Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Cottage Style Ideas

Cottage window


Cottage decorating is inexpensive, whimsical and has a touch of home. You don't need to live in the country to appreciate cottage style. It can spruce up a condo bathroom or apartment kitchen. Cottage style combines natural elements with femininity and romance. Does this Spark an idea?


Cottage Colors and Accents


Look to the softest colors of nature to inspire cottage colors. Decorate with pale green, soft lavender or the pink and red found in roses. Finish the color palette off with lots of white or cream accents for a fresh and airy room.


Accessories are a trademark of cottage design. Show off your collection, whether it is sea glass, colorful bottles or plates. Look for architectural elements like vintage corbels to place on a buffet. Shutters can act as window treatments or a room divider. Bring in light with a candle chandelier for an inexpensive way to add feminine romance to a room. Display family photographs in vintage frames or needlework to serve as artwork in the space.


Cottage Focal Points


Cottage style brings the outdoors in. Accent a nightstand with a porcelain country vase filled with dried lavender. Mix floral prints with solids on the bed and window treatments. French doors allow more light into the space and let the focus be on the garden area. Save money by shopping for an iron cafe table or wicker rocking chair in the gardening section of the store. Bring in other outdoor furniture accents, such as plant stands, that you can use as end tables or night stands. Place an iron bench under a window for a makeshift window seat or at the foot of the bed so you can easily put on shoes.


Cottage Furniture


Collect cottage furniture over time if you are decorating on a budget. This design style allows you to use mismatched pieces for a comfortable touch. Cottage furniture should have curved lines. A cottage sofa should have a comfortable cotton cover in a floral or plain cream fabric. Look for distressed furniture with chipped paint or glaze your own painted furniture for an aged look. Ironwork is a common cottage design material. Make a headboard from iron grates or find a metal four poster bed and paint it a pastel color.


Antique glass knobs spruce up cabinetry. Update a bathroom vanity or kitchen cabinets by adding chicken wire to glass inserts. If a chair or bathroom vanity is too modern put a skirt on it with hook and loop tape. Spruce up dark wood furniture and cupboards with cream paint. Combine natural and wood accents by using a butcher block counter in a cottage kitchen.







Tags: bathroom vanity, cottage design, Cottage style, kitchen Cottage, should have