Home decorator Lara Winter is one of Ideal Home's Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on revamping a 200 year old cottage to make it right for modern family life. See the rest of her articles here.
There are, of course, the obvious differences. The British ability to apologise when someone else steps on them. The fact that dishes here seem to get washed in approximately one teaspoon of bubbles before being left to “air dry” in full soap glory. And British men removing their shirts in public the second temperatures hit double digits and the sun appears for roughly four minutes. A level of optimism Germans simply cannot compete with.
But after living here for over ten years, I’ve realised the biggest cultural differences actually show up inside our homes.
German interiors tend to be calmer, more practical and a little more restrained. British homes, meanwhile, are gloriously brave. Pattern on pattern? Fine. Dark walls? Absolutely. Floral wallpaper next to an orange velvet sofa? Why not.
Somewhere between those two styles, our modern cottage was born.
My Scandinavian dining nook era
Our newest project – the dining nook – is probably the most German part of our house. It’s very Scandinavian-inspired, or what I lovingly call “expensive-looking IKEA”.
Think warm wood tones, calming neutrals and the kind of space that makes you suddenly want to drink coffee slowly from handmade mugs.
Naturally, practicality had to be involved too. The banquette seating is built from IKEA cabinets because Germans physically cannot relax unless storage has been maximised.
And those drawers aren’t filled with chic minimalist things either. They’re entirely dedicated to the endless art supplies our two creative children apparently require to survive. Paper, pens, glue sticks, googly eyes and approximately nine thousand felt tips without lids – all hidden neatly away behind calm Nordic cabinetry, which feels deeply ironic.
The aggressively British cottage kitchen
Then there’s our kitchen, which has fully embraced its English cottage identity. It has exposed beams, quirky corners and the sort of cosy energy that makes you feel like someone should constantly be baking crumble nearby. German kitchens are usually sleek, efficient and suspiciously fingerprint-free. British kitchens, meanwhile, seem designed around emotional support tea breaks.
I’ve completely fallen in love with that lived-in charm over the years. The English really know how to make homes feel welcoming. There’s far less obsession with perfection here. If something is slightly wonky but charming? Even better.
Meanwhile, my German instincts still occasionally whisper: “But would this be considered practical?”, to which Britain replies: “No. Anyway, here’s some floral wallpaper”.
The pink ceiling that shocked my ancestors
One thing England has definitely taught me is bravery when it comes to colour.
If you’d told me years ago that I would voluntarily paint a ceiling pink, my entire German family line would probably have staged an intervention. Yet here we are.
British homes are so much more playful with colour than German ones. Wallpaper goes everywhere. Ceilings become features. Entire rooms are painted deep green, navy or terracotta without anyone panicking. At first I found it mildly stressful. Now? I love it.
My pink office ceiling somehow makes gloomy British weather feel less offensive, and it gives the room so much personality. The centrepiece is actually my German great-grandmother’s old bureau, which feels wonderfully full-circle somehow. Though honestly, I’m still not entirely sure what she would think about it sitting underneath a pink ceiling. I suspect there would be concerns.
Where both styles finally made peace
Oddly enough, I think our living room is where Germany and England finally stopped arguing.
The cream and green walls feel calmer and more German, while the DIY library wall adds that layered English cosiness I’ve grown to love. Then there’s the orange velvet sofa, the woodburner and approximately one thousand houseplants keeping everything alive. And somehow, it works.
That’s probably the best thing about creating a home over time. It doesn’t have to belong to one country, one trend or one style. Ours has become colourful but calm, cosy but uncluttered.
A little bit German. A little bit British.And, naturally, partially constructed from IKEA cabinets.
