Improving Your Home

Cottage-style décor is known for being cozy and homey. As with any décor style, it starts with a suggested color palette and includes specific finishes. A cottage-style kitchen should carry a generational but quaint appeal. Add cottage elements as you make over your kitchen.

Start with a White Base

The palette for cottage style is inspired by botanicals, so it includes colors like dusty pink, sunflower yellow, light apricot, and shades of green. However, the foundational color is white. Your walls and possibly even your cabinetry should be white while you utilize the other shades for accenting. If white seems too stark, keep the walls white and choose one of the accent shades for the cabinetry.

Utilize Beaded Board

Cottage kitchens should have a homey charm. One way to achieve this is with beaded board. You can utilize this trim in the standard place, the walls. However, consider using beaded board for a kitchen island or for cabinet doors. This gives your cottage kitchen an almost hand-crafted feel.

Choose Distressed Finishes

As Better Homes and Gardens points out, a hallmark of cottage style is that the furnishings look lived in. If you have antique furnishings, use these for your kitchen décor. However, you can also choose items with distressed finishes because these give that timeworn patina.

Incorporate Cottage Prints

You don't see a lot of prints in the kitchen. However, cottage prints are typically floral or striped. Use these for tea towels, area rugs, cushions, curtains, and any other textiles found in your kitchen. Likewise, look for kitchen accent pieces, such as crockery, with a floral print.

Install a Farmhouse Sink

Cottages are like English farmhouses. Therefore, some elements of the two styles crossover. In this case, a farmhouse sink promotes the country charm of your kitchen. A farmhouse sink features a wide apron front and is typically deeper than a standard sink. White is the most common color, but you can find farmhouse sinks in bright colors such as blue or yellow.

Aim for a Mismatched Look

Part of the charm of the cottage style is it should utilize found items. The goal here isn't for a formally done space but one with items that go together even if they don't match. One way to achieve this is by adhering to your color palette. However, you can also use this idea in fixtures as long as you stay within a set style. For instance, consider changing out your handles to bin style ones. They don't all have to be the same as long as they all feel like they came from a general store.

Add cottage charm to your kitchen with elements such as a botanical color palette, cottage materials, and distressed finishes. An interior design service can provide more guidance.