Say the words "cottage" and one should envision a little house complete with a white picket fence, quaint shutters around the windows and a casual garden framing the home. Once inside, a well thought out cottage decor beckons visitors to linger for tea and sweet-smelling baked goods while rooms are filld with simple accessories and personal touches that reflect the warmth of the home. However, try too hard to accomplish this rosy picture and you'll end up with a lot of kitch.
Homes decorated in the cottage style require that you leave the worries and pressures of the outside world at the front gate. They should feel warm, cozy and welcoming not overcrowded, forced and cluttered. When surrounded by pretty accessories and cozy nooks, however, you cannot help but feel calm and comfortable. The benefit of living in a cottage home is that is meant to be lived in, unlike fussier modern and sleek designs that aim to hide the things you use and lack that personal flavour unique to each. Cottage decor celebrates everyday items and simple decorative items. In the kitchen, leave your mixing bowls in plain sight, in the bedroom, stack some books on the nightstand. Jars filled with cotton swabs and bath salts adorned with a simple label and some raffea ribbon, make a bathroom feel like a place to hideaway.
Cottage style also means that you should incorporate an eccletic mix of furniture styles, collections, fabrics and other items so you don't have to worry about your favourite collection not "fitting" in with your new decor choice. Stick to a few rules and you'll be able to enjoy the comfort of cottage living in your own home.
Unify the Space
By no means should cottage style mean lack of colour, but you should try to unify the space with with a simple neutral tone like white or ivory. You can paint the walls, woodwork, ceiling and wood floor white. Another option is to keep your large peices of furniture white or ivory either by painting or upholstering them. Add splashes of colour with a few accent pieces like a bookcase, secretary desk or even one wall of the room. Other accessories like books, photos, pieces of art, baskets, pillows and collectibles can add even more colour.
When selecting colours to accent your cottage style room, try not to stick to one scheme. Instead, mix up your colours but try to keep them in the same tonal family - jewel tone, earth tone, pastels, etc. Need inspiration? Check out the New Country collection by Ethan Allen and you will see great examples of how to accomplish this.
Think beyond the norm
Ready to throw out an old chair because the rush seat is worn? Hold off on that, affix it to the wall and place a basket filled with dried hydrangeas where the seat once was. You get the point. Well worn means well loved and this is just the kind of feeling you want to accomplish. Multiple layers of peeling paint, dings and scratches, cracked tea cups - use your imagination and these items become more of an advantage in a cottage setting than a disadvantage.
You can accomplish this look also by buying unfinished wood furniture pieces and doing a crackle paint finish or painting it a few times, each different colours and sanding off strategic places. Places like Home Depot often have inexpensive unfinished pieces that you can practice on!
Show off your most precious possessions
Decorating in the cottage style means creating an atmosphere that is a comfortable haven for yourself and your guests. And nothing is more comforting than surrounding yourself with the things that mean the most to you. By simply adding a few of your favourite framed photos to a wall or placing some of your treasured momentums on a shelf, you'll create a space that makes you happy and in turn welcomes visitors into your home by letting your personality and hospitality shine.
However, when it comes to displaying collections, don't let your display space become overly cluttered. Cottage style treasures simplicity and a cluttered shelf or table detracts from the comfort of a space. Choose a few of your favourite pieces to display and rotate them from time to time.
Fabrics
Add punches of colour and pattern with fabrics on furniture, windows and floors. Mix and match patterns like florals, stripes, plaids and checks for a look that is both casual and fun. Keep window treatments simple with tab tops or cafe curtains. Upholstered furniture is comfortable and cozy but stick to pieces with simple shapes, rounded lines and plump, soft cushions. Try framing a piece of fabric or "curtaining" the inside of the glass doors on a cabinet to bring in a more interesting use of colour.
