Achieving the Coziness of Cottage Interior Design

Cottage design style means romance, simplicity, coziness, and comfort. Think of it as comfort food for the soul! Light and airy colors, lots of pastels, floral patterns, pretty plaids, bold stripes, white furniture, and plenty of overstuffed pillows make cottage designed rooms a place you want to curl up with a good book in and stay all day.

The wall colors in cottage design are typically muted and understated. Pastel pinks, soft yellows, sky blues, gentle greens, and soothing lavenders are always acceptable. And of course, you can never go wrong with crisp, clean white! The colors should sort of be worn or faded looking and have that gentle sense of aging. This is not to say it should look old, but just have that been-there-awhile look. Imagine a cottage beach house on Nantucket in the springtime.

The walls in cottage design are usually painted solid colors all around. If you do paint an accent wall, make sure it’s of the same shade because cottage design is all about staying within the same color range. This monochromatic look adds to the soothing and uncomplicated feel of cottage design. Contrast should come in the form of white trim, woodwork, or beadboard. To get that classic cottage look you should have lots of white painted wood accents around the room. Consider adding beadboard and paint the ceiling, trim, and windows in crisp, bright white to make the muted wall colors stand out.

The furnishings are typically white and distressed or dark hardwood. You might have an old-fashioned wrought iron bed painted white with the iron peeking out underneath, an old wooden table with antique hardware, or a big white wicker chair with oversized cushions. The great thing about furnishing your cottage designed room is that nothing really needs to match, so go wild buying individual pieces at flea markets, antique stores, or yard sales. Just make sure they have decorative interest to them like claw feet, intricate carvings, or an antique look.

Cottage design does use plenty of patterns and this is where you really get to have fun mixing and matching. Pretty florals, bold stripes, masculine plaids, and even polka dots can all be used as accents, plus they can all be mixed together! Just pick two or three colors that go well with your wall color and tie them all together. It’s okay to mix pink floral pillows with blue striped cushions or yellow plaid curtains with a red toile bedspread.

When it comes to cottage design, you want to de-stress your life by creating an environment that’s open and inviting. Cleaning up clutter and following the “less is more” rule is essential. Only place furniture that will be used and serves a purpose. Add accessories like flower filled vases, family photos, old books, and flea market finds, but don’t overdo it.

You should feel relaxed, comfortable, and want to plop down in a comfy chair to enjoy a nice cup of tea. That is the simplicity of cottage interior design.

©2007, Kathy Burns-Millyard