Cute cottages oozing character and charm, usually nestled within glorious countryside, near the coast or within a pretty village, have always been popular as a dream home to aspire to for many people.
But with the Covid-19 pandemic resulting in most people being locked down inside their current homes, many have been wandering virtually around cosy cottages in a fabulous location on the online property portals as a distraction.
And some people have acted upon their daydream and found a cottage that has captured their heart, but to secure it, they needed to move fast as cottages by the coast or in the country have been staying on the market for literally just days.
For those not able to bag themselves a dream cottage, there has been a noticeable concentration of activity online around cottage-inspired interior design.
Born out of this has been the cottagecore interiors trend, an infant in 2020 but now a fully formed decor scheme in 2021 and set to continue to be popular into 2022.
Cottagecore is a lifestyle trend that romanticises about country living - it's not just about interiors, it idealises a way of life and includes home-based activities, such as gardening, baking and crafting and even extends into fashion.
Long periods of staying at home during lockdowns has resulted in a substantial increase in gardening, crafting and baking, the trend gained popularity on social media platforms.
Cottagecore interior design is part of the overall lifestyle and focuses on creating a classic and cosy homely look and feel, based around nature and dressed with vintage and antique furniture, accessories in natural materials, such as china, rattan and wood mixed with layers of fabrics of florals, stripes and vintage patterns.
But cottagecore interiors arguably look the most at home surrounded by a character cottage, by being flanked by exposed or white-washed stone walls and beams, and an open, roaring fireplace.
Currently, the choice of cottages for sale in Wales includes one within a national park with spectacular views, a hillside cutie with stunning sea views and cottages hiding within pretty villages and historic towns.
Blaenau Ffestiniog: £150,000
Going to online auction, this two-bed cottage is nestled within gorgeous countryside within the Snowdonia National Park south of Blaenau Ffestiniog.
The property is a charming, traditional stone-built detached cottage occupying a delightful, peaceful rural location approximately 1.5 miles from the village of Gellilydan.
Outside, the cottage enjoys superb views over open countryside and the mountains beyond, and inside it can offer lovely views too.
Views of a large inglenook fireplace with stone and slate details, exposed celling beams and tactile walls that add extra charm, plus the opportunity to add your own cottage-inspired interiors to the decor.
The cottage also offers opportunity to add value by converting the attached single-storey workshop into another room or two floors so creating a third bedroom.
The cottage also comes with a stone-built store shed and dilapidated former barn and the agent selling the cottage states the site has a private water supply, generator for electricity and septic tank drainage.
The cottage is for sale with estate agents Tom Parry, call the Blaenau Ffestiniog branch on 01766 830126 to find out more.
Dyserth, Denbighshire: £160,000
A cottage with an expansive view, a prime village location and history that adds to the property's charm sounds like a winning combination.
This stone two-bed home dates back to the late 1700s and has been recently updated and decorated throughout, including a new kitchen, bathroom, carpets plus a décor refresh.
Maybe the highlights outside include the view over the village to the sea on the horizon and the pretty front garden that, quite rightly, already has a bench in place as the perfect spot to capture some sunshine.
Maybe the highlights inside are three working fireplaces, two downstairs and one in the main bedroom, that each ooze their own distinct character.
Arguably the most impressive one is found in the lounge, almost the full height of the room this stone beast is home to a huge log burner sure to keep you warm, whatever the weather is doing outside.
Call LL Estates at the Rhuddlan branch on 01745 591811 for more details.
Near Tregaron, Ceredigion: £184,950
Cottages come in all shapes and sizes and some form part of the prettiest of terraces that, as a group, cannot fail to catch the eye of anyone passing by.
This pretty pale blue, mid-terrace cottage forms part of a family of cottages in the village of Pontrhydfendigaid at the foot of the Cambrian mountains.
Behind the blue facade is a cottage with character, versatility and also a few surprise spaces.
The front room is currently begin used as a bedroom but reinstated as a sitting room is a cosy space with exposed stone wall that houses a log burner.
But this space could easily remain as a slumber zone as the there is a second reception room behind it that can also claim character with its own log burner and exposed stone, plus a door to the stone walled garden where you will find a sunny patio, garden shed and workshop.
Then another surprise - a very generous kitchen diner extension on the rear of the cottage that has a vaulted ceiling starring exposed wood and beams and rafters.
The final surprise is on the top floor, where the loft can offer the best view of the structure of the house, with the chunky roof beams exposed in all their gloriousness to be seen and admired.
This cottage is on the market with Morgan & Davies, contact their Lampeter branch on 01570 423623 to find out more.
Ruthin: £195,000
It's inevitable that some old cottages come with a unique history as well as lovely character and classic features.
This pretty cottage, said to date back to the 15th century, is sandwiched between two bigger houses on one of the charming, winding streets in the small and historic market town of Ruthin; and it can easily claim to have both.
Inside, many rooms are packed with beams - not just on the ceiling because the wall beams make an appearance too.
There are flagstone and wooden floors too, and the main lounge can boast an exceptionally chunky exposed stone wall that is like a natural and tactile work of art, bringing a myriad of tones - some subtly and some eye-catching - to the room.
There's a chunky wood mantel too but it appears the chimney might have been partially bricked up, so if you want a roaring fire in there you'll need to investigate further.
