There are so many reasons to love cottage-style home decor. This comfy, cozy, relaxed, “anything goes” way of living is easy to achieve using these 10 easy ways to create a charming cottage-style kitchen.
What is cottage style to you?
To me, a cottage is comfortable, charming, and meant to be lived in. When it comes to cottage style, pretty much anything goes.
Nothing has to match.
Flea market finds are always in view. Some vintage items can be repurposed. You’ll see that with my kitchen island that used to be a dresser in its old life.
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1. Cottage Colors
Pops of Color
Living in a cottage on the beach, sea-inspired colors like soft blues and sandy beiges are a must. And let’s not forget all the white.
White as a Background
I’ve painted my kitchen a total of 4 times since living here. In the past, I always chose bright colors on the walls, so they would pop against the white trim, tile, and cabinets.
But when I painted my walls white, I was pleasantly surprised! The colors from my pillows, fresh flowers, and other pieces around the kitchen, actually popped more! They were no longer fighting each other.
2. Open Shelving
Options
We originally had a glass front cabinet put in during the original remodel. However, I decided to take it out and replace it with open shelving. Either vintage brackets or corbels will give the perfect cottage feel. Removing doors on existing cabinets is a great alternative to adding shelving. This will give you time to live with the look for a while, to see if you like it, without spending additional money.
Showing Off
Many people use their open shelving for everyday use. I actually use this space to show off my vintage vignettes and collections. Because I don’t use these dishes very often, and they are more for display, I don’t need to spend a lot of time cleaning and dusting before use.
3. Comfy Seating
Comfortable cushioned seating and pillows are sure to keep your family and friends happy at any gathering. We added this window seating once the wall between the living room and kitchen was removed. This provided more space for entertaining, with even more comfort.
4. Kitchen Islands
There are so many different options when it comes to kitchen islands. We used a vintage dresser as our island choice. By attaching a butcher block top, (which we found at a Dunkin Doughnuts that was going out of business) we added even more cottage charm to our kitchen. It not only takes up very little room in our small kitchen, but it was a more inexpensive option for us.
5. Wood Flooring
Wood flooring gives warmth and texture to a cottage-style kitchen. Add cottage-style rugs.
6. Adding Character
Wood – Trim, Ceilings, Walls, and Farm tables
Woodwork is an important detail in a cottage-style kitchen. We installed tongue and groove ceiling planks for more interest. Beadboard would be another cottage-style option. Over-sized baseboards and moldings make a huge impact. We love how our farm table, built with reclaimed barn wood, looks in this cottage-style setting.
Lighting
There are so many lighting options for a cottage-style kitchen. We looked for a more retro and vintage-inspired feel when picking out our lighting. We went with low-hanging pendant lights and schoolhouse lighting.
7. Vintage Details and Nostalgic Charm
This farm sink was bought before we even decided how we were going to renovate our kitchen. We actually built our kitchen around this charming vintage sink. Retro-looking fixtures completed the look. Vintage pieces such as hutches, buffets, and bar stools are a perfect way to mix old with new.
8. Wicker
Whether you’re using it for storage, or for seating, wicker gives a great texture element and interest to any cottage-style kitchen.
9. Timeless Elements
Subway tile has been around for over 100 years, which is a big reason why we chose it for our kitchen. It’s perfect for keeping with the time period the house was built in.
10. Small Details Go A Long Way
Small details such as glass-front cabinets, bin-style drawer pulls and fresh flowers are great additions to a cottage kitchen.
Do you have a specific style preference when it comes to your kitchen? Leave me a comment.
Until next time,
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There are so many gorgeous ideas in this post, Kim! I love, love, love all the vintage pieces you have and how you’ve styled your shelves too. I can only imagine the heavenly smells that must come out of this space and I love how you use your garden flowers so freely. It’s all gorgeous! Hugs, CoCo
Thank you for the kind words CoCo! I really appreciate it my friend. Your kindness means so much in a time that we all need it most. I hope you are having a good week.
Kim,
I adore your kitchen. I want to move in. Congratulations, you are being featured at Thursday Favorite Things. I hope you stop by. https://www.eclecticredbarn.com/2020/05/thursday-favorite-things_27.html
Hugs,
Bev
Thank you so much for the feature Bev! I am so excited to visit on Thursday, and to see your other amazing features. Thank you so much for hosting!
Love your tips and your coastal cottage style kitchen! I just keep sighing at the photos! 😉 Question… What camera and lens do you use to get your ‘larger’ room shots? I pinned to two boards, and look forward to you being one of my features tomorrow at Tuesday Turn About!
Thank you so much Julie! I really appreciate it! I am embarrassed to say that I use my android phone only. Funny, right? I’m looking forward to your party tomorrow. Thank you so much for the feature!
I love your cozy kitchen, Kim!
Thank you for the sweet compliment Molly, and thank you for visiting!
I love the beautiful tips and photos Kim.
Rachel
You are just the sweetest Rachel! I love your blog my friend!
Your cottage kitchen is so cool! Love how you repurposed the old dresser and made it a kitchen island… What an awesome idea! Love it!!
Thank you! I loved it before, but really fell in love when we added the butcher block to it!
Oh I love your kitchen Kim – it’s absolutely perfect! Thanks so much for the lovely tour! 💗
Thank you Barbara! I appreciate you checking it out! Hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend coming up!
I love your kitchen, so cozy and warm. Well done
I really appreciate that Darlene! Thank you so much for the sweet words! Hope you are having a good week!