Correction - they called the architectural style of the house English Cottage, not English Country.

No way!

If someone here can really explain a design reason for the paint job, I'll, I'll...well, I don't know *what* exactly I'll do, but it's a new one on me.

Huh? Odd ..

Not only did they paint only the bottom half of the grids on the doors, but they put up some type of divider on the center grids between the painted and non-painted half? If it wasn't the same on the other pics, I'd almost say it was a photoshop oops.

If you look at the interior french door, it's painted all white.

zipdee, there seems to be thin bamboo blinds on the french doors, which make it look like the grids are painted.

I think the style is a tad more formal than english country/cottage; nicely done.

as for the painting transition, definitely unfinished looking ; if it's intentional, and it's supposed to look quirky/funky, it's not working, lol.....

Doesn't look particularly English to me...I'd call it American New House Eclectic. PB-style sofa, English chintz chairs, French chair with ottoman, vaguely Asian table lamp, indeterminate light fixtures. Very comfortable, family-friendly room. I think of real cottage style as having more patina, more hand-me-down elements, more off-hand and casual. This room looks entirely new. Which is just fine, of course, and every aspect looks entirely doable. It's a nice mix of things that are easily available, and it's the mixing of styles and fabrics that takes it toward cottage.

This Is Cottage decorating.Hope that helps. There is tons of books out there

This is a beautiful room but I'd sure like to know the intent behind the way it is painted. That is definitely a first and I've seen some WEIRD things! ;0)

I think it is a shadow. Look over in the left corner at the shadow cast by the chest and the items on the chest. If there is a light coming from the lower left of the fireplace, the stone facade, lights and mantel could cast that shadow on the wall. The beam on the ceiling creates a shadow as well.

Ok, Ok, I know what it is!!! It is shadows not a unfinished paint job. My husband looked at it and said the 'professional photographer' set up his lighting in a manner that cast shadows without counter-lighting to compensate. If you look closely at the candlesticks and bowl on the coffee table you will see their shadow on the hearth. It is the same with the candlesticks by the TV in the left corner, you will see a perfect shadow cast in the paint on wall by the french doors. You can also see a shadow cast by the far right-hand beam on the ceiling and one made by the right edge of the fireplace, sconces and mantle. He says this is why you don't photograph at a 90 degree angle from your principal light source. Can you see what I'm talking about???

Oh, jakeabedy figured it out, too, before I could get it typed up! ;0)

That is REALLY poor editing, IMO!

Definitely a shadow - it follows the lines of the fireplace. But it DOES look like a bad paint job at first glance!

Ahhh..... You are so right. I went back to their web site and there is another view of this room. Some mightly funky shadows on the ceiling of the photo on page 3 (see link). This time the 'whacky paint effect' shows up on the other door.

Scarlet, is your husband a professional photographer? My X and I had a studio for 20 years. Looks like this photographer should have balanced his lights better. Not only does the photography needed editing, you should read the article.

But, back to my original question - what style is this room? Since this is what I want i would like to put a name on it so I can research it and learn more about it. There is no mention in the article about the decorator.

Oh, BTW, this "cottage" is 2900 square feet. That's Atlanta for you.

Here is a link that might be useful: More Photos and article

Scarlet, is your husband a professional photographer? My X and I had a studio for 20 years. Looks like this photographer should have balanced his lights better.

Nope, he's not even an amateur photographer! LOL! He is just really smart, especially when it comes to stuff like that. He amazes me with what he comes up with. He took one good look at it and knew right away that it was shadows. I looked and looked at it and just *knew* the paint was not finished properly! ;0)

Here is a cool site to figure out your decor style.

I have taken the quiz about 5 times and I always seem to be the same thing so I think it is pretty accurate.

Here is a link that might be useful: sproost

I may be way off base here, but it looks to me like there is some sort of light controling blind on the french door that is pulled halfway down. Otherwise why would the middle panes of glass be half the size of the others?

Huge spotlights off camera to compensate for shooting out the windows into bright sunlight.

I don't think anyone who lived in an actual English cottage would recognize this :)

It's American transitional Hollywood-inspired "cottage" IMO.

While I like much about the room posted here it certainly is not typical in some respects. I think the furniture and color scheme are appropriate for a version of English country but that raised hearth and the chandies are not. However, it's still a nice room.

I've posted this site before but IMO it's a good example of genuine English cottage style. I think many on this side of the pond don't want quite the level of "shabbiness" which the real thing has. With many of the homes on this site I really want to replace the housekeeper with one who will get it clean.

Here is a link that might be useful: traditional English cottage style

I like the original room posted but I LOVE the authentic English Country/cottage rooms in the link posted above by luckygal.