The bedrooms can boast even more beams and there's a delightful little fireplace to be found in the bathroom.
Not every cottage can boast a plaque on its facade, and this one says that Edward Pugh, Ruthin-born landscape artist, miniaturist and author, lived at this Grade II listed cottage.
The property was more recently used as a beauty salon but now has planning consent to be reverted back to a three-bed home that could be a real beauty.
Called Crown Cottage, this home is a real gem that oozes history and could soon be welcoming a new owner to happily live inside it again, and is for sale for £195,000 with estate agents Cavendish Residential, call the Ruthin branch on 01824 703030 to find out more.
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Barmouth: £219,000
Nestled into the rocky hillside above the sea in an area known as The Rock, the immediate location is definitely an enthralling aspect of the property.
Surrounded by characterful and quaint homes this cute former fisherman's home can be found perched on the rocky hillside within this historic area that is the old part of Barmouth.
Called The Ingle, and the front patio at this cottage is arguably the most special spot on this sweet little site, offering stunning sea views.
Inside, It's compact but pretty and practical with the whitewashed beams, ceiling, and stone walls allowing the space to feel as big as possible. The flagstone floor offers a classic cottage interior design feature that is also eternally practical.
The open-plan living space, with the kitchen running along the back of the house, is made to feel bigger by the expansive view through the glass French doors.
The bedroom packs a cottage punch with sections of exposed stone walls and roof beams adding character as well as visual warmth – the perfect bedfellows to the crisp, white decor.
This sea view sweetie is for sale with Walter Lloyd Jones & Co, Barmouth, contact them on 01341 280527 to find out more.
Near Llangollen: £299,950
Not all cottages are cute properties with low ceilings and small but cosy spaces, some cottages for sale in Wales have been built, converted or redesigned with large spaces at its core.
This stone property, near Llangollen, can boast a lovely, large lounge that can welcome you with chunky exposed beams, thick exposed stone framing the windows and wooden floors.
These classic cottage features can also be enjoyed in the kitchen diner and the spacious hallway.
Many of the additions to the spaces have been thoughtfully chosen to add extra character to the rooms, including slate floors and a roll-top bath in the family bathroom.
One modern addition that is surely going to be a surprise and a welcome bonus is the hot tub in the garden.
This bubbly outdoor feature has been positioned to enjoy the sweeping rural views from this cottage garden across the tiny hamlet of Fron Isal towards the towns of Chirk one way and Llangollen the other way.
The three-bed cottage is on the market for £299,950 with Wingetts, Llangollen, call them on 01978 861366 for more details.
Hay-on-Wye: £485,000
Some cottages forego the classic traditional stone facade and usual symmetrical frontage to offer something a little more quirky.
This delightful Grade II listed, 200-year-old, cottage not only delivers on character but also on location, being just a short distance from the edge of the popular market town Hay-on-Wye and the Wye Valley.
The cottage offers a wealth of features to excite a potential new owner from the very start of a property tour, with the outside facade and design including old original slates, decorative barge boarding, robust chimneys and over-hung porch.
The interior design inside is slightly more genteel and refined than a rustic cottage but the classic backbone of features can still be spotted - including flagstone floors, oak beams, doors and floorboards, and attractive Queen Anne style leaded-light windows.
Called Lower More Lodge, once you visit you will probably want to spend more time here, either as a home or a holiday let - which is how it is being used at the moment.
The two-bed lodge cottage is for sale for £485,000 with Chancellors, Hay-On-Wye, call them on 01497 821222 for more details.
Poppit, Pembrokeshire: £650,000
An interrupted sea view is maybe the ultimate neighbour that a charming cottage can offer. This property in Pembrokeshire is pretty as a picture with sea views stretching out across the landscape from the rear garden.
Located at the end of a winding country lane, the cottage is near the tip of a headland near Pen Camaes and the Pembrokeshire coastal path resulting in sweeping sea views from both sides of the headland at the rear of the home.
The views from the front of the house are pretty perfect too – a rolling rural landscape of fields, trees, and hedgerows stretching down towards Cardigan, the nearest major coastal town about four miles away.
There is a pretty country cottage garden, of course, but further afield – literally – are about 16 acres of grazing fields and undulating land.
The cottage also comes with two outbuildings, a shed, and a shelter within one of the paddocks.
Inside the cottage is a pretty mix of cottage character via stone walls, beams, some flagstone floors and the longed-for cottage dream - an inglenook fireplace.
Colours chosen in this particular cottage are calm, neutral shades punctuated with accents of warm, earthy tones and a palette of blues as a homage to the cottage's sea views outside.
Patterns are traditional and also highlight warm tones that create a perfect accent to the predominantly white-washed stone walls and ceiling beams.
Natural materials such as slate, wood, and wool are key elements in the design and pockets of the natural world can be noticed throughout such as pine cones, shells, and baskets.
Solid, robust wooden country-style furniture adds natural warm tones and artwork reflecting the cottage's coastal location, such as seascapes and sailing ships, are an added and appropriate accessory.
The three-bed cottage by the sea is for sale for offers in the region of £650,000 with John Francis, call the Cardigan branch on 01239 612080 to find out more.
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