So is a cottage a place near the sea? Or a small house? Not sure what the term is referring to. Each is so different from the other and so interesting in its own way, that it doesn't seem to be an architectural style.
@taffy a cottage is a small house. Usually here they are weatherboard too. Maitland is inland from where we live and about 45 miles in distance. All the houses are different here from each other because you buy a block of land and build your own style house on it.