Cottage styling is perfect for a casual, refreshing look that evokes the feeling of a relaxing seaside bungalow. Cottage decor uses a muted color palette with comfortable cushioned furniture and an atmosphere of controlled clutter. Often vintage pieces are re-purposed and architectural details are added to enhance the look.
Cottage styling is similar to shabby chic, which is a more feminine version that incorporates romantic touches.
The Cottage Color Palette
The cottage look generally features a muted color palette influenced by the colors of the sea, sand and sky. Picture a dreamy color scheme of pale blues, creamy whites, and soft hues of gray, lavender, pink and greens. Floral fabrics, patterns and plaids are all typical of the cottage style to achieve an eclectic mood. Faded and tea stained fabrics add just the right touch.
Choosing the Right Furniture
Select painted and distressed wood frame furniture in white, blue and other soft colors for beds, chests and chairs to blend well with cottage decor. Upholstered and overstuffed, cushioned furniture in soft fabrics are characteristic of the cottage look. Painted wrought iron tables and chairs can enhance cottage furnishing. Choose furniture groupings with cottage styling for the living room, dining room and childrens and adult bedrooms.
Controlled Clutter
The cottage look makes use of controlled clutter, but not in the sense of overwhelming the senses. The aim is to place furniture and objects around the room to create an interesting mix for a comfortable lived-in feeling. Stylish vintage pieces, floral fabrics and accessories like over-sized mirrors in elaborate frames add touches that create the romantic shabby chic look.
Accessorizing Cottage Furniture
A unique piece of accent furniture like a bakerss rack or an interesting chest can enhance cottage decor. A well-designed curio cabinet to hold a grouping of collectibles goes well with cottage decor. Artwork like seascapes in blues, whites and greens, seaside plants and nautical images can finish the cottage look. Bring the outside in with accessories like bowls of shells or interesting pieces of twisted driftwood.
Architectural and Decorative Details
Decorators often use architectural detailing to accentuate the relaxed appearance of a cottage styled room. Wide molding painted white will highlight the soft tones of walls painted in a cottage color palette, while elements like columns make the furniture stand out. If the home is near the sea, shear billowing curtains can frame an outdoor seascape.
