The Cozy Country Cottage is a homestead from 1730 placed in Denmark. But what is a homestead, and what is the story behind it?
A homestead is a small house placed on somebody else’s property. Unlike in some countries, a homestead in Denmark would typically barely, or not at all, have any land surrounding the house. It is the smallest type of farmhouse, and could be smaller than 28 m2 and at the most arround 74 m2.
The householder would rent the place, and the deal was that the householder had to pay a yearly amount, and work for the landlord of the nearby estate, using their own tools to cultivate the landlords fields.
They could not live of the land and the animals they owned, so they had to work for others to survive and pay the yearly amount. Often they worked for the landlord of the nearby estate in busy times, and some were adding to the income by working as craftsmen, shepherds, fishers or teachers. A few of the homesteads were used for retirement of the upper and middle class.
The householder of a homestead would be considered the lower class of society, and could not even have a saying at decisions in the village community. The Cozy Country Cottage have a floor plan of 60 m2. Maybe half of the house was for household to live in, and the other half was used to shelter the animals. It also came with a tiny piece of land to cultivate.
For us today the Cozy Country Cottage is not too big and not too small. The historical elements, the charm and the character of an old building add to the aesthetic and cozy vibe of the place. Knowing how it has been around for almost 300 years is a soothing and reassuring fact. It is perfect in size and place, and the best place we have ever lived.
