Country Cottage Thrift Finds in a Simple Living Room

The country cottage look for ordinary homes

Anyone can achieve the country cottage look in their home, even if one has a small, ordinary, or simple home. We do have some original charm in our living room like the fireplace with the brick hearth, the molding on the wall next to the stairs, and wood spindles on the staircase. But for the most part, the country cottage look has come together in our living room from thrift finds I’ve collected over time! And there’s still so much more I want to do to add even more of the country cottage style to this space. You don’t have to have a certain size or style house in order to achieve a beautiful look for your family to enjoy.

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I absolutely love the country cottage style. In fact, sometimes I don’t know what to call my style – english cottage, shabby chic, cottagecore, french country?! All I know is I love character, country charm, feminine details, soft colors, old things, and a collected lived-in look.

Thrifting and buying second hand

You also don’t have to blow the budget! This is why I love buying things second hand when I can. Also, thrift shopping is so much fun! You get to find unique items for your home, get great deals, and bring in some of that old traditional charm that’s just hard to find sometimes in basic home decor stores. Not to mention, the thrill of the hunt will have you getting out to the thrift stores over and over! My favorite thing to do is find antique shops and flea markets in my local area, check facebook marketplace, and visit Goodwill stores.

Country cottage thrift finds in our living room

Here are some of the thrift finds I’ve collected over time for this space!

French country checkered couch

Probably my favorite piece of furniture in our entire house is this french-country green checkered couch. I fell in love with it when I saw the french style shape of the legs and the sweetheart shape of the back of the couch. It goes so well with the country cottage style with the green checkered pattern! I just love it so much.

This couch was in a booth at a thrift store just outside where I live, but I came across it on Facebook Marketplace! When I saw it, I knew it belonged in our home. I believe it was $175

Distressed Side Table & Floral Lamp

I actually found both this table and the lamp at the same local vintage market. The table was $25 and has been in our living room for years! I later found this lamp with the floral detail on it and knew I had to have it. It also was around $25 I think! It looks so cute next to this stack of old books (thrifted from various places.)

Throw Pillows & Quilt

This big sectional was a Facebook Marketplace find! We paid $500 for it at the time. We’ve had it for several years and has served us well as a big family! I love the beige color and the fact that it provides lots of comfy seating, which is essential to a country cottage living room. But what is a couch if not embellished with throw pillows and blankets?!

Most of the pillows on this couch were thrifted from trips to Goodwill for just a couple dollars each. I especially love the crocheted green one and the pink one with lace! The quilt is from a vintage market in town; I think was around $25 which is a steal for a quilt. I want to thrift more quilts and add to my collection because they are just so charming, warm, & cozy.

Bookshelves, Baskets and Books

This wooden stair-case shelf is one I’ve had from when I was a teenager and took to college with me! I think it looks nice in our living room to store some of our books.

Not only do books add cottage charm to any room, but especially old books! Most of the books on this shelf are not thrifted, but many of the old looking ones are (like on the top shelf!) We’ve collected them throughout various trips to the thrift stores and they’re typically only a dollar or two each.

I also love the baskets on this shelf that are thrifted! The green one was from a vintage market and the one on the bottom is from Goodwill. I absolutely love the lace detail around the big basket, it’s just so cute! Baskets always belong in a country cottage living room.

Next to our other couch we have a cute little bookshelf that was given to us by dear friends and a little basket for books on top. This basket was another Goodwill find! It was around $4 if I remember correctly. It looks like a basket that Little Red Riding Hood could have been carrying with her on the way to grandmas house. The charm was too much to resist!

Tips for Thrift Shopping

If you’re wanting to be able to thrift some items for your own home, here are a few tips for thrift shopping I’ve learned when it comes to home decor:

1. Don’t buy something just because it’s cheap. If you don’t love it, you will likely regret buying it. Make sure you love it even if you have to wait to get the perfect item or furniture piece you’re looking for.
2. Be open-minded when thrifting. You might be looking for something specific, with a specific shape and color; but you might come across something you didn’t originally have in mind, but works perfect for the space! Sometimes you just don’t know until you see something and end up loving it more than what you had originally planned!
3. If you love it, and it fits the style you’re going for (and budget,) get it. I am always so glad when I buy those items that just bring me a lot of joy, even if I don’t know where I’m going to put it or how I’m going to use it. Sometimes you may get creative and use an item in a different way than how it was intended!
4. Think about the decor you already have in your house before you buy something. Will it match? While it’s important to get things you love, it’s possible to get something you love but totally clashes with what’s already in your home.
5. Go often. New items show up in thrift stores daily and weekly! The best way to find treasures is to visit the stores on a regular basis. You are more likely to find the good stuff that way!
6. Look for sales and markdowns. Goodwill has a color tag that’s 50% off every week. When you’re in vintage markets, ask about sales and be on the lookout for sale signs in each booth!

The country cottage style is romantic

As a homemaker, I really enjoy decorating my home in the country cottage style because it reminds me of classic fairytales I enjoyed from childhood. There’s something very whimsical and romantic about a country cottage home; it makes me feel like a princess living in a fairy tale!

Filling my home with country cottage thrift finds is one way I love to romanticize my life as a homemaker. Surrounding myself with beautiful things and beautifying my environment is one thing that brings me so much joy in homemaking.

FREE Printable – 25 Ways to Romanticize Your Life as a Homemaker

If you’d like to see some of my tips for making life romantic as a homemaker, grab my free printable – 25 Ways to Romanticize Your Life as a Homemaker!

You can also read my blog post on Romantic Homemaking HERE.

Happy thrifting!

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