English country style is popular in many places in the world, not just England, because of its warmth, coziness, and character. This style started in the rural parts of England and feature an abundance of antique, vintage, and/or thrifted traditional floral prints, natural materials, and classic furniture pieces that seem to be collected throughout the years. Here are some interior designer tips & tricks for how to decorate in an English country style in your home. Furniture PiecesThere are several classic furniture pieces commonly found in English country style homes. These furniture pieces are typically antiques. A common English country sofa is a brown leather chesterfield sofa. Other options include a roll-arm sofa or a slipcovered sofa with a skirt in a white, khaki, or cream color. Wingback chairs are very popular in living rooms. Bookcases, or perhaps an entire library, is very common in the English country style. The bookcases are filled with mostly vintage or antique books. Smaller English country homes often have a vintage or antique farmhouse table in the kitchen. Many larger homes will have a billiard or card table. Bedrooms often have a four poster bed or an iron bed. Choose a Warm and Inviting Color PaletteEnglish country style homes are decorated in soft and natural colors that have a comforting and natural feel. Muted pastel colors like pale pink, soft blue, and sage green are perfect to use in an English country style, since they mirror the colors of the blooming flowers and lush greenery of the English countryside. Don't forget the white or cream colored accents so the room does not look too dark. Earthy tones like terracotta, rust, and mustard yellow are also great options, as they create a cozy and inviting ambiance. A neutral brown stained wood color is also prevalent in furniture as well as architecture. Embrace Natural MaterialsUse natural materials when decorating your English country style for the most authentic look. Look for pieces made from wood, leather, wicker, rattan, and other organic materials that add a sense of warmth and texture to your home. Stained wood furniture pieces are a great choice for an English country style, however older wood pieces in poor repair can be repaired and painted to give them new life. Wood or stone floors are most common in traditional English country homes. Brick flooring is also a good option. Stone interior walls or fireplaces are another natural feature of many English country cottages. ArtThe most popular art for an English country home is a framed oil painting #ad. These paintings usually have an ornate antique gold or stained wood frame. The subject matter of these paintings are typically family portraits, landscapes, or animals, such as dogs and/or horses. Don't worry too much about your artwork matching, since art that looks collected throughout the years is very common. Add Floral PrintsOne of the most popular repeating elements in an English country style home is the use of floral prints and floral patterns. Consider decorating your home with floral patterns on your upholstery, curtains, bedding, and/or wallpaper. Popular flower types used in the English country style are the rose, peony, lily, lavender, poppy, and iris. You can mix and match different floral patterns in your room for a unique eclectic look that is one-of-a-kind. If you don't want to cover your room with flowers everywhere, try decorating with just a few floral patterns through accessories like throw pillows, blankets, or rugs. A needlepoint pillow #ad or seat cushion with a floral pattern is very common in English country decorating. Layer TexturesFor a cozy English country room, make sure to layer your textiles instead of just using the same fabrics throughout your room.Decorate with different textiles (like wool, linen, leather, velvet, and cotton) to create a room that feels collected and eclectic. Mixing and matching different textiles adds depth and interest to your space. For example, a wool plaid/tartan blanket draped over a linen sofa creates a cozy and inviting spot to sit for a while and read your favorite book. A linen pillow on a leather sofa creates a nice textural contrast so the leather sofa does not look so formal or uninviting. Choose Cozy LightingLighting is an important element in any design aesthetic, but it is especially in an English country style. English country style homes tend to be a little dark and moody, perhaps because England is known for its dark and dreary weather. Make sure to use multiple sources of lighting instead of just your overhead light bulb in the center of your ceiling. Many designers prefer to not use ceiling light at all except for when bright light is required, such as when cleaning. Table lamps, floor lamps, uplighting on something with an interesting texture (a stone wall or a potted plant), chandeliers, and wall sconces are great lighting options. Make sure that all of your light bulbs are the same color of light, listed as a number followed by the letter K. For a warm aesthetic, you will want light bulbs around 2700K. Mix and Match PatternsMixing and matching patterns is one of the characteristics of English country style since many of the items have been passed down from generation to generation. Don't be afraid to combine floral prints with stripes or plaid patterns with checks. When mixing patterns, don't select patterns with the same scale, else the patterns might feel too cluttered. Instead, select a large scale pattern, such as a floral, with a medium scale pattern, such as a plaid/tartan, with a small scale pattern, such as a small stripe print. The key is to keep the colors cohesive so the patterns don't clash. Experiment putting different items together to see how they look. You never know which items might unexpectedly look good together! Incorporate Vintage and Antique PiecesDecorating your home with vintage and antique pieces is the best way to get the English country look. These pieces add character to your home since they are unique and often a much higher quality than items made today. Look for vintage artwork, old-fashioned lighting fixtures, and classic furniture pieces to create a lived-in and comfortable environment. Understand the difference between distressing and damage. Distressing is when furniture or decor is altered over time from standard wear and tear. Damage is when furniture or decor is altered all at once, such as your dog chewing on the leg of your table while stressed out due to scary loud weather. Distressing is good since it showcases the heritage of the piece. Damage is bad and should be repaired. WoodworkWoodwork is very popular in English country homes. Exposed ceiling beams that might look a little rustic are very common. Some larger homes have stained wood paneling on the entire wall instead of plain drywall walls. Smaller homes will often have painted paneling, such as beadboard or wainscotting. This paneling sometimes covers the entire wall but other times is only on the bottom third of the wall. The woodwork is often painted white or a light color to make the home look lighter & brighter or a darker color to make the home feel a bit cozier. Add AccessoriesDon't forget to add many accessories to your English country-style home since many homes of this style tend to be nearly cluttered with an abundance of stuff that has been passed down to them for generations. Look for items like floral-printed cushions, woven baskets, and vintage knick-knacks to add personality and character to your space. Walking sticks, equestrian items, Staffordshire dog statues #ad taxidermy, antique books, pottery, classic hunting items, floral china, and a grandfather clock are common English country home accessories. Embrace ImperfectionOne of the defining characteristics of English country style is its imperfection since many of the high quality pieces of furniture and decor have been used by the family for many decades. Embrace the lived-in and almost shabby look of antique and vintage pieces. Look for furniture with patina and character and don't be afraid to mix and match different styles & eras. English country homes are typically not perfectly curated and well designed. More commonly, the items in the home have been collected over decades and tend to look a bit cluttered and a tiny bit messy. Imperfection adds personality and charm to your space and gives your home a sense of history. Live Plants and FlowersEnglish country style celebrates the outdoors, especially during the cold winters. Adding potted plants #ad can make a sterile room feel more alive and happy. You can also add fresh flowers for a colorful touch either weekly or on special occasions when you have guests. Consider planting your own cut flower garden so you can bring seasonal flowers inside your home. Roses are a very popular flower choice for a cutting garden. Other articles you might like: How to Decorate a Dining Room How to Decorate with Neutral Colors and Not Look Boring Decorating Mistakes that Make Your Home Look Messy
These muffins are one of the easiest things to make that I've ever made, use only 2 ingredients, and are ready in less then an hour. What can be better then that???? While I don't know that I can actually call them "English muffins" because there is definitely a difference in ingredients, they look like them but they taste sooooo much better. I stumbled upon a recipe that wasn't in English but looked intriguing. I figured out the measurements and made it. While it was definitely very good, I knew it could be even better. I adjusted the ingredients just slightly, made them a bit bigger, and ta-da! It resulted in some superb little muffins. I thought this recipe may be especially important right now, while much of the country is quarantined and trying to make do with the food they have in their house. There is no kneading, no complicated instructions, and no experience making bread required. Honestly, anyone can make these. If you want to make more than 8 of these muffins, I don't think I would double the recipe because it could get difficult to work with since it's quite sticky. Instead, I would make 2 separate batches. How To Eat They are their absolute best the day you make them. If you eat one shortly after making them you may not be left with any leftovers.... That being said, what we've discovered is that once they are a day or more old they are a bit more dense (no yeast = no air pockets) making them hold up beautifully for breakfast sandwiches, breakfast pizza or mini pizzas. Toast or grill them first and then top and enjoy! Some ideas to use them include: Toast them - If they happen to last longer than once you remove them from the skillet, you can cut them in half and toast them just like an English muffin. Sliced and any topping added - jam, nut butter, nutella, cinnamon & sugar, butter, whatever your heart desires. Sandwich - They would be perfect for making a breakfast sandwich out of. Breakfast Pizza - almost like an open faced breakfast sandwich with scrambled eggs, chunks of cooked ham or sausage, and topped with cheese put under the broiler until the cheese is melted. Eggs Benedict - they would be the perfect bread to add the poached egg, Canadian bacon, and bechamel sauce to. Mini Lunch Pizza - a little tomato sauce, a few pizza toppings and topped with cheese put under the broiler until the cheese is melted. On to the recipe! 2 Ingredient Homemade English Muffins Makes 8 muffins 3 cups self-rising flour (alternatively, use 3 cups all-purpose flour + 4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder + 1 teaspoon salt and whisk together) 2 cups yogurt (as mentioned above, dairy or non-dairy regular yogurt) 2 Tablespoons oil (only needed if not using a non-stick skillet) Add the yogurt to a microwave-safe mixing bowl. Microwave 35-50 seconds, or until warm. Stir with a spoon or spatula. Sift the flour (or flour mixture) into the yogurt. With a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, carefully stir the flour in, working the outside of the bowl to the inside of the bowl. The dough will look shaggy and be sticky. Once the flour is almost completely incorporated, using your hand, turn the dough a couple of times in the bowl and then dump out onto a lightly floured counter. Mold and turn a couple of times just until you can mold it into a fairly smooth log about 11 inches long. Using a sharp knife, cut the log in half. Cut each half in half and then again, cut each of those in half so you have a total of 8 pieces. (the dough is very forgiving - if you accidentally make some too large you can remove a piece and add it to a smaller one to create uniform pieces) Gently roll each piece into a little ball, using a little flour if needed, but don't add too much. Lay the ball on the counter and press it down lightly, creating flat sides on the top and bottom (see photo below). Repeat with each piece. Allow to rest for 15 minutes. Pre-heat an uncovered skillet over low-heat for 4-5 minutes. Once it's ready, brush with a teaspoon of oil if not using a non-stick skillet (use a silicone brush or even a cloth or piece of paper towel). If you are using a non-stick pan, oil is not necessary. Add as many muffins as will fit in the pan without touching. They do rise a little and need some space to do so. Cover and cook for 12 minutes. Remove the lid, with a spatula flip the muffins, cover and cook an additional 12 minutes. Once the 12 minutes is up remove the muffins to a wire rack to cool. Continue with the remaining muffins. **there may be a little moisture in the pan from the steam that builds up, it's fine. it will not affect the muffins.** Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before eating. If you cut them open too soon they may be a bit doughy. (not a bad thing....) To store, once cool place in a Ziploc bag or covered container and leave on the counter for up to 5 days or freeze in a freezer safe bag or container for up to a month. the dough is a little shaggy once mixed create an 11-inch long log from the dough slice the dough into 8 pieces and gently roll each piece into a ball, flatten slightly flip the muffins after 12 minutes
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