COTTAGE TO THE CORE

Lifestyle blogger Rebecca Lovatt's 17th-century thatched cottage in the English countryside springs to life with a romantic blending of rugged good bones and layers of well-loved vintage treasures.

- KELLY RYAN KEGANS

HOW CLEVER IS THAT?

DIY Pallet Sofa

For the back patio, Rebecca's husband, Jamie, built a corner sofa from old shipping pallets that Rebecca then topped with bench cushions and a mix of grain sack and gingham pillows.

Fresh paint gave new life to an armoire Rebecca found on Facebook Marketplace. She made the entry's pendant from a lampshade and inexpensive light kit.

Blooming hollyhocks-a classic flower for cottage gardens-provide a bright border around Rebecca's home in Suffolk, England. "It does feel quite magical here in the spring when everything turns a delicious green," she says.

Built in 1650, the cottage's thatched roof and black weatherboard rear exterior are common vernacular in the English countryside setting.