A cabin is a type of small house that can fit any number of architectural styles and house designs. The definition of a cottage varies between cultures, but a cottage is usually a small, cozy home in the countryside – often a summer house or holiday home. Most cottage-style houses are single-story houses, but multi-story houses can also be called cottages, depending on the context. Cottages are not necessarily limited to the countryside. Small, simple urban home plans can look remarkably similar to country cottages, and they serve the same modest residential function.
The word “cottage” dates back to the Middle Ages, where it was adapted from the Latin word cotagium. An old English cottage was the home of a cotter, a person who lived on the estate of a gentry. These old English cottages tended to have a thatched roof and stone or wooden walls. Thatched cottages were built in many eras of English architecture, including the Tudor and Victorian eras.
Similar cottage plan styles have developed in Norway (the Norwegian word for such buildings is hytte), Finland (the Finnish word is mökki) and Sweden (the Swedish word is stuga), and small cottages are also found in the landscapes of nations such as Syd. Africa, Chile, Russia, Canada, Great Britain and the United States.
Almost all modern cottage plans have traditional living spaces including a master bedroom, a living room, a dining room (or a cottage kitchen with dining area) and bathroom. Cottage design can also vary depending on the location and during which period it was built.
1. English Cottages: Cottages in the English countryside often have thatched roofs, which were built as an economical form of weather protection. These English structures often have cottage gardens growing up against the buildings.
2. Nordic cabins: In the Nordic countries, cabins are usually built of wood and often painted red, which helps them stand out from the summer green and winter white of the surrounding countryside. These cottages often serve as holiday trips for Swedish, Danish or Norwegian families.
3. Canadian Cabins: Many Canadian cabins have two stories and are small vacation home designs built near a body of water.
4. American Cottages: American cottages on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket often have wood shingles that turn gray in the salty air.
5. South African cottages: In South Africa, langhuis (Afrikaans for “long cottage”) are built with stucco walls and thatched roofs.