Thanks Mitchdesj!

I can see it better now. I was sitting in the booths with my laptop facing the back french doors as I was having coffee this morning. With the sun hitting my screen, it looked *exactly* like half the doors where painted .. I couldn't even see the shadow on the wall that artlover was talking about .. teach me to sit there in the morning as scroll through the board. *LOL*

Ok, so it's not English Cottage. What style would you call it, other than Palimpest's rather disparaging comment dubbing it "American transitional Hollywood-inspired "cottage"".

Maybe it's a regional thing, but many traditional homes in the south are decorated in this manner.

Whatever style it is--it's a very appealing room. I love it!

It's a very Y2K English country. The painted paneling, the painted beams, the hardwood floors, the munions on the windows, the limey fireplace. I don't see it being anything else. I think some people tend to forget that even the older buildings from former centuries have been updated to look more like this secondary to convenience and new technology, etc. We don't have a real American style. We are a young country. Most of our decor and architecture is a mixture of Europeans and some that FLW stole from the prairie folk.

"Doesn't look particularly English to me...I'd call it American New House Eclectic. PB-style sofa, English chintz chairs, French chair with ottoman, vaguely Asian table lamp, indeterminate light fixtures. Very comfortable, family-friendly room. I think of real cottage style as having more patina, more hand-me-down elements, more off-hand and casual. This room looks entirely new. Which is just fine, of course, and every aspect looks entirely doable. It's a nice mix of things that are easily available, and it's the mixing of styles and fabrics that takes it toward cottage." Bronwynsmom

Well, we have two pros saying it isn't English (wouldn't even want to hear Mag's opinion). That's not to say there's anything wrong with it.

The paneling looks coastal cottage and fireplace stone (one of my favorites) has been showing up on a lot of new builds around the Midwest and South. Very American. Nothing looks aged, even the chintz is gleaming. I love the rug that's under the coffee table.

Again, there's nothing wrong with it and I'm starting to wish that I would have just gone to a furniture store and said "I want some comfortable furniture, a mixture of patterns and textures, and some nice stone. Fix me up!".

At least I'd be done by now.

My description wasnt meant to be disparaging. Its a very nice looking room --I don't know why it can't be called American Eclectic Transitional or something. It is very "Southern Accents, Traditional Home" magazines, in spirit. There are a lot of movies from the middle of the century 1950s and 60s that had this type of set, and it was often the "Country place" --Imitation of Life, a number of the Doris Day comedies and some other comedies and melodramas had some sets that had these Colonial Revival(paneling), Stick Style (scale, fireplace), traditional (antiques), transitional (lighting and comfortable seating) mixes. Good set design and costume design has been very influential in portraying how "people of taste" live. I think America is old enough that we can start to make some claims of our own style and not tag something as "European" just because it is elegant.

Why are there 3 doorknobs on the french doors?

"Why are there 3 doorknobs on the french doors?" - Probably a deadbolt. I have those on my exterior doors.

Thanks, everyone for your descriptions and comments. That will be helpful in trying to determine my style.

Don't know what to call the room's style, but I like it a lot. It's a wonderful place for reading, having guests, and playing with DGS.

My favorite place to go to see true English country style is the BBC mystery series Midsomer Murders. It takes place in a group of tiny towns in the countryside. There are always many suspects and almost everything occurs in their various homes. There's a wide variety of decor, but it's almost always charming.

Why are there 3 doorknobs on the french doors?

As Artlover says, the one on top is a deadbolt, more than likely, one that must be opened with a key from the inside as well as the outside. We have those on all of our exterior french doors. That way, if someone tries to enter by breaking the glass, they have a MUCH harder time gaining entry.

I think one is a lock.

Norman, Norman my love. Norman called me on the phone, said it was more like a Norman home with English decor and what is more, everything mentioned on this board becomes, oh Lord, such a contentious sore, from some of those who have not been here before, Norman my love.

Patricia, I almost fell out of my chair!
You're older than you look, my girl!
And I thought those songs went to the Muzak in the fabric store to die...

(Oh...you left out the "ooh-ooh----oo-oo-oo-oo-ooh" after the first Norman...)

LOL. I meant to say Norman says it's Normandy. I think the beams and open plans are more Normandy than anything else, but this appears to be a mix of Normany, English and good old American 'we did it our way..'

I can see it better now. I couldn't even see the shadow on the wall.

How long do we Americans have to do something before it is considered our own? I've seen rooms decorated like this in Southern homes for as long as I can remember. Colors change with fashion but it's always this planned casual mix with lots of texture and mullioned windows. It says class to me but maybe that's because of the homes I seen it in.