surprise right on the doorstep. For this category of people, I would advise you to choose an interior in the most neutral style with light walls, floors and ceilings. With such a “framework”, you can easily change the situation at least every year. The same advice is suitable for connoisseurs of fine art who love to collect art objects: paintings, figurines… Experts call such an interior a “framework for a picture of your life”, because it can live and develop with you, each time transforming thanks to fashion trends and new items brought from travel.

“I would advise lovers of constancy to turn to the classics,” the expert continues. — But keep in mind that the classic interior implies the largest budget. This style implies a lot of decorative elements in the interior – solid and natural. There is no way you can replace gypsum stucco with polyurethane, wood trim with plastic, and textile wallpaper with paper. The classical style has certain canons, and when people start saving and imitating, it is always visible from a kilometer away. Remember: classics do not tolerate cheap analogues!

A country house for a family with children is a completely different story. First, children’s rooms grow with children. There are nurseries for newborns, for a child of two or three years, for a primary school student, and for a teenager, and they all have their own laws. Therefore, it makes no sense to make a good repair “for centuries” in children’s rooms. And secondly, the main thing that parents with children need to focus on is safety and functionality. Use the main plus of a country house – outdoor space. In the yard, you can equip an interesting playground where your children will frolic while you barbecue.

Before choosing the style of a country house, be sure to look through magazines and pay attention to which interiors you like and which ones you don’t. And do not forget that a beautiful picture is one thing, but a house is another. It is important to understand in what environment you will be pleased to be every day: bright, energizing and uplifting, or vice versa, calm and relaxing. And here another plus of a country house emerges – its space allows you to mix several styles. For example, a bedroom area can be made in a relaxing style, and an office can be arranged in such colors so that it sets up for a working mood. The living area implies that strangers will be in it. Therefore, just it can be designed in such a way as to cause delight and stormy emotions among your guests. You can also experiment with the hallway, because it is considered the “face” of the house. But most importantly – remember that you equip the house for yourself, and not for others. Therefore, listen to the sensations and choose what your soul lies to.