Country Cottage Decorating

Cottage Style Decorating

Country Cottage decorating has been around since the earliest homeowner purchased a vacation getaway or built a guest house that needed to be furnished. Cast offs from the main home found new purpose in these second homes which took on a very time worn, comfortable and eclectic appearance.

Country Cottage Decorating has gained popularity in recent years as people wish to live in a more casual setting full time and has become a style that now proudly takes prominence in the main home.

The Furniture...

...in a cottage home shouldn't necessarily match and can be anything recycled from family or friends, purchased at flea markets or collected from anywhere. One of the signatures of country cottage decorating is worn furniture that is then painted to blend with other unique pieces in a room. Shades of white are common.

Finding New Uses...

...for vintage items is another way to incorporate cottage style into any setting. An old bench can become a coffee table, an antique school desk can accommodate house plants and curtain rods are replaced by rusty horse shoes (see right margin). Try to look at objects with a fresh eye and see what else it can develop into.

Wood Floors...

...are informal and imperfect in a cottage home. They are scratched, faded and uneven which just adds to the charm. Many cottage homes display painted wood floors that look better with each new scuff. Placing a mix of area rugs around on bare floors give a home an easy and warm feel.

Windows...

cottage style window trim

...in country cottage decorating are not normally covered in heavy drapes, instead being lightly swathed with sheer or lacy fabrics. If privacy is needed, opt for a shade that can be rolled up and out of the way.

Fabrics...

cottage style pillows

...are used in profusion in the cottage style. Furniture is slipcovered, tables wear skirts and throw pillows comfy up any seat in the room. Coordinating stripes, checks, florals and solids work together to give the scheme it's cottage feel. Slipcovers are easily updated and can change with the season's or the homeowner's current fancy. Add throw blankets around the room which instantly radiates hospitality.

Colors...

...that say "cottage" are usually pastel and give a soft, calming glow. Take a look at any flower and build a color scheme around that.

     

cottage decorating with white pottery

Accessorize...

...a cottage room with anything you find that has character and some age. Canning jars, wicker baskets, sea shells, interesting vintage dishes, old hats and the like can be arranged in beautiful vignettes. Think of objects as art and organize displays by color, shape or function to get things started.

Cottage Decorating with Collections

Collections...

...are a must in cottage design. Most of us have things we gather up in mass just because we find them beautiful, interesting or hard to find. Any collection looks great in a cottage themed room, be it pottery, antique fishing poles, floral china...even bird cages. Cottage collections are usually vintage with any imperfections only adding to their character.

Yearning for More Cottage Home Decorating Ideas and Inspiration?

Visit Cottage Home Decorating and find a free website full of beautiful pages featuring in depth information on cottage style decor. This site will excite anyone who loves country cottage and wants to create that look in their own home.

~Subscribe to their 'Painted Porch' Newsletter and receive free updates!~

Cottage Style on about.com

Here's an article about country cottage decorating on About.com which has many links to even more information! Quite a bit of them involve 'shabby chic' decorating...a very large part of cottage style decor.

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I Love Cottage Decor

site owner picture

If you've already followed the link: My Favorite Country Living Decorating Themes, you know that Country Cottage Decorating is my favorite!

If I lived alone, my home would be mostly shabby chic. Since there are other, more masculine occupants in our home, I try to keep the flowers and lace toned down with natural pine, leather and additional earthy textures.

We have quite a marriage of styles...his and hers...and I think it suits us perfectly.

Old Objects~ Find New Uses

Antique Wooden Bench~

vintage wooden bench used as a coffee table

One of my favorite finds is the old, wooden bench that we now use as a coffee table in our living room. We found it in the back of a dug-out shed on our place, built in the 1800's. Half of the bench was covered in dirt that had caved in from the roof. Who knew there was such a treasure buried there? It's got burn marks and numerous saw blemishes... just the way I like it!

Antique Child's Desk~

antique child's desk

A child's school desk made of oak once was used for just that...a desk, when our kids were little~just like it had been utilized in an old school house back in the early 1900's. Now that there are no more tiny behinds in our home doesn't mean the desk has outlived it's usefulness. It works great for an end table, or here as a plant stand.

Vintage Horse Shoes~

horse shoe window treatments

Our oldest son, Adam, welded these cast off horse shoes for me when I told him my vision of using them to hang curtains on.