A Cottage Photoshoot

It’s not everyday one is asked to participate in a major brand photoshoot. So, when TradCo Architectural Hardware approached me about photographing their products at the cottage, for use on their social media and website, I jumped at the chance. Never one to let such an opportunity go to waste, I used it as a chance to motivate myself to finish a few smaller tasks I’d been putting off and adding extra layers to ramp up the cosy in our home. Which of course led us down a rabbit hole and we started other projects. An exhausted few days later saw the house prepped and ready for her first cottage photoshoot. Here are some of the things we did to prepare they house for her big day..

Touch up Painting

Is something you should do on a regular basis to keep your home looking fresh. It took me a few hours over a couple of days to touch up chipped paint on the architraves, strip the bubbling paint from the front door. And repaint it. Keeping a supply of small airtight containers of wall and trim paints is essential for this kind of job and made it quick and simple to complete. Armed with a damp microfiber cloth, I also found time to wipe any marks from the walls.

Other Tasks We Tackled

• filling holes where new our light switches had been installed
• Touch up painting for the back doorstep
• changing a door knob
• Having the windows professionally cleaned.
• tidying the garden and adding fresh pine bark mulch
• a general house clean

Adding Layers of Cosy

I don’t keep large stashes of accessories on hand that are not in use, but I do have some that are stored in the dresser cupboard in the kitchen. For the shoot, I decided to take advantage of the new year sales and buy a couple of pieces I had my eye on for a while. One was a scalloped wicker tray by Chyka from Harris Scarfe, and the other was a rattan urn. I also spotted a cute green glass liquid soap dispenser, perfect for the bathroom vanity. It’s little touches like these that add a layer of texture and interest to pockets of the home. The tray and urn, in particular, will slot into any space perfectly. They tie in with the other wicker and rattan elements I have throughout the house.

To create other photo worthy moments, I added vases of flowers and branches of wattle and olive trees.. Little touches of greenery add softness and calm to a corner. They create dramatic effect and cost nothing to clip from the garden or local roadside.

Throw rugs adorned the armchairs and the ends of the bed, while freshly laundered throw pillows added an inviting touch to the sofa.
. I also added books and plants to the bedside tables, to create a lived in look, as well as stacking pillows on the bed for a plusher look.

The Kitchen

Was the major focus for the cottage photoshoot. As this zone is where most of the TradCo products are, it needed to look gorgeous and lived in. Of course, us being us, I decided at the last minute we should convert the kitchen table we never used into an island. It’s been a game changer already, and really completes the look of the kitchen. Fresh produce decorated the island and dining table for the shoot, while I washed down the cabinetry and restyled the shelves.

A New Bench Seat for the Cottage Photoshoot

It was a happy coincidence that our new bench seat from Rekindle Design Co arrived a few days before the cottage photoshoot. It looks perfect on the verandah, simply styled with baskets of annuals on either side.