10 Ways to Create a Charming Cottage-Style Kitchen

I’ve always wanted a cottage-style kitchen for as long as I can remember. I love the carefree and relaxed feel of this style, and the coziness it exudes. HGTV states that the cottage style has a colorful, comfortable look characterized by painted or decorated furniture with graceful lines, weathered finishes, textural elements such as baskets, bead board walls and natural-fiber rugs, and colors taken straight from a lush flower garden. Let me share with you the 10 elements I used to create a charming cottage-style kitchen.

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1. Cottage Colors

Pops of Color

Better Homes and Gardens stated that blue is a quintessential color for cottage-style. You can use just about any color for a cottage style kitchen, but I do love my blues, which work well with my beach vibe. Both brights and pastels are perfect for a cottage kitchen.

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 awhile, 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, (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 a warmth and texture to a cottage-style kitchen. Add cottage style rugs.

6. Adding Character

Wood – Trim, Ceilings, Walls and Farmtables

Wood work is an important detail in a cottage style kitchen. We installed tongue and groove ceiling planks for more interest. Bead board 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.

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